Hannibal: NBC’s frightening moral disconnect

By: American Decency Staff

I Timothy 4:2 talks about the searing of conscience.  While the searing of a piece of meat is a fairly quick process, the searing of a conscience takes place incrementally, one wrong choice at a time. 

As a person ignores the warnings of one’s heart and mind the conscience becomes deadened to what is right and what is wrong and those warnings are no longer heard.  And so we see people who do reprehensible acts with no guilt or remorse.  We also see people who become futile in their thinking whose foolish hearts become darkened, as it says in Romans 1:21.  Their conscience is seared and they no longer recognize evil.

So it seems is the case with the plethora of entertainment writers who are singing the praises of the truly evil show on NBC, “Hannibal,”  about a cannibalistic serial killer.  The show has the most gruesome imagery ever shown on network television – depictions of horrific murders and cannibalism – scenes described as “artistic” and “beautiful” by reviewers.  Take a look at just a few recent comments below.

A Variety magazine online review states:

… there’s a slightly unsettling combination in the beauty with which he depicts murder and death against the pain and ugliness of it all. (One scene in the episodes previewed, in particular, is as cringe-inducing as anything witnessed on broadcast television in some time.)

That said, for those who have wondered how exactly one might prepare a human leg, there are some helpful hints here unlikely to be presented on, say, the Food Network.

NBC’s today.com offered this review of Hannibal (emphasis added):

…"Hannibal" — the drama starring Mads Mikkelsen as "Silence of the Lambs'" brilliant psychiatrist/murderer, and Hugh Dancy as FBI profiler Will Graham — is stunningly beautiful. Yes, it's strange to describe a show about serial killers as anything other than "bloody," but each frame of the thriller is like a work of art. (Even the scenes of Dr. Lecter cooking and plating his victims resemble a high-budget gourmet cooking show.)

But there's more to the drama than just beauty in the wicked. Mikkelsen's Hannibal is scarily devious, and the story lines are gripping — and yes, bloody.

Reviewer Mark Rozeman, of Paste Magazine writes:

The first three or so minutes of (the second episode of “Hannibal”) represents perhaps the most grotesque, stomach-churning imagery I’ve ever seen on network TV.  …

However that isn’t a turn off for Rozeman, instead he begs viewers to tune in to watch this “stomach-churning imagery” so the show won’t be canceled. 

Rozeman goes on to excitedly inform readers that Bryan Fuller, the creator/producer of NBC’s “Hannibal,” will introduce a pedophile character on “Hannibal” later this year.  About this he opines:

… Mason Verger, the wealthy pedophile character … will even be making an appearance this season (played by none other than Boardwalk Empire’s Michael Pitt). Knowing both the inherent potential of the source material as well as Fuller’s own skills as a writer, this prospect fills me with both giddiness and a palpable sense of dread. … I can’t help but feel apprehensive that Hannibal’s low ratings and edgy subject matter will get the show canned before these promising storylines can be realized.

For now, all I can do for now is beg. Seriously America, if you can stomach it, watch this d–n show.

The reviewer writing above feels dread – not over the promotion of pedophilia, of that he feels “giddy” – rather what he dreads is that this abhorrent show will be cancelled. 

Notice how these writers, along with many previous reviewers, describe the show as shockingly gruesome yet claim such horrific imagery is “artistic” and “beautiful.” 

That moral disconnect is incredibly frightening.  Even though this is a fictional portrayal, when the slaughter of human beings is described in any way other than reprehensible (let alone called “beautiful”) it shows how far our cultural conscience has been seared.

And if a cannibalistic serial killer is lionized by NBC on “Hannibal,” what will the show do with the addition of a pedophile character?  Will entertainment writers also describe scenes of pedophilia as “beautiful” and artistic”?

What we watch does impact.  To those who are entertained by such grisly and repugnant imagery, there will be a deadening of conscience, a devaluation of human life – impacting not only the individual, but ultimately all of society.

Do we want a culture where such abhorrent themes are accepted as entertainment?  By remaining silent, that is what will occur.

It’s not enough to just not watch the show.  NBC isn’t keeping this show on the air because of high ratings. 

A paltry 2.6 million viewers tuned in for the second episode of “Hannibal” with only a 0.8 ratings share – down 27% in viewership from the previous episode!

(In comparison for the same timeslot CBS had 11.9 million viewers and ABC had 7.6 million viewers.)

While the drop in ratings is encouraging, if advertisers continue to empower “Hannibal” NBC will continue to air it.  What matters most to NBC is money.  And what matters most to corporate America is money.

And that’s why the corporations empowering “Hannibal” need to hear that aligning with such an evil show will cost them – both in profit and reputation. 

Click here to urge the sponsors“Hannibal” to pull their ads from“Hannibal.” 

Repeat advertisers include:  Kraft, Allegra, Nasacort, Verizon, Sprint, and esurance. 

Chattem Inc. has advertised its products (Allegra/Nasacort) on the last three episodes of Hannibal since the second season began 2/28/14.

Advertisers include:
Kraft (Velveeta)
Dannon yogurt
Bayer aspirin
Allegra – Chattem product
Nasacort – Chattem product
Revlon
Woolite
Sprint
Google
Verizon
Lexus
Fiat cars
Travelocity
Esurance
Quicken Loans
Infinity cars
Chase credit card
Cabela’s sporting goods – local ad
Papa Murphy pizza – local ad

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