i often think about how many people say that the series hannibal romanticizes/glamorizes/eroticizes cannibalism. and the more i think about it, the more i disagree that, in this case, the phenomenon carries a negative connotation.
i like hannibal, but i am very sober in my ability to look at things, even when i have a strong hyperfixation on them, because i am prone to self-reflection and overthinking many things. and hannibal has never been something "glamorous" to me simply because he's played by dilf in a three-piece suit with styled hair and rolled-up shirt sleeves, and all the human dishes are prepared more spectacularly than on any cooking show. yes, it's obviously beautiful, but the most valuable thing here is the context.
if you look superficially, then yes, it is romanticization.
if you think about it, it's an excellent portrayal of a type of psychopath atypical for media (in my opinion), who is not so much a member of ordinary society as of the "upper" society. it's not even that important, but that he is so respected member of society (i know a lot of them were "regular" people, even good people in everyone's eyes, but it hits different with hannibal).
power corrupts, money corrupts, connections corrupt, you feel like a god, you get ecstasy from impunity and dive deeper into it, and this is not such a rare story (white parties, Marilyn Manson, there are many examples); it's just presented here through a slightly exaggerated, yet realistic enough lens.
a psychopath,but with high intelligence; a psychopath, but in a beautiful expensive suit; a psychopath, but with excellent manners; a psychopath, but well-regarded by society –still a PSYCHOPATH. and this is valuable because people, blaming the series hannibal for romanticizing cannibalism, only emphasize how easily they can be misled by good looks, tidiness, and charisma.
are you ready to forgive a psychopath, a cannibal, and a serial killer just because he's sexy? maybe the problem lies with you?
if you look through the lens of movies/series/podcasts about serial killers and cannibals, then the cooking process is extremely rarely present, and more often the meat is consumed raw/in another form, but still not thermally processed (correct me if i'm wrong), so hannibal in this case flips this concept, turning such a frightening and eerie act into mundanity through the preparation of meat, which only further blurs the line of where psychopathy begins.
and cannibalism (including vampirism) is very often erotic in its essence, so one can understand why they read this series as a romanticization of cannibalism; i don't blame these people, i just worry that they missed some deep concept (maybe i've gone crazy, and it's just gay killers).
therefore, hannibal is a highly intellectual, cultured, educated, impeccably dressed psychopath, serial killer, and cannibal, but precisely this image, it seems to me, is needed in media.
hannibal doesn't raise suspicions, he is cultured, restrained, pedantic, and he doesn't it so much from a sense of entitlement of rich people (although obviously he has a god complex), which again sets him apart; in society, in the professional environment, he is valued, which only makes his character more complex, so the psychopath in him is more unique than any series/movie about a dubious person, at one glance at whom you would now say that everything is obvious.
this is a valuable portrayal in media, complex and multifaceted enough to be created. the character of hannibal himself is interesting and deep, but such an ambiguous portrayal in the series adds an extra charm and depth to his personality.
"romanticization and eroticization" of hannibal, if present, only plays into the hands of the plot and character development, and also exposes our society and merely shows how easily the overton window works.
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