NBC has decided to cancel their low-rated Hannibal TV show. The current third season will be the series’ last.
Based on the Red Dragon novel by Thomas Harris, Hannibal revolves around the early relationship between FBI investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen), a forensic psychiatrist who becomes an infamous cannibalistic serial killer. Others in the cast of this thriller series include Laurence J. Fishburne III, Aaron Abrams, Caroline Dhavernas, Scott Thompson, Tao Okamoto, and Gillian Anderson.
The show’s ratings were poor in its first season and they’ve gotten even worse in seasons two and three. The three installments of the current season have averaged a 0.57 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 1.98 million viewers. Season-to-season, that’s down by 34% in the demo and down by 22% in viewership. Based on the numbers, NBC should have cancelled the series long ago.
In a statement, executive producer Bryan Fuller said, “NBC has allowed us to craft a television series that no other broadcast network would have dared, and kept us on the air for three seasons… Hannibal is finishing his last course at NBC’s table this summer, but a hungry cannibal can always dine again. And personally, I look forward to my next meal with NBC.”
NBC added, “We have been tremendously proud of Hannibal over its three seasons. Bryan and his team of writers and producers, as well as our incredible actors, have brought a visual palette of storytelling that has been second to none in all of television — broadcast or cable. We thank Gaumont and everyone involved in the show for their tireless efforts that have made Hannibal an incredible experience for audiences around the world.”
What do you think? Do you like the Hannibal TV show? Would you have watched a fourth season on NBC or on another channel?
I enjoyed the first season. Now, the second season dragged some, but I watched it. In all honesty I was not expecting a third season. This third season has been ok, but not great. I have to admit I am a bit tired of the show. I will keep watching it until it ends but in a way I am glad it is cancelled and I hope they give it a decent ending.
First Jon Snow, now Hannibal. This is very frustrating, and to say the show was “too cerebral” for some audiences explains it all. That is what made the show unique. There really is no other show like it. The novels were also cerebral, so if you can’t appreciate that then, then you don’t get it. I love the show, and NBC needs to learn a whole lot about substance and quality.
This bites. What do they think is a success; “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?”
Clearly, idiots are running network programming these days. Nothing cerebral on tv, just mindless competition, reality (not), and game show drivel. Not only that, this season started during NBA and NHL finals – the 1st 2 of the 3 episodes thus far on at THE SAME TIME AS 2 NBA GAMES – and the 3rd one the day after the Charleston massacre!!! Give it a chance! Idiots!
There is no accounting for taste anymore!!! The show is best made on TV, and honestly what kind of ratings did NBC think it was going get considering the subject matter?
Hopefully someone like FX will pick up the show and the amazingly delicious saga can continue!!!
i cant believe it why cancel such a fantastic show what is going on with these tv channels axing these great shows dracula and now this as well as others sick of it they keep crap and get rid of great shows its unbelievable this makes me so mad
Why not cancel it? It is a fantastic show but a bit too cerebral for some audiences. You have to have some intelligence to follow a story about a genious psychotic serial killer. NBC has cancelled so many really good shows lately that I’m not sure I want to continue to watch network shows since they don’t really last. NBC-Nothing But Crap.
I’m glad to see it go. I watched the first season and thought it had potential. However, the second season was boring and I didn’t watch till the end. Didn’t even try the third season.
I never watched the series but i have friends that loved it. Its not my cup of tea but, i hope for the people that did enjoy it that it gets picked up by someone else. I hope they do keep Aquarius since i enjoyed that series
It’s a sad day for quality TV. It’s amazing that they gave them so many chances, so I don’t really blame NBC, but the quality of this series is second to none, even on cable.
Cloud… LOL… did you really say QUALITY in reference to a show about cannibalism? All I can say about this being canceled is good riddance!
So very sad to see the shows cancelation
It was based on a great concept, and the cast and crew made the effort to make it interesting, but the third season began so dark that many people would not feel comfortable. What else could one expect in a story about a serial killer? This isn’t the Brady Bunch. I wonder if the movies spoiled the expectations of the series, as the movies were great. Perhaps the concept was only good for two or three seasons. Sad to see it go but that is the nature of TV series.
I would have preferred to watch the off-air signal for the 50 minutes this horrible thing once stole from my life. One of those shows you watch for a while, expecting it will get better and make some kind of sense at a certain point … but it never does, and you are left feeling silly for having been hoodwinked. Why would supposedly intelligent network exec’s put money into this gunk-burger? Good riddance I say.
The first season was great, then the second season they went into this slow chess match with bouts of extreme violence in between. I almost threw in the towel last season. This season I watched the first installment and 15 minutes of the second then tapped out. It looked obvious we were going to have much more of the second seasons nonsense. It’s no wonder the younger demographics tapped out. If it’s too slow for an old timer like me then it’s snail pace for those much younger
It took a real effort to get through some of the latest blood and guts of Hannibal. I don’t think that I would have watched a 4th season. I will barely be able to finish the third one. It has more to do with what the actors are doing rather than their quality. I actually like the actors, but you need a guide to help you make sense of what is going on. Plots get too difficult to follow, and people are inclined to tune in to easier to follow shows. Oh well, what is on TV anymore is seldom… Read more »