Bryan Fuller makes the best television shows that no one is watching. His series all follow a similar trajectory: He makes a brilliant show, a small group of extremely loyal people love it, the critics rave. And then it gets canceled. It happened with “Pushing Daisies,” “Wonder Falls” and “Dead Like Me,” and “Hannibal” might be next.
“Hannibal” is about that Hannibal, the one from Thomas Harris’ novels. The one with a taste for human flesh, who was immortalized by Anthony Hopkins. He’s played on NBC by the great Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, and during the show’s three seasons, fans have grown fond of Dr. Lecter and his elaborate dinner parties. (Just don’t ask what’s in the sausage.)
As is usually the case with Fuller’s shows, “Hannibal” had very low ratings. Last year, it looked like NBC wouldn’t renew it for a third season, and with good reason if we’re talking strictly about dollars. The close call gave the show’s enthusiasts — a vocal online community known as the Fannibals — quite a scare. They all tweeted sighs of relief when NBC picked up season three, but like clockwork we’re in the same position a year later. And this time the network is passing on another season.
If we’ve learned anything about television recently, it’s that a show’s cancellation doesn’t mean the end, so much as the beginning of negotiations with another network. That’s the good news for Fannibals. The bad? Fuller announced on Twitter that Amazon and Netflix have decided not to pick up “Hannibal” for season four.
