Every “Hannibal” Episode Ranked

It’s been a few years since I finished “Hannibal”, and a couple of years since my re-watch. Even now, looking back on the series as an older and wiser man, I still consider it one of my favourite shows I’ve seen.

I ranked the seasons a while ago (a short list considering there’s only three!), but I can’t believe I haven’t done the episodes yet! I’m ranking them based on their re-watch value as well as the initial feelings (mostly shock and horror) that I felt at the time.

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related posts below:

Hannibal – All 3 Delicious Seasons Ranked

12 Of My Favourite TV Twists

My Top 20 Favourite TV Shows Of All Time

Every Cowboy Bebop Episode Ranked

OK

39 – Oeuf (1-4)

It was actually quite hard picking a “worst” episode from this series, as none of the episodes in “Hannibal” are bad. Some are filler but that’s the worst part about them.

I guess I’ll give the last place slot to “Oeuf”, an early Season 1 episode about a murderous family. I quite liked Season 1’s “killer of the week” format, but this was definitely the weakest of the bunch.

38 – Secondo (3-3)

I know it shouldn’t, but it really bothers me that an episode named “Secondo” isn’t the second episode of the season. I’ve placed it second-last in this ranking to make up for that fact.

I’m sure this is a spicy take, but Season 3 gets off to a slow start. A lot of the early episodes, “Secondo” included, spend too much time on Hannibal’s new Italian surroundings – or, in this episode’s case, it spends too long in Hannibal’s home country.

37 – Aperitivo (3-4)

“Aperitivo” is a very transitional episode, laying the groundworks for what was to come.

It’s an episode that catches us up with Mason Verger, Frederick Chilton and Jack Crawford after the time jump. The next episode, “Contorno”, is where all the action is postponed to.

Good

36 – Primavera (3-2)

The first episode of Season 3 was all about contextualizing Hannibal and Bedelia’s new life in Italy, but then the follow-up “Primavera” was the chance to catch up with Will Graham.

He wakes up from his coma and immediately restarts the hunt for Hannibal. I really like how they presented the Abigail Hobbs twist – she follows Will across his travels, and something seems wrong … and then we, the audience, find out that she really did die in the Season 2 finale and he’s been hallucinating her. Well played, writers.

35 – Trou Normand (1-9)

Season 1 of Hannibal had some truly gruesome sights and murders … so much so that the human totem pole in “Trou Normand” feels tame in hindsight.

The other important thing in this episode is that Will’s mind is beginning to shatter. He keeps disassociating and reappearing in new places, so Hannibal resolves to “help” him.

34 – Potage (1-3)

“Potage” is a slower episode compared to the first two in Season 1 (excluding the final few minutes, anyway), and it gives Will and Hannibal a chance to connect with Abigail Hobbs.

While not an exciting episode on the whole, these kinds of episodes are crucial for a Thriller series. And that ending where Abigail and Hannibal have to hide a body was a great twist.

33 – Coquilles (1-5)

I said that the human totem pole in “Trou Normand” was tame by Hannibal’s standards … Well, that’s because episodes like “Coquilles” exist.

The story follows a man who opens up his victim’s backs like angel wings, and the show doesn’t hold back on any grisly details. This was one of those episodes that made me squirm while watching.

32 – Antipasto (3-1)

After the bombshell finale of Season 2, we needed a palette cleanser before digging into Season 3.

The opener “Antipasto” was a solid way of transitioning to a new era. We see Hannibal and Bedelia living their best lives in Italy – after a much-needed time jump.

31 – Amuse-Bouche (1-2)

While not as memorable and explosive as the premier, “Amuse-Bouche” was still a fun second episode to keep the ball rolling.

It’s all about a guy who turns his victims into mushrooms (ew …), and meanwhile the investigative journalist Freddie Lounds sets her sights on Will.

30 – …And the Woman Clothed with the Sun (3-9)

The second half of Season 3 adapts the famous “Red Dragon” storyline, and this episode is where things start to heat up.

Will Graham tries to put himself in Francis Dolarhyde’s psyche, and he ends up calling upon his old pal Hannibal for help.

29 – Hassun (2-3)

“Hassun” is a bit of an odd episode near the start of Season 2. It’s a miniature court drama circling around Will Graham, and Jack Crawford’s testimony throws a spanner in the works.

The enduring image of the episode is definitely the judge’s brainless body – those are the kind of sights that stick with a viewer on their first watch.

28 – …And the Woman Clothed in Sun (3-10)

“…And the Woman Clothed in Sun” adds yet more twists and turns to the Red Dragon storyline.

Will goes back to Hannibal for advice, but now Francis Dolarhyde has also gotten in contact with Hannibal. Things are setting up nicely.

27 – The Great Red Dragon (3-8)

It’s quite a sudden shock when Season 3 moves away from the Mason Verger / Italy storyline and leaps straight into the famous “Red Dragon” story … but I wasn’t complaining.

