Hannibal is a prime time television show that has been added to NBC's lineup. The show is based off of Dr. Hannibal Lecter from the book Red Dragon. If you haven't read the book, you may be more familiar with the film, "The Silence of the Lambs." The show features Mads Mikkelsen as Dr. Hannibal Lecter. He is a psychiatrist who kills people and eats their flesh. He works with Hugh Dancy who plays Will Graham, a Special Agent with the FBI.

Graham is a criminal profiler who has a very unique way of thinking like a killer and then using that ability to track down and catch the killer. He arrives at a crime scene and mentally recreates the killing. However in the past, Graham has been proven to be mentally unstable. As a result, the directory of Behavioral Science for the FBI, Jack Crawford (played by Lawrence Fishburne), pairs Will up with a forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The problem is, while Dr. Lecter and Will appear to be beginning a great relationship as friends, Dr. Lecter is also a serial killer who works behind the scenes every chance that he gets.

Other cast members include Gina Torres who plays Jack Crawford's wife, Caroline Dhavernas who plays Will's good friend, Dr. Anna Bloom and Lara Jean Chorostecki who plays the ever so annoying forensic tabloid reporter, Fredricka "Freddie" Lounds.

Although the show is dark drama it is very interesting. It has a CSI-feel to it and as a viewer you feel a sense of accomplishment when the killer is caught at the end of each episode. Also, while the flesh-eating character Dr. Lecter sounds horrendous, the show sets him up to be a very likable and refined villain. He is so subtle in the things that he does.

Pros

*well written - The show is very well written. It keeps your interest and has gotten generally positive reviews.

*lots of mystery - If you enjoy trying to figure out a good puzzle, Hannibal will give you all of the facts and then reward you with the answer at the end.

Cons

*very graphic- If you are faint or light-hearted when it comes to seeing dead bodies, this show might not be for you.

*violent- The show features people being harshly killed every week.

All in all, Hannibal is new drama with a fresh prospective on the serial killer that we all know and love, Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

Hannibal can be seen on NBC on Thursday nights. You can also catch it on NBC On Demand for free.