'Hannibal' is terrifying, and will make you very hungry

A delicious 'Hannibal'

When the trailer for Marvel's Doctor Stranger hit San Diego Comic Con last week, most people squealed at the sight of Benedict Cumberbatch as the superhero sorcerer. But we were much more excited to see the bad guy.

Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen - you may remember him as the Bond villain who cried blood in Casino Royale - plays the next Marvel antagonist. And while we're sure he'll be great, he already brought menacing to a whole new level in Hannibal, NBC's horror-drama that ran for three seasons, all of which are streaming on Amazon.

Based on Thomas Harris' novels featuring the mysterious, evil Hannibal Lecter, NBC's much-beloved, yet little-watched show was not just a rehash of the movies, but an art film in television form that got more opaque, and more gorgeous, as it progressed.

Created by Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies, the coming Starz adaptation of American Gods), Hannibal is set before the events of Red Dragon, the first Hannibal Lecter tale. Hannibal (Mikkelsen) and Will Graham (a vulnerable Hugh Dancy) have just met and start investigating procedural cases together. Little does Graham know, though, that his new buddy's dinner parties aren't at all that they seem.

There have been some indelible iterations of Hannibal Lecter over the years, but Mikkelsen brought his own spin to the part. It was quiet and less hammy than Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs, and less cynical and sneering than Brian Cox in Manhunter. Instead, he was classy and elegant, making it clear why no one suspected the talented psychiatrist of any wrongdoing, let alone cannibalism. That makes him all the scarier. The entire show succeeds because of the delicate interplay between the smooth Mikkelsen and the jittery Dancy.

Come for the performances, stay for the incredible visual feast (sorry, it's Hannibal, we had to make a food pun). Make sure to keep snacks on hand during your marathon. May we suggest fava beans and a nice chianti?

- Molly Eichel
Where to stream: Amazon.

Like this? Binge these: For the foodies, check out Netflix's food-porn docuseries Chef's Table; for those into elegant horror, try Showtime's Penny Dreadful (Xfinity OnDemand, Hulu).