Three years have passed since Hannibal’s arrest, and now a new serial killer is making headlines – the Tooth Fairy. Jack Crawford pulls Will Graham out of retirement to help bring this new threat down.

26 – …And the Beast from the Sea (3-11)

After a tip-off from Hannibal, the Tooth Fairy goes after Will’s family in one of the most intense scenes in Season 3.

Meanwhile, Alana reaches out to Hannibal, and Francis Dolarhyde gets closer to his new partner.

Great

25 – Sorbet (1-7)

Every now and again, Hannibal would do a cooking montage and host a dinner so extravagant that it made me feel bad. Hopefully this next sentence doesn’t get me arrested or put on some sort of list, but human meat has never looked so tasty.

When a man is found in a bathtub with his kidney removed, police wonder whether the Chesapeake Ripper has returned.

24 – Entrée (1-6)

“Entrée” introduces us to one of my favourite side characters in the show – Dr. Abel Gideon. Eddie Izzard steals every scene he’s in.

Police suspect that Gideon is the Chesapeake Ripper, but then Jack Crawford receives a voice recording from Miriam Lass – a trainee who disappeared two years prior.

23 – Roti (1-11)

Gideon was introduced in “Entrée”, but “Roti” is where he shines. He escapes custody and introduces audiences to the term “Colombian Necktie”. The scenes with him, Chilton and Lounds are chilling.

This is also where Will’s mental condition reaches a breaking point. He completely loses track of reality, and Hannibal takes advantage of a poorly-timed seizure.

22 – Su-zakana (2-8)

“Peter … Is your social worker in that horse?” “… Yes.”

“Su-zakana” is a Great episode for the horse scene alone. This is also where Alana starts taking Hannibal’s side against Will – something that’ll hurt her later.

Oh, and we get our first taste of the Verger family. Quite an impactful episode now that I think about it!

21 – Apéritif (1-1)

Great pilot!

“Apéritif” is a fantastic introduction to the series. It establishes Will Graham as a tortured protagonist, the FBI as his support team, and – in a clever move by the showrunners – Hannibal Lecter as a side character. He won’t be secondary forever, but it’s a fun twist for this first episode.

Jack Crawford enlists Will’s help in finding a new serial killer, and his findings lead him to a violent finale with Garett Jacob Hobbs. Will kills a man and is never the same again.

20 – Shiizakana (2-9)

The follow-up of the horse episode is somehow even more bestial and insane.

Hannibal puts Will to the test in “Shiizakana”, and to his surprise – and mine especially – Will actually goes through with it. It’s a dark turn for our protagonist which I never saw coming, and I was hooked for what was to come.

19 – Dolce (3-6)

The walls start to close in on Hannibal’s time in Italy … But, luckily for him, an old friend comes to visit.

After five episodes of teasing, it’s euphoric to have Will and Hannibal reunite in “Dolce”. Their scene together in the museum was like a sigh of relief.

18 – Naka-Choko (2-10)

Will has won over Hannibal’s trust, much to the dismay of Jack. Even Freddie Lounds gets pulled into their twisted game.

We’d seen a bit of Margot Verger already, but “Naka-Choko” is the chance for her brother Mason to unsettle us.

17 – Buffet Froid (1-10)

As an adult, I’ve long left the “monsters under the bed” fear behind me. “Buffet Froid” temporarily reignited that fear.

Georgia Madchen is probably the best “killer of the week” in Season 1. Her victims are gory and tragic, and the scene where she catches a faceless Hannibal in the act is deeply unsettling.

16 – Relevés (1-12)

In one of the most horrifying scenes of the season, Georgia Madchen – the killer from “Buffet Froid” – is given a comb, and it ignites her oxygen restoration pod.

Will begins to suspect that a copycat killer has been taking advantage of the recent killings … and there’s one man (other than himself) who stands head and shoulders above the other suspects.

15 – The Number of the Beast Is 666 (3-12)

Chilton make the worst mistake of his life – agreeing to help the FBI catch Francis Dolarhyde.

What follows is arguably the most gruesome scene of the whole show. Chilton is far from the most likeable character, but c’mon … Having your face eaten off and then being set on fire has to be one of the worst things to happen to a TV character ever.

14 – Contorno (3-5)

It’s time for the Hannibal and Jack rematch, baby!

Jack and Will both arrive in Florence, but it’s Detective Pazzi who finds Hannibal first … and then pays the fatal price. It’s not all doom and gloom however – in a diversion from the 2001 “Hannibal” film, Jack Crawford comes in and gives Hannibal a long-overdue ass-whooping. It’s one of the most cathartic moments in the whole series.

13 – Ko no Mono (2-11)

Jack Crawford finds out about Freddie Lounds’s disappearance, and Will has a lot to answer for.

Will also finds out about how Margot Verger is treated by her brother, Mason, and so pays him a tense visit.

