Will Graham: He's Getting Too Close to This One

[Captanne]

Does anyone remember from Manhunter -- did they know they were setting Freddie Loundes up?  I seem to recall everyone was as shocked as Freddie was when Francis chose him as a target.

 

I find it very disquieting that Will would go along with such a thing.

 

I realize he has a this ability within him -- the ability to think like a serial killer -- but that has always terrified him.  It also has almost gotten him killed more than once.  The interesting thing, for me, about Will has always been his struggle to balance this ability with his sanity.

 

IOW, what makes him interesting is the fact that he knows he has this inside of him and is in a constant struggle between needing to deny it and, yet, needing to acknowledge he can use it to save other families.  

 

Imagine you can save the day but only by using the darkest part of your psyche?  That is a fucking fascinating idea and it's entirely Harris' creation.  That's what makes Will Graham so interesting.

 

To have Will blithely take part in Chilton's death (here), is OOC.  Brazenly and disappointingly OOC.

[Bruinsfan]

Yeah, Will subconsciously setting Lounds up for a fiery death would have made sense as he has an extremely personal beef with her—she's exposed him to public humiliation, driven a wedge between him and his wife and stepson, and is always mockingly hostile toward him when they speak. Mild distaste for Chilton's smarminess just doesn't make the same sense as motive for offering him as a sacrificial victim for Will, or Alana, or Jack. Really Hannibal is the only character I can see wanting Chilton to suffer like that, and he's a remorseless psychopath.

[raven]

 

Imagine you can save the day but only by using the darkest part of your psyche?  That is a fucking fascinating idea and it's entirely Harris' creation.  That's what makes Will Graham so interesting.

Yes, this is what keeps me watching.  I don't want to see a Will Graham who gives in to his inner Hannibal "just because".  Everyone's tempted by a dark side, and some are darker than others, but the resistance is interesting to me.  Giving in is easy.

[Captanne]

And the best part of Graham's conundrum (by "best" I mean "most interesting and compelling") is that it is killing him.  Knowing that this empathy resides inside him -- he would just as soon submerge it and deny it -- but to use it means to save innocent lives.

 

God, the push-me-pull-you at these stakes is what addicted me to the Will Graham character thirty years ago and still does.

 

I like Dancy's Graham.  I'm just not sure I like where Fuller is taking him.  

[Anela]

My stupid tablet keeps reloading this on me. 

 

I don't want to see Will turn into Hannibal, either. That's what had me almost stop watching season two. I like good, sane, Will. Not this version (when he goes bye-bye and seems to participate in something nightmarish. 

[jeansheridan]

 

Does anyone remember from Manhunter -- did they know they were setting Freddie Loundes up?  I seem to recall everyone was as shocked as Freddie was when Francis chose him as a target.

They were shocked in Red Dragon (book and movie).  Loundes is taken from his parking garage at work (no security detail in the film).  There's a good moment in Red Dragon when Crawford tells his team they can let the death twist them up or they can use the footage to find the Dragon.  I was hoping the show would go in that direction.  Obviously they didn't other than trying to interview Frederick. 

 

I will give Dancy credit for not being all precious about playing Will the way Fuller wants will played.  I have never felt his need to have his "big" moment.  He's almost an anti-hero in that he doesn't want to be the center of attention.  Although I must admit, that scene with Freddie and Frederick had pretty interesting energy.  Will is there with three people he really doesn't care for and he's super pushy.  Freddie and Frederick are almost rolling their eyes at his obvious statements.  Frederick is at least trying to sound subtle!  Or professional at least.  Will is very aggressive in that whole scene.

 

Then his breakdown after seeing what happened to Chilton was painful.  I know he said he was "curious".  The same phrase he used to captivate Hannibal.  Could he be playing Bedelia?  But to what purpose? 

[Crossbow]

In the book, Freddy was SUPPOSED to be under protection by the time the newspaper hit the stands, but Francis managed to get a copy earlier than they thought possible. They knew Freddy/Chilton was at some risk but assumed Will would be the main target. However, with Chilton's character it seems like he would have insisted on protection the whole time, which Freddy wouldn't have.

[Captanne]

Got it.  Thanks!