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The Essex Serpent begins with a gorgeous opening scene that establishes the mood and tone for the entire series. With lingering aerial shots of the Essex waterways, it displays director Clio Barnard's visual vocabulary and sets up an exquisite atmosphere of lurking terror that would dominate the rest of the episode. Based on the novel of the same name by Sarah Perry, the show revolves around a widow named Cora Seaborne who moves to a small village in Essex from London in order to explore the mystery behind a mythical serpent.
The first episode, titled Blackwater, focuses on Cora (Claire Danes) as she moves to a remote village in Essex post the death of her abusive husband. There, she meets a friendly, charming vicar named Will Ransome (Tom Hiddleston), with whom she develops a special bond. The plot thickens when a girl in the village goes missing.
The Essex Serpent Episode 1: Has the devil arrived?
Cora Seaborne decides to move to Essex along with her son and her maid, Martha, to discover the mystery behind a mythical serpent after her husband dies. She strikes up a friendship with her husband's doctor in London, Luke Garrett, and frequently writes to him after her relocation. Despite feeling liberated from her marriage, Cora is still haunted by traumatic nightmares of her husband physically abusing her.
In Essex, Cora meets a young vicar, Will Ransome, and discusses the possible existence of a serpent. Vicar, however, does not believe the serpent is real despite witnesses in the village. The two develop a special bond as they spend time discussing science and faith. Elsewhere, Luke begins to develop feelings for Cora and goes to Essex to meet her. He asks her to return to London but she refuses, saying she wants to follow her passion.
Meanwhile, tension rises in the village when a young woman named Gracie goes missing and people begin to suspect the serpent. Towards the end of the episode, the villagers find Gracie's dead body, leaving Cora and Will utterly shocked.
The Essex Serpent is an atmospheric gothic romance perfect for lovers of slow burn horror
The show is quite atmopsheric and replete with gorgeous visuals that play a pivotal role in the narrative. The pacing is deliberately slow as Clio Barnard focuses more on the mood than plot-twists. Whilst the writing is slightly off in places, the show's thematic and philosophical ambitions are quite impressive. With the first episode setting the tone and ending on a cliffhanger, the second episode is expected to delve deep into the possibility of the serpent's existence in the village.
The Essex Serpent is streaming on Apple TV+ from May 13, 2022, with the first two episodes. New episodes will be released every Friday.
