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Hannibal - 2.05 - "Mukozuke" Review - Ethics? What's that?

Mar 29, 2014

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Will's ethics
After last week's rather negative impression, I can say that Mukozuke definitely restored at least a little bit of faith. The noticeable amount of parallels to the source material made this episode aesthetically appealing in certain ways. And by aesthetically appealing I refer to Hannibal's ironic position as Rinaldo Pazzi from the 2001 movie version. There's some poetic justice in the way Hannibal gets crucified while his toy is cozying up to a Red Dragon-ish "rival".

I must've been the only one who sighed in relief. Will Graham finally did it. He overstepped a line of morality and entered Hannibal's territory without hesitation. Will's closed off expression while confronted with Beverly's fate conveyed his need for revenge in the same way that his casual interaction with Abel Gideon did. His absolute determination to control each key player, including Freddie Lounds, transformed Will into Dr. Lecter in ways that almost looked scary at times. Here we experienced a retelling of Francis Dolarhyde's story and how easy it is to simply use someone to do the work, drawing people out of their spaces and forcing a "direct-indirect" confrontation. And Will did a remarkable job.

Two hawks
Particularly impressive was his admirer's recognition of Will's abilities and his knowledge that Will actually isn't a killer, which doesn't seem to deter him. Sharing minds and mutual understanding goes beyond such simple connections as killing in the most gruesome ways. In a twisted way there's more respect on Matthew's side for Will than Hannibal's. Matthew Brown (Jonathan Tucker) isn't molding anyone nor does he seek control. His blunt reproduction might lack the artistry and understanding that both Hannibal and Will share, but the simple act of killing Hannibal just because Will tells him to reveals a dangerous side of him that's based on obsession and submission. It also highlights a sick desire to let Will become the murderer by choice. Of course, Gideon had to overhear that conversation, which I thought was a bit cliché. The rest of the episode led to a predictable showdown.

Observations
Chilton's self-absorbed nature and his ire was just sweet to watch, especially when Gideon mocked him during his conversation with Hannibal. Additionally, the entire conversation between Will and Matthew was a personal highlight of mine, because it established an understanding in ways that Will could've not gained with any other person at that point. His mind was in a very dark place and he needed an extended arm that he could relate to. I wasn't surprised that his admirer didn't kill the judge in the end. Hannibal will always meddle with Will's fate, because that's just what he loves. Poor Alana.

Beverly's Death
Seeing Hannibal preparing kidneys while the entire team is grieving was extremely cruel. I thought that her death was added for shock value, and the way they turned her form into a display of art was just plain disgusting. It was the first time when death on the show didn't become something to analyze but a sport to see if they can top the amount of gore per episode. Her display didn't make me feel sad. It made me angry. And while I appreciate Mikkelsen's naked form (and Jonathan Tucker's, naked or not), the focus should've been more on Jack's grief, Alana's confusion and Will's inner torment. This way the episode wasted time on gory art rather than drawing out the emotional side of the story. Next time, I'm just gonna kick Hannibal's bucket myself. Might speed things up a little bit.

Favorite quote:
"Judas had the decency to hang himself in shame at his betrayal, but I thought you needed some help"

What did you think of Mukozuke?

About the Author - Veronika K.
Graduate from the University of Zurich, writer, TV addict. Favorite shows include Hannibal, Game of Thrones, TVD, Sleepy Hollow, Orange Is The New Black, Spartacus and Supernatural. Very opinionated and concerned with social issues in media. Professional procrastinator.

22 comments:

  1. Great seeing Jonathan Tucker on my TV set again.

    So sad about Beverly Katz

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  2. I'm still not over her death. And Tucker did a fantastic job.

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  3. I can say that Mukozuke definitely restored at least a little bit of faith. The noticeable amount of parallels to the source material made this episode aesthetically appealing in certain ways"

    I was SO surprised to see this juxtaposition! I know they kind of been winking at Italy with Jack's wife, but to allude to Pazzi and that specific scene was just fanatically crazy!!

