NBC Cancels ‘Hannibal’

NBC has decided not to renew its hit TV series Hannibal for a fourth season after its currently running third season ends in August.

The news, which was confirmed by TVLine, may come as a shock to some, but the series’ ratings have been in a steady decline, prompting the network to pass on bringing the show back for another season. When the series premiered in 2013, it pulled in 4 million viewers. The show’s most recent episode, however, pulled in a mere 1.69 million viewers.

“NBC has allowed us to craft a television series that no other broadcast network would have dared, and kept us on the air for three seasons despite Cancellation Bear Chow ratings and images that would have shredded the eyeballs of lesser Standards & Practices enforcers,” Fuller said in a statement. “[NBC president] Jen Salke and her team have been fantastic partners and creatively supportive beyond measure.

“Hannibal is finishing his last course at NBC’s table this summer,” he added , “but a hungry cannibal can always dine again. And personally, I look forward to my next meal with NBC.”

NBC also issued a statement regarding the cancellation, saying, “We have been tremendously proud of Hannibal over its three seasons. Bryan and his team of writers and producers, as well as our incredible actors, have brought a visual palette of storytelling that has been second to none in all of television — broadcast or cable. We thank Gaumont and everyone involved in the show for their tireless efforts that have made Hannibal an incredible experience for audiences around the world.”

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Photo Credit: NBC