The Serpent Television Series Review

We have to admit "The Serpent" was able to effectively craft each episode end with a thrilling cliffhanger meaning we couldn't wait to play the next episode as soon as the current one ended. But this penchant to put cliffhangers was also a double-edged sword as the show's actual revelations just falls short of the hype that it develops time and time again. 

During the 1970s, several unsolved murders of travellers popped up along the famed hippie trail. By chance, when two Dutch bodies are found in Thailand, Dutch Diplomat Herman Knippenberg (Billy Howle) decides to investigate the murders himself when local authorities seem uninterested in the case. What he uncovers is truly terrifying as he discovers a undending pattern of theft, murder, and identity theft to evade capture. He believes that the man behind the crimes is someone named Alan Gautier (Tahar Rahim). Can Knippenberg finally catch Alan Gautier before he commits more murders and at what cost?

We have mixed feelings on "The Serpent". On one hand, we won't deny that we enjoyed the eight episodes with its suspense-filled format but we also won't deny that it had serious issues with its format and presentation. At the forefront of these issues was surprisingly its length. The eight episodes felt adequate indeed but certainly prolonged at times. Particular episodes lacked substance as compared to others. We also kinda hated the non-linear narrative or at least how the series used it incessantly. Particular revelations and pay-offs will be worth the time jumps but some just felt not that too essential. Other than that, the series was well-made - in terms of production values and its historical accuracy. The story wasn't overtly fictional and the series as a whole came off as what could have plausibly happened in real-life. The set pieces were amazingly done as well. You will be transported back to the 1970s hippie trail and beyond. We particularly loved how the series was able to show the technological deficiencies that gave Charles Sobraj and his associates a upper-hand. We highly-doubt he would have been able to do his crimes today. Overall, "The Serpent" was a riveting and ultimately a very satisfying and disturbing experience.

Rating: 3 and a half reels

Why you should watch it:
- each episode was suspense-filled and riveting
- felt historically accurate

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the show felt it went a little bit too long
- the flashbacks were used a bit too much