1991's "The Silence of the Lambs" is more than just a tense, gory procedural. It has all the ingredients for an unforgettable genre recipe, including a team-up between a brave and vulnerable FBI agent-in-training and a cannibalistic serial killer whose mere presence is a double-edged sword. There's also the tormented Jame Gumb (Ted Levine), whose gender identity is tactlessly framed through an extremely damaging lens — a glaring flaw that still haunts the film's glowing legacy more than 30 years
since its release. The rest, however, is a compelling exploration of trauma and its manifestations throughout life, culminating in Clarice Starling's (Jodie Foster) rattled utterance of the fact that the lambs haven't stopped screaming.
Beyond its enduring pop culture references to fava beans and a nice Chianti, "The Silence of the Lambs" spotlighted one of the most fascinating fictional characters to exist within the psychological thriller genre. Anthony Hopkins' brief, yet riveting turn as Dr. Hannibal Lecter helped cement the character's legacy, promptly spawning one sequel (2001's "Hannibal") and two prequels ("Red Dragon" and "Hannibal Rising") to further capitalize on the "Lambs" legacy. Fast-forward to 2013, NBC's "Hannibal" stunned the world with a deliciously twisted, unapologetically psychosexual take on Thomas Harris' source material, with special agent Will Graham given the chance to shine like never before.
It seemed that the world couldn't get enough of Hannibal Lecter and his many iterations onscreen, and the only memorable story centering Clarice was sadly confined to the beloved 1991 film that started it all. That was until CBS' "Clarice" was promoted as a follow-up to "The Silence of the Lambs," promising to deliver the goods when it came to the vast complexities confined within its titular protagonist. Unfortunately, "Clarice" failed even before everyone could come to terms with its existence.
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The Canceled Clarice Series Was Doomed To Fail From The Start
In the CBS show, we follow FBI agent Clarice (Rebecca Breeds) a year after the events of 2001's "Hannibal." Due to her prior involvement in the Buffalo Bill case, Clarice has to deal with constant media scrutiny, along with the morbid fascination of strangers/colleagues who mythologize and second-guess her at the same time. Tabloid magazines have run wild with speculations about her relationship with Hannibal, adding to the huge pile of rumors that have obfuscated the truth about who Clarice Starling truly is.
In reality, Clarice is not doing too well, as she is seen crashing on a fellow agent's couch while mostly surviving on soda and candy. This is worse than a depressive stupor: once again, the lambs have started screaming, but this time, they take the form of the numerous victims she couldn't help save. Just when you think this guilt will consume her, Clarice is put on a case that does little to heal the trauma she has experienced so far.
The problem with this premise lies solely in its shoddy execution. There's some merit in exploring the damaging aftereffects of a rookie FBI agent's first high-profile case, but "Clarice" relies a bit too much on "The Silence of the Lambs" to justify its existence. The first three episodes alone are half-hearted rehashes of what happens in the film, recontextualized through watered-down anecdotes and jokes that do not land. Breeds' Starling isn't the problem here, as her characterization is somewhat faithful to Harris' novels, but her complex interiority is conveyed in such heavy-handed ways that any nuance is lost halfway through. Instead of having us infer or read between the lines, we repeatedly told that Clarice's male colleagues are jealous of her reputation, and that she is bogged down by the blatant workplace misogyny that plagues her everywhere she goes.
The glaring lack of Hannibal is yet another drawback, although I genuinely believe that a taut, well-written story centering Clarice doesn't need Hannibal to work or make its mark. Unfortunately, good writing isn't one of the show's strong suits, so "Clarice" unfortunately exists under the looming shadow of Hannibal's absence, while having the misfortune of being unfavorably compared to NBC's "Hannibal." As expected, "Clarice" was canceled after a disappointing first season, bringing the complicated legacy of Clarice Starling to a grinding halt, at least for now.
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