Okay, so this thing is gonna be short(ish). Last week, episode 4 was pulled off the air because it was about kids blowing each other up and Bryan Fuller/NBC didn’t want to be tasteless after Boston. A super edited version of the episode was put up on NBC’s site. It’s just the character development stuff, with no killer-of-the-week business. Here’s what went down:

Episode 1:

The web series starts off with Will telling Hannibal about the only time he feels safe. It’s…kind of sad. Poor guy. What’s more, he’s still tormented by his failure to know GJH well enough to stop him sooner, or to save Abigail’s BFF Marissa. Fortunately, Will still knows who he is: not GJH.

Cut to Hannibal going to Will’s house, feeding his dogs, and looking at his stuff. Oh, and cutting his thumb on a fishing hook and, y’know, licking the blood. At first I thought that he’d broken in just to walk around and touch stuff, but it turns out he was being a good friend and feeding the dogs. Personally, I would have asked Alana, but whatevs.

Well, at least he’s not raiding the fridge.

Episode 2:

Speaking of Alana, look who’s still trying to be kind and nurturing and a good doctor for Abigail! Unfortunately, Abigail isn’t having it. She’s all angry and closed off and such. Alana goes to have a friendly chat with Hannibal about Abigail’s state of mind, and once again has to tell someone to back off and not be a surrogate Dad. Seriously, guys. Will, she’s not a crutch. Hannibal, quit trying to make it weird. Don’t give me that look. You know what you’re doing.

Episode 3:

And now we have more development for Will! He didn’t know his Mom! Hannibal’s parents died when he was young, and he was an orphan until he was sixteen! Yaaaaay! We find out, surprise surprise, that the concept of family is foreign to Will, and that he’s always felt like a stranger. Again, poor guy.

I’m enjoying these dinner conversations between Hannibal and Jack. The food always looks delicious, cannibalism aside, and it’s fun to watch Hannibal manipulate people. In this case, he’s twisting Will’s words about his childhood and telling Jack that he needs an anchor. Maybe he does, but I have the feeling that he’s just using this as a way to start driving Will and Jack apart.

The webisode ends with a short scene of Will taking the dogs out. It’s…lonely, but peaceful; a nice contrast to all of the nightmares.

Episode 4:

These webisodes sure are getting in some good therapy time. Will made Abigail a present, but realized that taking her fishing would be weirdly reminiscent of her serial killer father taking her hunting. It’s cool, though, ‘cause Hannibal’s feeling paternal too. Don’t listen to him, Will!

Oh, hey, Hannibal’s taking Abigail to his house for dinner. That’s…not a terrible idea. She is an interesting character, though. I’m glad that they’re not saving all the great nightmares for Will. It’s sort of touching to see Hannibal being all fatherly for her, even if deep down inside we all know that he’s a manipulative psychopath. I think she definitely needs a Dad to tell her that being able to live with gutting a dude just makes her a survivor. Yep. Totally.

In the next episode, he gives her the confidence to ask that cute guy to prom.

Episode 5:

“My dad killed girls at all the schools I applied to.” *Record scratch* Hannibal turns to the camera: “It looks like being a father will be harder than I thought.” *”We are Family” starts playing*

Okay, but seriously. Abigail is much more damaged than she’s letting on, and it looks like Hannibal is only going to make it worse. Probably on purpose. Almost definitely on purpose. She may want to be in the FBI, but I have the feeling that Hannibal wants her to, y’know, kill people. Giving her hallucinogenic mushroom tea in order to “gain access to traumatic memories” and then re-cooking the last meal she had with her parents? Solid therapy, bro.

Remember, kids: “psychological trauma is an affliction of the powerless.” Now you know. And knowing is half the battle.

Episode 6:

You guys, Alana is pissed. I think I must have been subconsciously waiting for someone to call Hannibal on at least some of his shit, because this was satisfying. Also, have I mentioned that I love Caroline Dhavernas? Because I do. It helps that Alana is a great character, and that she has every reason to be mad at Hannibal. He did, after all, go behind her back to take her patient to his house after she pretty much told him to back off and stop playing Dad. Pretty big doctor faux pas, Hannibal.

Once again, Dr. Lecter manages to successfully manipulate everyone around him. Alana, angry or not, has played right into his…I don’t want to call it a trap…thing? His attempt to give Abigail surrogate parents. Not, I’m guessing, because she needs a family, but because he wants her under his control.

And, hey, Jack has a wife! And she’s Zoe from Firefly! And they have some serious issues that they don’t seem to want to address. I guess now we know why she hasn’t made an appearance at Hannibal’s table just yet.

Recap of the Recap: The “webseries” had, I think, some important character development. I’m glad that I watched it. With each episode clocking in at around six minutes, it shouldn’t be too much of a chore for you to do that either. I’m not quite sure how I feel about Hannibal’s whole mushroom plan, but I look forward to seeing how Abigail develops as the season progresses.

So what did you guys think? Was the ‘shroom tea a little too devious? Are you looking forward to another killer in the next episode, or would you rather see Alana scold a different character each week? How do you think Abigail will react to what went down at casa de Hannibal? Was it weird for you seeing Hannibal without a tie in the first webisode? It was weird for me.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for my recap of episode five, “Coquilles.”