I’ve been a fan of Thomas Harris’s work since I was a teenager. Hannibal is one of my most loved book series. I adored the SOTL movie. I enjoyed sections of the Hannibal film eye twitch (Thanks Ridley Scott, should have stuck with the book ending) Red Dragon was good, including its predecessor Manhunter.

Fuller’s universe has without a doubt left an impressionable stamp on the HL universe. Will Graham is my favourite in the show. Hugh Dancy. Oh my God. Perfect. Earthy. Vulnerable. I enjoyed his psychological and emotional exploration. I was already a fan of Mads Mikkelsen and I loved what we did with Hannibal. Laurence Fishburne as Jack Crawford, brilliant casting decision. I enjoyed the cinematography. Soundtrack and the stellar supporting actors.

I’m currently rewatching the show and after all of these years, I’m still experiencing the same feelings I had when it was originally aired. The absence of Clarice Starling is still there, and it’s palpable. I did some research into why CS wasn’t being introduced to the show and that’s when I found out about the legal problems, owning of book rights and the character names. It was disheartening, and in a way, infuriating.

I read that Fuller is trying to obtain the rights for SOTL and Clarice’s character. If this happens, they need to be faithful to the character from the books e.g addressing the sexism she faces in the FBI. The show runners have already sprinkled traits, dialogue and character relationships from her story into other people. If she is brought back, what is left of her to salvage? I don’t want her to end up as a botched hollowed out side dish with a PC driven appearance. To be faithful to the character, the relationship between Will and Hannibal will have to change in some way. They will need to show the fascination Hannibal and Clarice have with one another. It’s very important to Clarice’s storyline. Hannibal is obsessed with her. She is drawn to his energy, the way he thinks and vice versa. I don’t want the Hannigram fans to hate her. That’s not doing the character justice, at all.

Sigh. This then leads me on to the Clarice spin-off. It was cancelled after the first series. I enjoyed Rebecca Breeds. Her accent was on point. I liked the inclusion of her PTSD. Makes sense, she would have it after catching Buffalo Bill. I liked the way it was shot. However, I was experiencing the same as I did with Fuller verse. The absence of Hannibal Lecter was lingering. They couldn’t even use his name. He was simply ‘the patient at the Baltimore Hospital.’ The fans made it very clear (before it was even shot) that he needed to be in it. After doing some research, the spin-off faced legal problems and some of the producers (Alex Kurtzman) eye twitch thought CS could carry her own show without HL. Didn’t they listen to us? He is vital for her character growth.

Will I watch season 4 of Hannibal if it gets greenlit? Abso-fucking-lutely. I think Netflix would be silly to turn down that opportunity. I’m intrigued to know what will come of Will and Hannibal’s relationship. I liked the dark edginess in the scene with Gillian Anderson sitting at the dinner table with her severed leg served up, looking deliriously happy (probably doped up to the eyeballs) or scared to her wits end. Will Jack Crawford go on the hunt for the Murder Husbands or will it be someone else?

Whatever happens, I just hope there’s a future for Clarice Starling. She is one of the originals, a sacred main cog of the trinity. She deserves more than becoming a ghost.