    I am obviously sad to see Katz be officially dead, but the episode does wink at a super spoiler! I can't wait for the next couple of episodes to see how exactly this spoiler will turn out! I find his display of her body incredibly angering, but also interesting because it could relate to Hannibal Rising again and the deaths of certain persons in Lithuania and how being in the cold in the war with those losses "froze" his heart. (But this is assuming that Fuller will keep some of that the same despite the time period change?)



    "Chilton's self-absorbed nature and his ire was just sweet to watch, especially when Gideon mocked him during his conversation with Hannibal. Additionally, the entire conversation between Will and Matthew was a personal highlight of mine, because it established an understanding in ways that Will could've not gained with any other person at that point. His mind was in a very dark place and he needed an extended arm that he could relate to. I wasn't surprised that his admirer didn't kill the judge in the end. Hannibal will always meddle with Will's fate, because that's just what he loves. Poor Alana."



    Well said! Chilton always intrigues me too, because he has all the hallmarks of a sociopath (manipulative, charming, narcissistic), but yet he isn't violent...


    Thanks again for another fantastic review, Veronika! :)

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  4. I don't think Beverly's death was added for 'shock value'. It needed to happen, its what led Will to make the extreme choice of trying to have Hannibal killed, which will have further consequences that will be good for the story: like Alana being alienated from Will and becoming closer to Hannibal. They couldn't avoid the death and it wasn't that gory anyway, it is a horror show after all.

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  5. I'm not sure if Fuller explained his reasons for that particular display other than the narrative one relating to Katz, but the frozen aspect is certainly something to keep in mind.

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  6. Well, let's agree to disagree :) To me it was all about nuances and messages and I think that's rather subjective.

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  7. According to Bryan:

    "It was absolutely the Body Worlds exhibit that inspired that, and the art of Damian Hirst, and it was the breaking down of the biological mechanics and the exploration of what that was is so fascinating and beautiful at the same time that it felt like, and we say this in the script, that he broke her down the way she would break down a crime scene, and that was very much what we wanted to do. It was almost an affront to the FBI, like I’m going to break down your agents the way your agents break down a crime scene and understand them more through that process. Damien Hirst, the Body Worlds museum, and also the elaborate “F you” to the FBI."

    From here: http://www.avclub.com/article/hannibals-bryan-fuller-wills-big-move-202670

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  8. Thanks for that. It definitely makes sense.

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  9. No problem, I enjoy reading your reviews, even if I disagree about Beverly's death being only for shock value, since it was something that was planned to happen back in S1 (it was supposed to be Bev's ear Will swallowed) and Hettienne knew about it before signing for the show. They felt that they didn't develop Beverly enough in S1 for her death to have a proper impact, so they saved it for S2 and let her become Will's ally and friend, so that her death could set Will off to try and kill Hannibal, impacting the rest of the season. Don't get me wrong, Beverly is one of my favorites and if I hadn't known for months she was about to die, I would have been in a different, more raw mental state watching these episodes.

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  10. I only found out about this after her death and the supposed plans for her right from the start, but it still felt like shock value to me in the way it was presented and the way Fuller described her death display in an episode before it aired. That's why there's more anger than sadness on my part, unlike with Abigail's death. This statement sums up my feelings on that matter very well. http://nekosmuse.tumblr.com/post/80728479153/elucipher-no-i-dont-intend-to-quit-the

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  11. Ignoring Bryan's interviews- because he always seems morbidly chipper when he's discussing death tableaus and he could have been a bit more sensitive when talking about it- I think we need to wait until the end of the season until we can say if her death was for shock value or served another purpose. I agree about the fandom being divided on the matter, which is fine, I like reading all the discussions and trying to figure out what I feel about it all. For what it's worth, I think this piece of writing helped me put things in perspective:

    http://bonearenaofmyskull.tumblr.com/post/80480566974/perspective-on-the-fridging-of-beverly-katz

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  12. The only reason it's not surprising to me is because I knew from the start that the token Asian medical character would HAVE to be used in some kind of specific way knowing how important Lady Murasaki is to Hannibal, but how and to what end I had know idea and now I can see it as symbolism, because ultimately he's fighting against Murasaki's belief system (which is also why the previous episode hit the peaceful-death/Eastern Philosophy mark).


