Yakimono (Hannibal)
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| "Yakimono" | |
|---|---|
| Hannibal episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 7 |
| Directed by | Michael Rymer |
| Written by | |
| Featured music | Brian Reitzell |
| Cinematography by | James Hawkinson |
| Editing by | Stephen Philipson |
| Production code | 207 |
| Original air date | April 11, 2014 |
| Running time | 42 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Yakimono" is the seventh episode of the second season of the psychological thriller–horror series Hannibal. It is the 20th overall episode of the series and was written by executive producer Steve Lightfoot and series creator Bryan Fuller, and directed by executive producer Michael Rymer. It was first broadcast on April 11, 2014, on NBC.
The series is based on characters and elements appearing in Thomas Harris' novels Red Dragon and Hannibal, with focus on the relationship between FBI special investigator Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen), a forensic psychiatrist destined to become Graham's most cunning enemy. The episode revolves around the rescue of Miriam Lass, who is unable to identify her captor after years of seclusion. Will Graham is released from the hospital and sets out to investigate more about Lecter and his next move.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 2.25 million household viewers and gained a 0.7/2 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received critical acclaim, with critics praising the performances (particularly Chlumsky and Esparza), the writing and twists.
Miriam Lass (Anna Chlumsky) is taken by an ambulance and is tended for all her injuries. Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) questions her about her captivity, but she is struggling to remember her captor, only viewing him as a shadow. She also states that she wasn't spared by the kidnapper, but was "saved for last".
Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) meets with Bloom (Caroline Dhavernas) at an interrogation room, with Crawford and Miriam watching him from a two-way mirror. Surprisingly, Miriam is certain that Lecter was not her captor. Meanwhile, due to the Chesapeake Ripper's new discoveries, all charges are dropped against Graham (Hugh Dancy) and is released from the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. He tells Dr. Chilton (Raúl Esparza) to recognize his unethical methods that he enforced on Gideon as Lecter enforced similar methods and may be involved with Gideon's disappearance.
Graham meets with Crawford, who takes him to the old farmhouse. He deduces that the Ripper didn't plan to kill Miriam, but have her rescued so he could blame someone else for the crimes. He returns home, where Bloom was guarding his dogs. While she apologizes for doubting him, she still reprimands him for trying to get Lecter killed. Seeing that she is in a relationship with Lecter, he warns her to stay away from him. He then visits Miriam, and realizes that the same stimulation of flashing lights was employed on her while in captivity, sensing that Lecter is involved. That night, he confronts Lecter in his house at gunpoint, feeling that killing him will feel right for him. Lecter allows himself to be aimed at, but ultimately Graham leaves.
Crawford takes Miriam with Lecter, hoping that a hypnotic regression therapy will help her remember. Miriam is only able to view the Wound Man as the last thing she remembered. At the lab, Price (Scott Thompson) and Zeller (Aaron Abrams) inform Crawford that they found Lecter's fingerprints on flowers around the farmhouse. Crawford dismisses it, as Graham pointed out that the Ripper will try to frame anyone in the crime scene. However, they also discovered that Miriam's blood contained certain medicaments employed by Chilton during his treatment of Gideon. Crawford demands that Lecter and Chilton be brought in for testimony.
Chilton arrives at his house but is confused by a medical equipment sound from his basement. He opens a room and is horrified to discover Gideon's mutilated corpse on a bed. He stumbles on his way out, and finds Lecter wearing a plastic suit just as FBI agents are knocking at his door. Lecter drugs Chilton, who passes out, and then kills the FBI agents. When Chilton wakes up, he finds the agents dead, with one of them mounted as the Wound Man. Desperate, Chilton asks Graham for help while BAU finds evidence incriminating Chilton. Chilton intends to flee the country but Graham has already contacted Crawford.
Chilton tries to escape through the woods but Crawford catches him and takes him into custody. In the interrogation room, he is questioned by Bloom while maintaining his innocence. Through the two-way mirror, Miriam's memory starts viewing the shadowed figure as Chilton, identifying him as the Chesapeake Ripper as she breaks down. Crawford consoles her but Miriam suddenly grabs his gun and fires at Chilton, hitting him in the face. At his office, Lecter is visited by Graham, who wants to resume therapy. They then sit, facing each other from their seats as they are about to start.
Production
Development
In January 2014, Bryan Fuller announced that the seventh episode of the season would be titled "Yakimono".[1] NBC would confirm the title in March 2014, with executive producer Steve Lightfoot and Fuller writing the episode and executive producer Michael Rymer directing. This was Fuller's 16th writing credit, Lightfoot's 8th writing credit, and Rymer's fifth directing credit.[2]
Writing
The episode originally had a prologue where Alana Bloom was entering Hannibal Lecter's house, in a follow-up to the opening scene in "Kaiseki". However, Fuller abandoned the idea, saying "it felt like we were so much in the Miriam Lass world, and so intrinsically tied into Dr. Chilton's story and Will Graham's release, the scene felt out of place." The scene would later air in its entirety in the season finale, "Mizumono".[3]
