Hannibal
Season 3 Episode 1 “Antipasto”
Directed by Vincenzo Natali
Written by Bryan Fuller, Steve Lightfoot
Starring Hugh Dancy, Mads Mikkelsen, Caroline Dhavernas, Gillian Anderson, Laurence Fishburne, Eddie Izzard, Tom Wisdom, Zachary Quinto
NBC
Air date: Thursday, June 4, 2015, 10pm

Long ago, Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelson) was a supporting character in the visionary drama that bore his own name. But as the series has progressed, Dr. Lecter staked and hunted his way to the forefront, ripping through the show’s scenery and, in last year’s season finale, all of our major characters. It’s fitting then that the season three premiere begins with Dr. Lector taking control of the show in a very direct way: He stalks, he preys, he hunts, and he kills – all before the opening credits.

Bonsoir. Good evening.

Welcome back to Hannibal.

Summer’s about to get real gruesome when Season 3 of NBC’s Hannibal premieres.

Back in May, NBC renewed Bryan Fuller‘s psychological drama, which is based Thomas Harris’ literary villain Dr. Hannibal Lecter, for a third season. But, instead of having the new episodes premiere mid-season as with the television show’s previous seasons, the network is pushing Hannibal to the Summer.

Not much explanation was given for the Summer start except that NBC “loves Summer.”

Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World, stated that “experience is not what happens to you; it’s what you do with what happens to you.” This quote lingered within my thoughts for the majority of the 2013 movie year because there is a remarkable number of films that confirm Huxley’s statement with shocking clarity. During 2013 the majority of characters in cinema experienced a relentless assault of either irrepressible physical violence or emotional turmoil, resulting in each character clinging to their lives, praying that they won’t become defeated. Characters had to either sink or swim. No film provided for them a middle ground that would grant them an easy way out or provide a buoy for them. Characters had to act, and act fast.

In Gravity, becoming disconnected from her partner in the infinite void of space, Dr. Stone had to gain composure quickly or endure an onslaught of debris and isolation. In The Place Beyond the Pines, a cop had to rely on his survival instincts and the ramifications of his decision reverberated throughout generations. In Blue is the Warmest Color, a confused teenage woman, utterly love-sick, discovers the throes and pangs of first love and is left even more confused after the indelible experience. In Dallas Buyers Club, an AIDs victim with a guaranteed death-sentence uses his situation to give hope to thousands of other AIDs victims. And in The Counselor, a man’s experience overwhelms him and he is soon exposed to the most unsavory circumstances that are beyond his control and the most heinous individuals.

Without further hesitance, the best 2013 had to offer.

The $11 t-shirt deal of the day over at TeeFury today is called “This Is My Design” by MeganLara and was inspired by NBC’s Hannibal.

The sale began at Teefury today, Saturday, September 7, 2013, at midnight EST, and will continue for 24 hours from then, and once it’s over, it will not be sold on the site for $11 anymore, though it will continue into the next day for $14 (look for the After Hours bar at the top).

The cast for DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 3 is growing strong with the addition of three new talents.

Lending their voice to the trilogy-maker is Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, Godzilla), Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale, Hannibal), and Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids, Pain & Gain).

The actors join a cast that already includes returning stars Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, and others.