*Update* Hannibal’s Fourth Episode Will Not Air

*Update: NBC has announced that they will not air the fourth episode of Hannibal, due to recent violent incidents taking place in the US:

Via Variety: "After several particularly violent months in America, NBC has decided to pull episode four of frosh drama “Hannibal” from its lineup due to the disturbing content involving children murdering other children.

Fourth episode of the grisly serial killer drama featured Molly Shannon’s character brainwashing kids, leading them to kill other children. Episode four was slated to air next week. Peacock will instead move directly to episode five. While the drama is serialized, NBC claims there will be no continuity issues, noting that TV critics have seen episodes three and five, and not four."

Hannibal showrunner Bryan Fuller decided to pull the episode and here's his official comment on the decision:

"I didn’t want to have anyone come to the show and have a negative experience... Whenever you [write] a story and look at the sensational aspects of storytelling, you think, ‘This is interesting metaphorically, and this is interesting as social commentary.’ With this episode, it wasn’t about the graphic imagery or violence. It was the associations that came with the subject matter that I felt would inhibit the enjoyment of the overall episode. … It was my own sensitivity."

*2nd Update: In another interesting bit of news, NBC officially announced this change today, but has been planning it since earlier this week. The episode that was pulled was titled "Ceuf" and "Coquilles" will be the next episode to air. The preview video, photos, and synopsis below are from what you'll see next week. There are supposed to be some clips from the original episode 4 that will be released online to fill in any character development gaps. The original episode 4 is still scheduled to air outside of the US.

Hannibal Episode 5 - COQUILLES: "Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and the BAU team track a serial killer whose bloody ritual includes cutting the victims' back flesh and stretching it to look like angel wings. Returning to the field weighs heavily on Will's psyche and Hannibal (Mads Miikkelsen) tries to drive a wedge between Will and Jack (Laurence Fishburne). Meanwhile, Jack Crawford's wife Bella (Gina Torres) pulls away from him and begins seeing Hannibal as her therapist, in an effort to come to terms with the fact she is dying. Beverly (Hettienne Park) tries to connect with Will on a more personal level. Also starring Caroline Dhavernas, Aaron Abrams, Scott Thompson."

If you missed out on the first episodes of Hannibal and live in the US, you can still catch up. Watch the first episode online for free at: http://dailydead.com/watch-the-first-episode-of-hannibal-online-for-free/