Rewatching Hannibal Hits Different After Actually Going To Therapy.

Rewatching Hannibal hits different after actually going to therapy.

That scene (S1E1) where Franklin cries in session and has to beg for a tissue? I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s a moment that's easy to overlook, but it says everything about Hannibal as a “therapist.”

In every real session I’ve had — individual or group — the tissue box is right there. Within reach. Sometimes it’s passed to me without a word. Because emotions are expected in therapy. You're not supposed to feel like you're interrupting, or worse, inconveniencing your therapist for needing something so basic.

But Franklin? He’s practically apologizing for needing comfort. And Hannibal doesn’t even look surprised — they clearly meet weekly. He knows Franklin gets emotional. So why not just place the box by his side beforehand? Is it about control?

And then the room itself. It’s massive. Dark. Imposing. It doesn’t invite vulnerability, it demands performance. It makes the patient feel small — like they’re being judged, not understood. And honestly, that fits. Because Hannibal isn’t there to help Franklin. He’s just observing. Curating. Playing the role of “therapist” while providing none of the support.

It hit me that the younger me kind of sided with Hannibal in that scene. Found Franklin annoying, whiny, maybe even gross (that tissue shot. yeah, the show knows what it’s doing). But now? After living with anxiety, after learning what a good therapist actually feels like?

It’s crystal clear who the real asshole is.