10 Reasons Hannibal Was The Best Show On TV

The main players will come later, but Hannibal’s guest stars have proven to be nearly as important in cultivating the show's rich tapestry of characters—they are an eclectic bunch of performers who serve to perforate the show with little flashes of brilliance outside of the main triumvirate of Hannibal (Mads Mikkelsen), Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne).

Best of all is Michael Pitt, a fine and underused actor who shows up as the eccentric Mason Verger, imbuing the show with a touch of macabre comedy as well as stealing the majority of scenes he's in. Shout-out too, to Eddie Izzard, who plays Hannibal-wannabe Abel Gideon with a knowing wink to the audience—he's knows how absurd it all is, but that's not going to stop him from chewing the spectacular scenery he's encased in. 

Then there’s Gillian Anderson, a sultry, seductive presence who has the thankless task of being Hannibal Lecter’s very own therapist. As season three kicks off she looks set to take a role-proper, something that can only serve to strengthen Hannibal as a whole.