Like a man who continues talking at the dinner table after being stabbed in the temple with an ice pick, Hannibal might linger past its execution if a new petition has its way. Yesterday, NBC announced that it will not renew Hannibal for a fourth season, meaning that the show’s final episode could be the season three finale that airs this August. As soon as the news broke, the De Laurentiis Co., which co-produces the show, launched a #SaveHannibal social media campaign in congruence with a Change.org petition asking NBC to salvage the series. By midnight, the petition already had more than 11,000 signatures.
Although NBC is unlikely to change its mind about dropping a show with such low ratings, showrunner Bryan Fuller has long hoped to find another home for his critical darling in the event of its cancelation. A petition such as this might help him convince, say, Netflix to welcome the blood-drenched drama with open arms. In fact, this campaign and petition might have always been the plan, since the show has never had a big audience and since Fuller hasn’t shown much willingness to compromise his vision to get more viewers. So while signing a petition may be a small gesture, it could help Fuller continue his passion project elsewhere for at least a few more meals.