    I think despite the horror and loss of Katz this will make more sense to fans when we see Hannibal come face to face with his Aunt and if Fuller reveals the history of how they had to part ways, as it's curious that Thomas Harris has an Inspector Popil in Hannibal Rising and an Inspector Pazzi in Hannibal (Two Inspectors, both surnames two sylibols, both surnames starting with the letter "P", and both existing in times in the novels where Hannibal is free)


    But agree that display of her in that way is a shock, because it's am MO never seen in the former work...

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  13. But I do think Fuller can easily get carried away and I think whether a viewer is a fan of any former material or not, he has to be careful not to over do Hannibal's exploitation, because it will take away from his human qualities and that is not really whom Hannibal is suppose to be as someone almost "super human" rather than anti-human (and/or rather there needs to be a kind of crescendo leading up into other seasons) Agree. Couldn't have said it better myself :)

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  14. ah thanks for the link :)

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  15. Agreed. With everything you said it perfectly.

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  16. I don't Beverly's death wasn't added for shock value. She believed Will enough to investigate and everyone knew what was going to happen to her. In addition, I am also not sure cruel is an effective adjective in a show about a serial killer that consumes people. Everything Hannibal does is cruel.
    Maybe I was less upset because I wasn't too attached to Beverly. When she died, I mostly just felt Will's depair at having lost the one person that believed him.

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  17. "Everything Hannibal does is cruel."


    Disagree. Hannibal has an infinity affection for humanity. His story is really an post modern anthropomorphic and Gothic horror-romance. Fuller has used this unexplored time period to really highlight and bridge the whole story together in a way that I think Thomas Harris was ultimately getting at in "Hannibal".


    We're seeing him at a time where he's in his prime, but ultimately doesn't want to be alone anymore (and this because he FEELS something) and this presents a problem.


    In the novels Hannibal is an avid Stephen Hawking fan and was obsessed with One of Hawkings [no debunked] theories of time eventually moving in reverse...Hannibal smashes tea cups to make sure that time is never in reverse because what he thinks of his current love interest in "Hannibal" is mostly due to putting her in place of someone he lost and where his own perversion derives. So all of this is expounded on through Fuller's version of Will by giving him an ability that relates to what Hannibal comes to fear most (time in reverse) and it is also what he loves about him, because Hannibal is fighting a bigger war with himself verses "the powers that be". (Note: Hannibal refers to Will as " a fragile little teacup + Abigail Hobbs smashes one of Hannibal's Teacups when drugged)


    A lot of things in past couple of episodes in particular hit notes related to Hannibal Rising and Hannibal's severed relationship with his Japanese Aunt and her belief system. (This is also most likley why the season 1 titles were French and why the Second season's are Japanese as both things relate to times and people in Hannibal Rising)

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  18. Ok clearly I need to read tge books because I think they are givng you more insite than I have:)

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  19. They're good IMO, but what ends up happening is that Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs are executed in a kind of crime thriller procedural fashion and then suddenly one gets to Hannibal and it becomes that crazy horror-romance story with much more insight into the person Hannibal is trying to be again verses the person he has been mentioned to be prior to events in Red Dragon.


    But then Thomas Harris turns around again with Hannibal Rising, a historic war torn, revenge, atmospheric, origin novel that has yet a different feel and stylization once again! Most fans of the books really like the first two and tend to hate the last two (and I whole heartedly admit that film version of Hannibal Rising is a pretty hollow shell of the novel), but I find what Harris did kind of brilliant and then to now see what Fuller has taken from that, knowing he is trying to do the whole story, but just altering certain aspects and fleshing it way more out, I find so far genius. I think he's been incredible in alludedinf to both film and novel source material!

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  20. Okay, you sold me. Downloaded them to kindle, I will let you know:)

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  21. Hope you like them :)

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  22. Bob Little <3

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