12 – Takiawase (2-4)

RIP Beverly Katz. You were one of the best characters in the FBI team and you didn’t deserve to go out like that.

Amazing ending aside, “Takiawase” is also the episode about the beehive killer. Like the mushroom killer from Season 1, it’s gruesome in all the best ways.

11 – Futamono (2-6)

Will tells Jack that Hannibal is hosting cannibalistic dinner parties, so Jack infiltrates one of these parties to see the truth for himself.

There’s a plot about a councilman’s body found inside a tree, but that’s far from the most shocking part of “Futamono” – Miriam Lass is found alive, and the series takes a huge turn as a result.

Amazing

10 – Kaiseki (2-1)

After the events of the Season 1 finale, Will Graham is placed in an asylum – a cool subversion of what we expected from a Hannibal-centric series.

“Kaiseki” starts with a flashforward of the finale, showing a violent fight between Hannibal and Jack Crawford. Things only get crazier and nastier in the present day when mutilated bodies start turning up.

9 – Sakizuke (2-2)

“Sakizuke” picks up right where “Kaiseki” ended – Hannibal discovers the artful assortment of bodies, and it’s worse than you could possibly imagine.

In the meantime, Will hasn’t taken his prison sentence lying down. He hatches a plan from behind bars to get Hannibal once and for all.

8 – Savoureux (1-13)

After a season of Will and Hannibal acting as a sort of buddy cop duo, Will finds out the truth in the Season 1 finale – Hannibal has been playing him and the FBI all along, and he’s actually the Chesapeake Ripper they’ve been looking for.

Unfortunately for Will, Hannibal is already ten steps ahead. Abusing Will’s fragile mental state, Hannibal sets things up so that it looks like Abigail Hobbs was killed. Will is arrested, and the season ends with the iconic shot of Hannibal visiting him in prison.

7 – Tome-wan (2-12)

I already knew Mason Verger’s story, having seen it play out in the 2001 “Hannibal” film. His face-cutting scene was still gnarlier than I could have fathomed.

The walls are closing in on Will and Hannibal in “Tome-wan”, and parties take extreme measures. Mason Verger capturing Hannibal and suspending him over the pigs is one of my favourite scenes of the season.

6 – Yakimono (2-7)

After Miriam Lass is found alive in “Futamono”, you’d think it was only a matter of time before Hannibal was outed as the Chesapeake Ripper.

But, like how Will got the short end of the stick in Season 1, Hannibal manufactures events against Frederick Chilton. Chilton is framed as the Chesapeake Ripper, and in the interrogation he gets shot by a traumatized Miriam Lass.

Will Graham is also finally released from the asylum … so now the real cat and mouse game between him and Hannibal can begin.

5 – Fromage (1-8)

My favourite episode of Season 1 is no doubt the musician murderer.

The visual of the throat cello is gory in the best way, and Hannibal’s fight with Tobias is the greatest moment of action in the first season. I was really enjoying the show up until this episode, but “Fromage” was the point where I was hooked.

4 – Mukozuke (2-5)

Beverly Katz’s corpse is found, and that pushes Will Graham over the edge. He conspires with an asylum orderly to put Hannibal in the ground.

Unfortunately for Will, Gideon overhears their exchange and gives Alana the chance to save Hannibal. What follows is some of the tensest TV I’ve ever seen – “Mukozuke” had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

3 – Digestivo (3-7)

Will and Hannibal get captured in Italy, and are brought to Mason Verger’s estate.

“Digestivo” is an incredible mid-season finale. Not only does Mason finally get his comeuppance, but Hannibal decides to hand himself over to the authorities, setting up the final run of episodes for one of my favourite shows.

All-Time Great

2 – The Wrath of the Lamb (3-13)

A part of me is mad that “Hannibal” was cancelled, so the writers had to quickly wrap up the series. The other part of me, therefore, is astounded by how near-perfect “The Wrath of the Lamb” ended up being.

Will and Hannibal defeat Francis Dolarhyde, and after all is said and done Will and Hannibal topple over a cliffside, presumably to their deaths. It’s sudden, romantic, and a fitting end to an unpredictable series.

1 – Mizumono (2-13)

Even though we saw a flashforward of “Mizumono” in the Season 2 opener, nobody could have been prepared for the anguish the finale put us through.

Jack, Will and Alana all come to confront Hannibal, and everyone’s lives are changed forever. It’s such a gruesome and harrowing episode from front to back, and it’s a tale of the villain winning – Hannibal walks free, but he leaves a trail of destruction behind him. The perfect end to one of TV’s greatest seasons.

Aaaand that’s my list! If you liked this post and want to support me, please consider giving me a one-time donation. Even a few pence (or whatever currency you use) is fantastic! I’ve never monetized this blog before, but it would be great if I could do this comfortably and not have to worry about the yearly website domain costs. Thank you so much!