Alan Wake 2 Players Should Revisit This TV Show

The average police procedural drama struggles to stand out. There are only so many ways to pretend police officers solve more violent crimes than they do. Most are relegated to cable and enjoyed primarily by older demographics, but serial killer shows have widespread appeal. Hannibal reimagined Thomas Harris’ beloved 80s suspense novels with a more polished modern detective show style. Alan Wake 2 didn’t borrow from Hannibal, but they’re reading some of the same books.

Alan Wake isn’t subtle about its influences. Stephen King’s fingerprints decorate every element of the story. The first game opens with a quote from the endlessly prolific author. Beyond King, Wake borrows details from several movies, TV shows, and novels. The games don’t work in references, but they wear their influences on their sleeves.

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Alan Wake 2 players would love Hannibal

Hannibal is a reimagining of Red Dragon. The show follows Will Graham, a criminal profiler whose unique psychological gifts allow him to solve murders no one else can. Graham’s skill comes with a tremendous mental and emotional cost. His method requires placing himself in the killer’s mind, subjecting himself to the perceived darkness within his target. FBI Behavioral Scientist expert Jack Crawford approaches Graham with an unsolvable case. Though Graham hates the work, he can’t ignore the innocent lives at risk. Graham is Crawford’s only hope, but the psychological punishment renders him unstable. Crawford hires a psychiatrist to provide counsel and keep Graham focused. Unfortunately, the professional he stumbles upon happens to be Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

Hannibal ran for three seasons on NBC. Critics loved it from the beginning. The Saturn Awards showered the series with praise. Several critics and thousands of viewers still call Hannibal one of the best horror shows ever. Unfortunately, viewers didn’t reward it with the eyes NBC wanted. The first season drew 2.9 million average viewers per episode. That dropped to 2.54 million for the second season and 1.31 for the third. Hannibal is a perfect example of cult success. Its fans are endlessly devoted to it, though they were drawn in for different reasons. Bryan Fuller spoke about resurrecting the series for years, rousing excitement every time. It’s been radio silence for three or four years, leading most to give up on any season four hopes. As fair as it is to want more, Hannibal is excellent as it is.

Hannibal is available to stream for free on Tubi.

Similarities between Hannibal and Alan Wake 2

The gap between Hannibal and Alan Wake 2 is in their supernatural elements. Wake canonically features alternate realities, empowered objects, psychic powers, and other fantastical concepts. Hannibal can’t be called grounded in the field of serial killer dramas, but it is based in reality. Thomas Harris’s work has always been outlandish. Its cannibal killers and soap opera drama separate the series from NYPD Blue, but shows like Criminal Minds have risen to Harris’s level. Those added elements of supernatural intrigue make Alan Wake 2 more complex but less focused. While Wake can consistently introduce absurd concepts, Hannibal centers around the relationship between Graham and the title cannibal. The supernatural criminal investigation subgenre Alan Wake 2 finds itself in is known more for its ideas than its characters, though the game is an exception. Both Hannibal and Alan Wake 2 invigorate the brain with a mystery while consistently providing shocking twists and exceptional horror scenes. There’s a fascinating comparison between Wake’s novels bending reality and Graham’s murder visualizations as examples of delusions as superpowers. They’re surprisingly connected works.

Hannibal won’t take the audience to any alternate dimensions. No one will turn into a shadow monster or duel their alternate self for the fate of reality. Instead, it provides the same thrills by pushing hard against the walls of a grounded, realistic narrative. Fans of Hannibal will love Alan Wake 2‘s investigation storyline, horror elements, and haunting atmosphere. Fans of Alan Wake 2 will love Hannibal‘s cerebral imagery, staggering creativity, and consistent unpredictability. Those who enjoyed Remedy’s second trip to Bright Falls should come to the dinner table with Will and Hannibal.