Oeuf (Hannibal)

"Oeuf" (also spelled "Œuf") is the fourth episode of Hannibal's first season, written by Jennifer Schuur and directed by Peter Medak. It was scheduled to air in the United States on April 25, 2013, but creator Bryan Fuller requested it be pulled one day early. The decision was made hours before the scheduled broadcast and was not related to the Boston Marathon bombings, despite some speculation; it was more likely connected to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Fuller explained that the issue was not graphic imagery or violence, but the subject matter's associations, which he felt would hinder viewers' enjoyment. He cited his own sensitivity and a desire to respect the current social climate. The episode still aired in other countries. A behind-the-scenes featurette was released online, and the full episode became available on iTunes and Amazon Video on April 29, 2013. It appears in its intended order on DVD and Blu-ray.

The story follows Graham and Lecter investigating a group of abducted boys who murder their original families to bond with new ones. The boys are being brainwashed by an unnamed woman. Meanwhile, Lecter helps Abigail Hobbs cope with her trauma. The episode received positive reviews, though its subject matter drew mixed reactions.

In the plot, two families are found murdered, both mothers killed last. Both families had sons missing for about a year. Graham concludes the "lost boys" are killing their old families to bond with new ones. He tells Lecter that even if he finds the boys, he cannot give back what they lost—their families—and admits to uncomfortable paternal feelings toward Abigail Hobbs. Lecter, interested in Abigail, checks her out of the hospital against Dr. Bloom's wishes and takes her into his care, giving her tea made from psilocybin mushrooms to help with traumatic dreams. Bloom helps Graham realize the boys are under the influence of a powerful mother figure. Using convenience store security footage, they track the boys to North Carolina, stopping another young boy from murdering his family. Under the mushrooms, Abigail envisions Hannibal and Ms. Bloom as her parents, with her father being Mr. Hobbs, killed earlier in the season. The episode also reveals that Jack Crawford's home life is troubled, with his wife having given up on having children, likely due to his FBI career.