---
title: "Hannibal: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/tv/hannibal-2013/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/tv/hannibal-2013"
critics_score: 70
critics_reviews: 8
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Hannibal (2013): what the critics said

Critics' score 70 from 8 reviews: 6 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative.

## Empire — William Thomas

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 5 September 2013. 

The series is a superlative TV take on cinema's greatest psycho, where the how matters despite knowing the outcome. It varies in narrative satisfaction but features cameos from the Thomas Harris texts and horrific, magnetic beauty.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/hannibal-review-2/)

## Vulture — Matt Zoller Seitz

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 4 April 2013. 

The critic calls Hannibal the most beautiful series on network TV, praising its dreamlike, sculptural visuals, color, texture, and impressionistic imagery over familiar serial-killer plotting. Performances are strong but secondary to the stylistic experience.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2013/04/tv-review-hannibal.html)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Tim Goodman

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 4 April 2013. 

The series takes a familiar procedural and makes it feel like a cable series, engaging and haunting without being formulaic. It is beautifully shot and a surprisingly thoughtful look at darkness haunting Will Graham.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/hannibal-tv-review-433109/)

## Variety — Brian Lowry

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 28 March 2013. 

The series has a semi-hypnotic quality as a prequel adaptation, ungainly and messy but visually arresting and interesting thanks to the central performances. The creepy tone and Mikkelsen's understated take on Lecter make it work.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2013/tv/reviews/hannibal-nbc-bryan-fuller-1200330510/)

## The Guardian

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 15 May 2013. 

The review finds the twisted relationship between Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter the most interesting aspect of the show, with genuine edge in their scenes. It complains that too much budget and screen time goes to explicitly gross murder scenes rather than more of the central dynamic.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/may/15/frankie-keeping-britain-alive-hannibal-review)

## The Independent

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 8 May 2013. 

The review praises the cast, especially Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy, and finds the concept intriguing but criticises the immediate dive into a standard procedural format instead of exploring the leads more deeply. It concludes the show is edible but not quite cordon bleu.

[Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/tv-review-hannibal-sky-living-needs-more-bite-8606708.html)

## Digital Spy — Morgan Jeffery

Rating 4/5. 5 April 2013. 

The premiere is visually inventive and dark with an outstanding cast, particularly Mikkelsen's creepy Lecter and the Graham-Lecter dynamic; it delivers an enjoyably nightmarish tone and ranks among NBC's best recent drama pilots despite the familiar source material.

[Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a470802/hannibal-premiere-review-is-nbcs-new-horror-drama-a-tasty-treat/)

## Den of Geek — Laura Akers

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 8 April 2013. 

The pilot is promising with gorgeous cinematography, strong casting (especially Dancy and Fishburne), and effective stylistic touches that make it feel like cable TV; Mikkelsen shows menace but faces a high bar. It has definite potential despite a weak initial case plot.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/hannibal-episode-1-review-aperitif/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/hannibal-2013.md