NBC has renewed its drama, Hannibal, following the cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter, for a second season.
The 13-episode second season will air “no earlier than midseason,” NBC said, according to The Wrap.
The show focuses on Hannibal Lecter’s early days as a serial killer and stars Mads Mikkelsen as Hannibal. It emphasizes his relationship with criminal profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy).
Hannibal premiered in April to 4.4 million viewers and a 1.6 rating, according to the Huffington Post. Despite its successful timeslot competitors, CBS’s Elementary and ABC’s Scandal, it maintained solid viewership throughout the season.
The renewal decision comes weeks after most other decisions had been made to allow NBC to assess the show’s ratings.
Despite the wait, its developer Bryan Fuller was hopeful. “I know that we are a cost-efficient show so we're not hard to pick up. That's a nice way of saying we're a bargain show! (laughs) Hannibal was really well-produced, we have a fantastic team and our crew in Toronto was just knocking it out of the park.”
The network has also expressed satisfaction with the series.
“We’re so proud of Bryan’s vision for a show that is richly textured, psychologically complex, and very compelling,” said Jennifer Salke, NBC Entertainment President. “There are many great stories still to be told.”