A look at the untold personal story of FBI agent Clarice Starling, as she returns to the field about a year after the events of “The Silence of the Lambs.”
“Clarice” takes place one year after the events that transpired in “The Silence of the Lambs,” and while Jodie Foster turned in an Oscar-winning performance as the tortured character in that 1991 classic, neither Julianne Moore – who took over the role in the 2001 sequel “Hannibal” – nor Rebecca Breeds, who portrays her in this TV show, come close to replicating Foster’s onscreen appeal. While “Clarice” does occasionally capture the ambiance and apprehension of “The Silence of the Lambs,” it fails to carry that trepidation throughout its 13-episode season.
The show follows Clarice Starling after she was placed on administrative leave after the chilling conclusion of “Silence,” fearing that Hannibal Lecter might come after her but when it becomes apparent that he has stayed true to the last words he spoke to her, that “the world’s more interesting with you in it,” she realizes that she must get on with her life and get back to her job. Settling back in, she takes on various assignments which include heavily armed militia, human traffickers, sexual predators, and one Lila Gumb, the mother of Jame Gumb, aka Buffalo Bill, the serial killer Clarice shot and killed at the end of “The Silence of the Lambs.” Apparently, Lila is on the verge of committing a depraved act but Clarice sets out to prevent her from following in the footsteps of her now-infamous son.
Overall, “Clarice” is a decent follow-up to its big-screen predecessor but the fact that the producers couldn’t even mention Hannibal Lecter by name, because of rights issues, meant that there were no flashbacks to Clarice’s time spent with Lecter, not even in a verbal recollection. The rights to author Thomas Harris’ characters are divided between MGM and the Dino De Laurentiis Company. “Clarice” showrunner Elizabeth Klaviter explained that CBS only has the rights for characters introduced in Harris’ 1988 novel ‘The Silence of the Lambs.’ Unfortunately, since Lecter’s first appearance came in another Harris novel, ‘Red Dragon,’ that makes him off-limits.
Why CBS opted to produce this show, knowing full well they wouldn’t be able to mention Hannibal Lecter by name, seems like a strange decision. After all, it was the chemistry between Lecter and Starling that made the 1991 film so successful so dedicating an entire show to one of those characters, who is obviously suffering from PTSD as a result of their interactions, would appear only natural for her to be able to talk to someone about those events, mentioning Lecter in the process, but the producers manage to skirt the issue completely. CBS entered negotiations to relocate the series to Paramount+ for its second season but now that looks improbable. “Clarice” plays out like a generic procedural cop show with only its titular character saving it from obscurity but due to low ratings and negative reviews, it’s highly unlikely we’ll get a season two.
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