June will be remembered as one of the more devastating months for TV fans that subscribe to Netflix. The streaming service has lost some popular sitcoms in the past, with shows like Friends and The Office heading to other digital homes, but this month Netflix is saying goodbye to some iconic dramas as well. The Twilight Zone and David Lynch’s beloved Twin Peaks series are both leaving Netflix at the end of the month, but the first big departure is actually happening Friday night. All three seasons of Hannibal will be gone from Netflix’s lineup when Saturday arrives.
Hannibal only ran for three seasons on NBC but was critically acclaimed for its entire run and became an instant cult classic the moment it ended. There is a strong, devoted Hannibal following out there, and fans have never stopped pushing for the show to get a fourth season. There was hope that Netflix would be able to help facilitate that after it announced that the series was coming to its roster.
There was so much hype surrounding Hannibal‘s arrival on Netflix in 2020. Despite being available on Prime Video, Hannibal coming to Netflix meant even more fans, and potentially a chance at making more episodes. That obviously didn’t pan out, as Hannibal will no longer be available to stream on the service starting Saturday.
Hannibal starred Mads Mikkelsen as the titular serial killer and Hugh Dancy as Will Graham. Everyone who worked on the show, including the two stars and creator Bryan Fuller, wanted to return to NBC to make a final season, but the network chose not to bring it back.
“The work itself was brutal because we had long hours, with scripts coming in late,” Mikkelsen told Vulture earlier this year. “It’s TV, and what we were doing was elaborate. The texts were high-IQ texts. The monologues or the dialogues were always about fine art, music. You had to learn Japanese, Hungarian, and words you had simply never heard before. And you had to do it within two hours because everything came so late. Having said that, I would love to go back. Everybody wants to go back, and if there’s only one season and we’re sure about that, [creator Bryan Fuller] can finish it in a proper, surprising, stunning way.”
Are you disappointed to see Hannibal leaving Netflix? Do you think there will ever be a fourth season? Let us know in the comments!