First of all I deal with the positives. The direction and cinematography is superb. It creates a dark and very creepy world around Will Graham. The sound and music is fitting to the environment.
The acting is also great. Hugh Dancy is spectacular in the role of Will Graham and the rest of the supporting actors are good at their roles. The other lead actor, Mads Mikkelsen, is very creepy as Hannibal Lecter, however, he never came of as the cunning psychopath we've all come to know Hannibal Lecter from the films, he just came off as evil. But I don't blame Mads for his characterisation I blame the writers.
In fact the biggest flaw of the entire show is the writing. In the story Will Graham is an FBI criminal profiler with a gift. He can magically see through the eyes of serial killers in the past when they were killing their victims. I use the word 'magically' because how Will reaches his deductions is never properly explained; the writers lazily excuse themselves by using words such as 'gift' or 'ability to empathise with killers' to explain that he can. Such core plot point should be dealt with more care and detail.
All in all the show is very entertaining if you're in the mood for something dark and mysterious. I have enjoyed it very much and I hope that the writers will write with more care and detail when they're showing off Will's gift in action in the following season.
7/10 stars.
The acting is also great. Hugh Dancy is spectacular in the role of Will Graham and the rest of the supporting actors are good at their roles. The other lead actor, Mads Mikkelsen, is very creepy as Hannibal Lecter, however, he never came of as the cunning psychopath we've all come to know Hannibal Lecter from the films, he just came off as evil. But I don't blame Mads for his characterisation I blame the writers.
In fact the biggest flaw of the entire show is the writing. In the story Will Graham is an FBI criminal profiler with a gift. He can magically see through the eyes of serial killers in the past when they were killing their victims. I use the word 'magically' because how Will reaches his deductions is never properly explained; the writers lazily excuse themselves by using words such as 'gift' or 'ability to empathise with killers' to explain that he can. Such core plot point should be dealt with more care and detail.
All in all the show is very entertaining if you're in the mood for something dark and mysterious. I have enjoyed it very much and I hope that the writers will write with more care and detail when they're showing off Will's gift in action in the following season.
7/10 stars.