He's laid back, likable, and almost seems subdued for most of his screen time, but every now and then we get flashes and glimpses at the maniac below the surface of the cool exterior, and it's truly compelling to watch. How anybody not named Hopkins could ever pull it off, was beyond us, but hearing the name Mads Mikkelsen at least let us know that Bryan Fuller and De Laurentiis were serious about doing this the right way, and were doing everything they could to legitimize their small screen venture. We've long been huge fans of Mikkelsen's work (and his brother's for that matter), so when it was announced that he was to play Hannibal Lecter, we were intrigued. Red Dragon and Hannibal (the big screen version) have their flaws, but Hopkins is brilliant in both of them. Silence of the Lambs is about as perfect as a motion picture can get. Yes, that sounds like the ravings of a madman, because Hopkins' portrayal of the psychopath is flawless, and is absolutely one for the ages.

Mads Mikkelsen is every bit as good as Hannibal Lecter as Anthony Hopkins was. That dichotomy plays out brilliantly in Hannibal, and it never feels false or forced, not ever for the tiniest of seconds. Hannibal Lecter is a Serial Killer of the highest caliber, and yet the FBI not only seeks him out for his expertise and assistance on cases, but they like and trust him enough to allow him into their personal lives as well. Hannibal is a prequel to Manhunter (or Red Dragon, as the books go), and where the Theatrical prequel, Hannibal Rising, went completely wrong, this small screen effort got it absolutely right. With Hannibal, they've allowed Bryan Fuller and his crew to give us a solid, engaging, nasty little hour-long that not only does Hannibal Lecter and his legacy great justice, but I dare say has improved upon the titular cannibal's story considerably. Well in this case I stand corrected, because it seems as if NBC just let it rip with this show. Network TV is a money game, and taking crazy chances is something that the Big 4 just never have the balls (or inclination) to do. How could a TV Show about Hannibal Lecter possibly work? How could NBC ever do the character, and the series of books from whence he came, any justice whatsoever? Network TV is no place for blood, gore, cannibalism, and such heavy themes no, Network TV plays it safe, and offers mostly pedestrian, non-offensive programming to its audience, because that's just what they do.

When we first heard that NBC was making a TV Show based around one of the biggest icons in movie history, I laughed.

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