Hannibal viewers are a unique bunch; they tune in weekly to follow the adventures of a serial murderer, experience hunger pangs while watching him prepare feasts of human flesh, and think "eating the rude" is an acceptable response to bad manners. I'll gladly admit that I'm one of these "Fannibals" — in fact, I maintain that the show is a modern TV masterpiece and recommend it to everyone I know. If only NBC didn't cancel it! There's no escaping the truth of the matter: Hannibal is seriously f*cked up.
There is no shortage of WTF moments on the show, which wraps up with its series finale this week. From man-eating pigs (and humans) to murals made of dead corpses, it's almost impossible to pick 40 scenes that stand out from the rest . . . but I think you'll find this list sufficient to whet your appetite for the grotesque. Read on to relive the most disturbing moments from Hannibal, and be warned: this definitely isn't for the faint of heart.
"What have I gotten myself into?" wouldn't be an unreasonable thought at this point.
Well, they certainly know how to set the tone for a series.
And a trusted pharmacist is behind it? Traumatizing.
As Jimmy so knowingly describes, "Vikings used to execute Christians by breaking their ribs, bending them back, and draping the lungs over them to resemble wings. They used to call it a blood eagle."
"The strings have to be treated. You can't just open somebody up and draw a bow across their innards and expect to produce a sound."
"Every life is a piece of music," says Hannibal. "Like music we are finite events, unique arrangements. Sometimes harmonious. Sometimes dissonant."
In the iconic words of Britney Spears, she's "not that innocent."
Oh, you wanted to sleep after watching Hannibal? How cute.
That definitely breaks the Hippocratic Oath, doesn't it?
That jaundice is gnarly, girlfriend.
And he would've gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those meddling police.
Girl just had to brush her hair, didn't she?
No season of television is complete without a severed ear in your kitchen sink.
Viewers were cheering for Roland Umber as he makes his escape, but did we really need to watch him excruciatingly peel his own skin off of another body to make a break for it?
"God gave you purpose, not only to create art, but to become it."
This doctor-patient relationship is so, so twisted.
Which is weirder: the disgusting image of the body, or the fact that the science behind it is really interesting? We're conflicted.
Famous last words: "Oh my god!"
This creepy cannibal was meant to be a museum curator.
"If the Ripper is killing, you can bet Hannibal Lecter is planning a dinner party," says Will. How come nobody ever seems to believe him?
At least he won't poison him — after all, it would spoil dinner.
How could he be a cannibal if he can't digest meat? Get your sh*t together, FBI.
You can't make this stuff up.
This whole situation is just so gross and sad. Why do we have to kill animals, guys?
Freddie Lounds is annoying, but she doesn't deserve to be eaten!
The entire Verger family needs therapy, and NOT from Hannibal Lecter.
It seems impossible, but his character gets so much worse.
Brotherly love at its finest.
You'll never look at your bacon the same way again.
THOSE POOR DOGS DID NOTHING TO DESERVE SUCH A NIGHTMARISH SNACK.
Nobody deserves to have their throat slit twice in a lifetime, even if they exhibit psycho-killer tendencies.
(Insert something about star-crossed lovers here.)
Season three reaches a whole new level of f*cked up, guys.
Is he messing with her head or prepping it for his next dinner party? Only time will tell.
For someone so smart, the dude hasn't learned a whole lot.
You've got to hand it to the man; he's extremely creative.
How much more disturbing can the show get? Only time (and more episodes) will tell!