Kō No Mono

In February 2014, Bryan Fuller announced that the eleventh episode of the season would be titled "Kō No Mono".[1] NBC would confirm the title in April 2014, with co-executive producer Jeff Vlaming, Andy Black and Fuller writing the episode and executive producer David Slade directing. This was Fuller's 19th writing credit, Vlaming's third writing credit, Black's third writing credit and Slade's fourth directing credit.[2]

The episode was watched by 1.95 million viewers, earning a 0.7/2 in the 18-49 rating demographics on the Nielson ratings scale. This means that 0.7 percent of all households with televisions watched the episode, while 2 percent of all households watching television at that time watched it.[3] This was a 15% decrease from the previous episode, which was watched by 2.28 million viewers with a 0.9/4 in the 18-49 demographics.[4] With these ratings, Hannibal ranked third on its timeslot and ninth for the night in the 18-49 demographics, behind Unforgettable, a Shark Tank rerun, Dateline NBC, Grimm, Hawaii Five-0, Blue Bloods, 20/20, and Shark Tank.

With DVR factored, the episode was watched with a 1.2 on the 18-49 demo.[5]

"Kō No Mono" received critical acclaim. Eric Goldman of IGN gave the episode an "amazing" 9.5 out of 10 and wrote in his verdict: "'Kō No Mono' was directed by David Slade, who directed the show's pilot and several Season 1 installments, and he certainly returned for a big episode – one that he brought his expert skills to, filled with wonderful Hannibal moments like the visual of the tea cup reforming. Mason Verger is now firmly established as an amazingly vile and disturbing character and while Will has attempted to take out Hannibal with another psychopath before, this time feels much more weighty and important. Most of us suspected Will was playing Hannibal, but it was not only great to have that confirmed at this point but in such a satisfying way, as we, and Alana, discovered Jack and Freddie's participation in what now appears to be a very elaborate trap for someone who has proven to be a very elusive target."[6]

Molly Eichel of The A.V. Club gave the episode an "A-" and wrote, "Viva Freddie Lounds. At least for now. The pain in the ass journalist turns out to be not so dead after all. Here's what I really like about this show: I knew, as an informed viewer of television who understands the shaky verisimilitude of Hannibal's world, that Freddie Lounds was not dead. I laid it out all out for you guys; Jack could not let Will kill whoever he wants to, willy nilly, to catch one, decidedly evil, guy. Yet, when Freddie Lounds showed up and asked Alana how her funeral was, I experienced a shock. Not relief, but genuine shock."[7]

Alan Sepinwall of HitFix wrote, "'Ko No Mono' is the sort of episode that I imagine will play better for someone binging season 2 at a later date than somebody watching week-to-week. It inches the Will/Hannibal fishing chess game a little – and even has a moment where Alana accuses Jack of moving pieces around on the board – but it's not until fairly late in the episode, when we find out the truth about Freddie Lounds and see what horrible fate Mason has planned for Margot, that it feels compelling as its own thing rather than part of the larger whole."[8] Mark Rozeman of Paste gave the episode a 9 out of 10 and wrote, "Watching 'Ko No Mono', it does seem like the show's creative team designed this final stretch of episodes with the idea that it might be their final year. Luckily, we found out this week that this would not be the case. This news is great on multiple levels. Long-term, it means we'll be getting yet another year of Will and Hannibal duking it out. Short-term, it means that this upcoming season finale will contain the kind of heightened climatic activity that normally accompanies a show's series finale. Everyone wins."[9]

Gerri Mahn of Den of Geek gave the episode a 4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "There is not much time left in the season, and events appear to be snowballing fast. It feels as though Graham should have enough to convict Hannibal with now. But it looks like he and Crawford are holding out for hard evidence. Maybe even a straight up confession?"[10] Nick McHatton of TV Fanatic gave the episode a 4.4 star rating out of 5 and wrote, "Hannibal does not pray. If he did, he certainly would not close his eyes to do so. As 'Ko No Mono' demonstrated, Hannibal is not without remorse - but that does not mean Hannibal is the type of man to cower down to a God. Why? Because he is a God in his own eyes."[11]