Common Sense Media Review
By Joyce Slaton
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Graphic Hannibal Lecter retread is compelling and dark.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Hannibal
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 33 parent reviews
Parents say the series is exceptionally well-crafted, with intricate storytelling and artistic visual representation, but it is overwhelmingly gruesome and filled with intense themes unsuitable for children or most teenagers, as it features graphic violence and psychological horror. Many reviews highlight that while the performances, particularly by Mads Mikkelsen and Hugh Dancy, are stellar, the show's disturbing content can have a profound psychological impact, making it a recommended watch only for discerning adult audiences.
- graphic violence
- psychological themes
- intense storytelling
- not for children
- strong performances
- artistic representation
Summarized with AI
Based on 75 kid reviews
Kids say this show is a captivating mix of horror and psychological drama, featuring artistic gore and deep character development. While the performances are praised for their intensity and realism, viewers caution that the graphic violence and dark themes make it unsuitable for younger audiences, with a strong emphasis on morality and the complexities of its characters.
- artistic gore
- complex characters
- mature themes
- not for kids
- intense performances
- psychological depth
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In NBC's hour-long drama HANNIBAL, Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) is a professor and FBI criminal profiler who is drawn into a professional association with a man who is secretly a monster: Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen), a forensic psychologist who kills people and eats their body parts when he's on his own time. Special Agent Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne), head of behavioral sciences at the FBI, recruited both Graham and Lecter to work with him on his nastiest cases. He knew Graham, who skews both Aspergers-y and anti-social, was a rather strange guy. But what Crawford didn't know about Lecter could put them all in mortal danger.
Is It Any Good?
By now, the details of Hannibal Lecter's story are familiar to most people, so Hannibal doesn't have freshness on its side. But showrunners did change one crucial detail, turning Graham from just another hardworking cop into an oddball with what Lecter diagnoses as "true empathy" thanks to his autistic tendencies. He understands the crimes he investigates because he can see things from the killers' point of view. And so does the audience, riding along with Graham as he "becomes" the killer and envisions how murders happened.
Dancy is terrific as the shifty-eyed Graham, Fishburne has his customary gravitas in what's most definitely a third banana part, and wonder of wonders, creepy Mads Mikkelsen, best known stateside as a Bond villain, is so good as Lecter he may make you forget Anthony Hopkins' indelible cinematic Dr. Lecter long enough to enjoy Hannibal-the-show. This is strong stuff, not for kids, but very mature teens and adults may enjoy the gore, darkness, tension, and mystery.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the source material for this show. Have you seen other movies involving the same set of characters, such as The Silence of the Lambs or Hannibal (the movie)? How is this show alike or different? Does the fact that it's on television change what's said or shown?
How are the viewers supposed to feel about Dr. Lecter? Listen to see what musical cues are used when he is shown onscreen, notice what camera angles are used. Did your answer change?
Why do so many shows on television focus on crime and murder? What does that say about what people want to watch? Why do they want to watch stories in which people are harmed?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 4, 2013
- Cast : Hugh Dancy , Laurence Fishburne , Mads Mikkelsen
- Network : NBC
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : December 11, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate