while i echo the sentiments of the other anons on this thread, let me add a comment of a different flavor. here's a basic rundown of what to expect without getting yourself spoiled, if this will help: the tv show is set roughly before the events in red dragon and years after hannibal rising. canon chronology is hannibal rising > red dragon > silence of the lambs > hannibal. publishing-wise, red dragon was the first novel to come out, followed by silence, hannibal, and rising. i strongly suggest reading the books in publishing order, and watching the movies in order of release, including manhunter (the one with brian cox).
if you really want to get to the material outside of the tv show, i'd suggest just watching silence of the lambs and red dragon (2002), and then leave it at that until the season is over; the books are very different in a particular manner that the movies didn't get to show enough of but imo the tv show seems to get.
tl;dr if you want to avoid book spoilers for one reason or another, but you want to add color to how you see the tv show, just watch those two movies. those movies left out enough that reading the books will still be a surprise for you, but included enough to give you a better look at what to expect from the show.
also for the love of god don't touch hannibal rising.
no subject
if you really want to get to the material outside of the tv show, i'd suggest just watching silence of the lambs and red dragon (2002), and then leave it at that until the season is over; the books are very different in a particular manner that the movies didn't get to show enough of but imo the tv show seems to get.
tl;dr if you want to avoid book spoilers for one reason or another, but you want to add color to how you see the tv show, just watch those two movies. those movies left out enough that reading the books will still be a surprise for you, but included enough to give you a better look at what to expect from the show.
also for the love of god don't touch hannibal rising.