Adored by critics and a tragically modest viewer count, Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal burned briefly but brightly for three seasons on NBC. After spending a good several years on Amazon Prime streaming, Fuller’s masterful take on Thomas Harris’ acclaimed novels has landed on American Netflix, opening itself up to a bigger audience than ever. In a golden age of television teeming with dozens upon dozens of prestigious programs to watch, here’s why you should indulge (or re-indulge) in Hannibal next.

In many ways, Hannibal is as unlikely a success as they come. The Silence of the Lambs has long been the gold standard for psychological horror thrillers, and it would be hard to imagine anyone coming even close to matching Sir Anthony Hopkins’ incredible performance as the titular cannibalistic conniver. With three middling sequels and prequels trying to follow up on the film’s Oscar-winning success later, one couldn’t be blamed for thinking the franchise had long ago peaked. What would be the point in retreading familiar material?

Related: Silence of the Lambs TV Sequel Casts Originals Star as Clarice Starling

The thing is, Fuller’s remixed adaptation does everything at least one step better, oftentimes exponentially so. Seamlessly setting up and eventually covering the events of Harris’ Red Dragon and Hannibal novels, the showrunner places the spotlight on the former’s Will Graham, exploring his relationship with Hannibal Lecter during their time as profilers for the FBI. Played by Hugh Dancy, Will is reimagined as a man on the autism spectrum who is able to empathize with people’s actions to a near-supernatural degree. As such, he is an invaluable asset to the Bureau for his ability to predict serial killers’ behavior by understanding their methodology and motivations, practically becoming them inside his head. It’s an inspired twist for the character, one that lends the show a fascinating framework to work off in a time flooded with police procedurals.

Will Graham's Antler Man vision from Hannibal

Behavioral Sciences head Jack Crawford (an impeccable Lawrence Fishburne, amongst other fantastic additions, including the always wonderful Gillian Anderson) notices that worming into criminals’ minds quickly begins to take a toll on Will’s mental health, leading Jack to refer him to the renowned Dr. Lecter for therapy. Cool, sophisticated and collected, Mads Mikkelsen trades in the bravado of Hopkins’ iconic performance for a quiet, malicious take on the character that very well may be the definitive portrayal of the villain. Yes, he's that good. Like his character, Mikkelsen commands the screen with mesmerizing subtly, and when he’s away, his presence lingers like a tantalizing, suffocating cloud.

Related: From American Psycho to Silence of the Lambs: Cinema's Killer Performances

But for the uninitiated eye, the less said on that, the better. Just know that the relationship between Hannibal and Will is everything; Hannibal takes a special liking to Will, believing him to be a singular equal to his own unique genius. From there on out, the show evolves into a perpetual game of cat and mouse as Will and Hannibal tenderly try to trip each other’s snares (the Season 2 finale, amongst many other excellent episodes of note, is one of the greatest chapters of television ever made) while catching serial killers for the FBI.

From towering human totem poles to “angels” whose wings protrude as victims’ flayed back skin, each killer’s crime scene tableau is as strikingly grizzly as it is a work of genuine art. It’s a small miracle just how graphic the show could get, especially for a show that premiered on network TV, and the crimes only get bloodier and more beautiful as the series progresses across its 39 episodes.

Related: Netflix Drops Dark Season 3 Teaser, Release Date

Mads Mikkelsen cooking as Hannibal.

In that vein, Fuller’s Hannibal could easily have coasted by on vaguely serialized killer-of-the-week stories trailing up to the reveal of the foreboding Chesapeake Ripper. The show is so much more than that, though. Hannibal reads like literature, each line of dialogue, every surgically-crafted shot spilling layers of motifs thematic imagery to revel in and analyze. The series’ dreamy directing styles and cinematography—easily some of the best put on film or TV— set up a liminal space of the unconscious where psychopathy and desire manifest their twined tails. A viewer may never quite knows what the show’s characters are thinking, forcing one to project onto their cloudy motivations from the information the atmosphere provides. It’s a masterclass in ambiguity where acting, directing, writing and every other filmic craft come together in complementary harmony. And as if that wasn’t enough, the show’s wonderous, frighteningly tempting meals and cooking montages alone are to die for.

Hannibal is rattling, ravishing, exquisite, sumptuous, lavish, luscious and delectable, a scintillating, gory terror that builds on everything Harris’ novels laid on the table, and more. If you’re a lover of the fine arts or just plain good television, you owe yourself the experience of Fuller’s impeccable show, especially with the promise of a possible fourth season on the horizon now that Netflix has acquired the exclusive streaming rights in the States.

Next: Hannibal Lecter: The Cannibal’s Movie & TV Timelines, Explained