Shocking events unfold at Verger’s farm as we reach the midway point in Season 3.

NBC

MASON VERGER HAD A FARM, E-I-E-I-O.

Note: The following review goes into detail about the episode. SPOILER ALERT!

With the future of Hannibal looking bleaker every day, we can at least take some solace in the fact that Season 3 has been so strong. And not only has it been strong, it also looks like those crafty devils have managed to slip two seasons worth of content into one run of episodes. “Digestivo” would have worked perfectly well as a season finale, with Hannibal getting apprehended and Mason getting the kind of death he truly deserved. There was a great sense of finality to it all, especially with Will and Hannibal’s “break-up,” but there’s still nearly half a season of episodes left! If they can fit all of this into such a short space of time, I’m looking forward to seeing what the gang can do with the Red Dragon storyline over the next run of episodes.

The way things went down at Mason’s farm was wonderfully messed up. This show has pushed the limits of network television already, but here we had freaking pig babies and people getting their faces cut off. This show certainly isn’t for everyone, but the whole episode was a delight for all fans of the show. I especially enjoyed Hannibal’s admiration of Mason’s whole plan as it was laid out ahead of him. And boy, what a plan it was. I think we all kind of knew he had planned to eat Hannibal, but I wasn’t really expecting him to want to take Will’s face too.

Alana and Margot putting an end to Mason was the perfect way for it to go. With Hannibal chained up and Will incapacitated, it was going to take some outside intervention to save them. I think we could sit here and debate who is truly worse between Hannibal and Mason forever, but Alana decided to free Hannibal so he could save Will and help put an end to Mason once and for all. For a second there they really had me believing that Will had his face cut off, so it was a great moment to see Mason wake up wearing Cordell’s face. Again, this show is horrifically fantastic. Margot’s goal all along was to get a Verger baby of her own, and seeing that she had essentially “milked” Mason while he was out was amazing. All that was left was for him to die, and death was delivered in typical Hannibal fashion by some classic “eel down the throat” action.

NBC

Despite all of the action, Hannibal and Will’s scene together back in Will’s cabin was the real highlight. Their relationship has evolved throughout the entire series so far. It started out as a working relationship that ended up evolving into a twisted friendship. There have been so many similarities between Hannibal and Will and a couple in love, and this was definitely a break up. This scene was as well acted as always between the two leads, and it was genuinely emotional when Will told Hannibal he didn’t want to see him any more. The question then was always going to be what Hannibal’s next move would be. Instead of running again, he ensured that Will would definitely have to think about him again by handing himself in to Jack. Will wants to let Hannibal go, but Hannibal isn’t ready to leave Will just yet.

THE BREAKDOWN

This was an incredibly strong finish to what essentially was a mini-season of Hannibal. Plenty of plot threads that began this season have been wrapped up, with only Chiyoh feeling like the one real loose thread. Mason met a grisly end and Jack finally got to take down the Chesapeake Ripper, albeit by default after Hannibal handed himself in. The Red Dragon now looms large over the rest of the season, and it remains to be seen just how much of an adversary he’ll prove himself to be compared to everything we’ve seen on the show to date. Judging by the first half of Season 3, I’m expecting the rest of the season to give us a spectacular run of episodes that may just prove to be the final six episodes of the entire series.

What did you think of some of the more gruesome parts of the episode? Was it a little bit too far for you, or did you think it was just basically typical ‘Hannibal’? Tweet me @OldSnake24. And be sure to follow us @YouNerded!

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