I’ve talked here before about the excellent quality of the Apple TV Plus series. Not only the most famous, The Morning Showbut there are also others. We Crashed, Truth be Told, Servant, just to name a few. And last Friday debuted The Essex Serpent. The first two episodes are available, the remaining four will be made available each week on Friday. For the first two, it’s worth following.
The Essex Serpent is based on the mystery book by Sarah Perry. The story takes place in the Victorian period in England. It follows recent widow Cora Seaborne (Claire Danes) as she moves from London to the Essex region. Her goal is to investigate reports involving a mythical serpent. There, Cora forms an unlikely partnership of science and skepticism with the town vicar (Tom Hiddleston). But tragedy strikes, and the locals accuse her of attracting the creature.
What did I think of The Essex Serpent?
What you can see from these first two episodes is that the series presents itself as a mystery. Does the serpent exist? Who killed the girl? What are the townspeople hiding? But it is clear to me that the main conflict is that of science against those who fight it. Nothing very different from what we still live today. The townspeople are afraid of everything they don’t understand. Especially a woman obviously ahead of her time.
There are other interesting characters. Frank Dillane (Fear the Walking Dead) he is the doctor determined to make history in medicine. And also Cora’s friend, maid, confidant – and apparently in love – Martha (Hayley Squires). The series also makes clear the vicar’s obvious attraction to Cora, even though he is married to Stella (Clémence Poésy). All the interrelationships between all these characters provoke the most diverse and interesting moments of history.
By now, it is clear that the serpent is the McGuffin of the story. Something that is apparently the main point, but is just a distraction from the real conflict. And at the center of it all is Cora, who inspires the most diverse passions, as well as the fear of the inhabitants. Claire Danes, in a role initially played by Keira Knightley, is perfect. Initially, her orange hair distracted me a little. But then its reason for existing becomes perfectly understandable. It is an allegory of who is different. And how only her presence is capable of provoking the greatest disturbances, even unintentionally.
And in the end…
There is great chemistry between Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston. Not only sexually, but especially in its mental duels, between the believer and the skeptic. Production is top notch. Photography, art direction, costumes, all excellent. And it has a script that manipulates us. And it leaves us totally curious as to what will happen in the next episode. I recommend!
Eliane Munhoz
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