5 Reasons Why You Should Watch The Serpent

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Assuming that you haven’t already binged this 8-part mini-series detailing the murders of notorious 70’s serial killer Charles Sobhraj aka The Bikini Killer or The Serpent (where the series takes its name), let me convince you as to why you should.

Tahar Rahim & Jenna Coleman 

My oh my, Rahim and Coleman are exceptional in the roles of Charles Sobhraj and Marie-Andrée Leclerc. TBH, I will watch anything Rahim is in after watching his breakout film A Prophet. And unsurprisingly Rahim absolutely kills it (no pun intended) as a creepy, charismatic killer… it’s very unsettling just how good he is! And Coleman, I have only ever seen her in Doctor Who but she makes Leclerc 3 dimensional and has you wondering whether she is actually a victim or just a killer throughout.

70’s Vibes

The fashion. The hair. The music. I must admit that I am obsessed with the ’60s and ’70s, and I love the mise-en-scène in this show, everything on screen feels tangible and immersive. I can tell that Jenna Coleman’s hair and wardrobe is going to be everyone’s obsession.  

Great Storytelling

This is on the edge of your seat shouting at the TV stuff. The tension is so palatable, and I found myself cringing and trying to advise characters not to make the decisions they inevitably make (why do we do this 😂). Some people don’t like the flitting between timelines, but I personally like it, it adds suspense and makes you focus.

To Travel Vicariously 

Ah, in the era of Corona we can only travel through our screens. This show could not have aired at a better time here in the UK, we are in Lockdown 3.0, and it’s absolutely freezing! Hong Kong, Thailand, Nepal, Pakistan, France and India are a welcome escape from a dreary winter in England, even if this jet-set trip is rather gruesome.

The Cinematography 

Luscious colour palettes, film footage montages and surveillance like zooms are just some of my favourite things about The Serpent’s cinematography. The way a TV show or film is shot is infinitely fascinating to me; I love analysing what a camera movement could mean or why a specific colour palette has been employed. In The Serpent, the cinematography serves to build tension and immerse the viewer in its timeline. Film footage instantly makes it feel retro, and those surveillance zooms make you nervous and think that someone is in danger. The colour palette is almost oppressive in its lushness, mirroring the headiness of occupying the same space as Sobhraj.

The Serpent is available to watch in the UK on BBC 1 @ 9 pm on Sundays or to binge on BBC iPlayer (Elsewhere on Netflix soon)