How Clarice sets itself apart from the movie Silence of the Lambs
After The Silence of the Lambs made its iconic debut a little over 30 years ago (Valentine’s Day 1991), CBS is giving its audience Clarice. Before this, NBC placed their focus on the infamous criminal character with the offshoot Hannibal. Making its television debut on Feb. 11, the series is set in 1993 and works around the cannibalistic Hannibal Lecter, who cannot be mentioned by name due to legal issues.
Clarice will center around the personal story of FBI agent Clarice Starling (Rebecca Breeds) as she battles good ole boy politics, grudges, and of course, crimes most foul.
Baptized and scarred by the bizarre violent trauma of her first case, (Buffalo Bill), Starling is brought back into the field. Per the request of former senator and now U.S. Attorney General Ruth Martin (24 alum Jayne Atkinson), she is planted in the newly formed violent crimes task.
Fans of the movie will remember that Starling saved Martin’s daughter’s skin (literally) from Buffalo Bill’s dirty pit. The task force is helmed by Paul Krendler, who still has a-you-know-what stuck up his you-know-where, ever since Clarice showed him up on the Buffalo Bill case.
Clarice Starling, post-Hannibal Lecter
As a result of the Buffalo Bill aftermath, Clarice is under mandated psychiatric therapy, something Ruth Martin’s daughter Catherine could use herself. While the native West Virginian does not have Chicago-type street smarts, her expertise in behavioral science is what matters most. Also plagued by childhood memories and shunned by not-so-trusting co-workers, she does appear to have a new loyal friend in fellow agent and sniper Tomas Esquivel.
Small in stature yet tough and full of grit, it’s easy to surmise the titular character will be seen as someone willing to go rogue when necessary, delve into the minds of bad guys as the audience gets to delve into her psyche.
Clarice airs on Thursdays on CBS at 10/9c.