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Telly addicts

The serpent

229 replies

the80sweregreat · 01/01/2021 21:05

Anyone going to watch this?
I've never heard of this person before.

OP posts:
MsTSwift · 11/01/2021 22:56

Thought it was excellent. Also was initially put off by “serial killer praying on young women” trope like a op but actually he was an equal opportunities murderer which was awful of course but they did not seem to be sexually motivated murders he just wanted people he could trick who had a few travellers cheques.

Also liked that you were entirely rooting for the good guys - the Dutch embassy couple and Nadine and her husband. The dramas that put you on the murderers side I find hard to stomach - none of that here.

Also although story grim brought back happy travelling memories of Far East when we in midwinter.

dayswithaY · 12/01/2021 18:42

I've watched two episodes and can't decide whether to press on with it. I was a bit disturbed by the American being drugged and driven to her death, so awful. Is his motivation theft or murder or both? I can't work it out.

Jenna's accent is a bit too Allo Allo for my liking.

Cocolapew · 13/01/2021 00:42

Finished it tonight, I thought it lagged a bit in the middle, 8 episodes was too long. Enjoyed it though.

vjg13 · 14/01/2021 13:29

It's definitely worth carrying on with, the last 2 episodes were really gripping.

2Rebecca · 15/01/2021 07:05

I thought his motive was theft rather than murder. The murders were a means to an end rather than the main event for him.

CupoTeap · 15/01/2021 07:17

I've not RTFT to avoid any spoilers but I couldn't get into this and turned off in the first one, should I try again?

DrWankincense · 15/01/2021 07:34

I'm on episode 4? The one where Nadine has just got into the car (don't go!!!!).
Finding it a decent watch (although horrible to say that given the story), didn't love the first episode but glad I've stayed with it.
I want to know what he was drugging people with, does anyone know?

lovelemoncurd · 15/01/2021 07:39

Loved it. The way the 'jump around' enables the story to build from different character viewpoints. It's well done.

Cocolapew · 15/01/2021 08:13

@DrWankincense

I'm on episode 4? The one where Nadine has just got into the car (don't go!!!!). Finding it a decent watch (although horrible to say that given the story), didn't love the first episode but glad I've stayed with it. I want to know what he was drugging people with, does anyone know?
You find out more details in the last 2.
DrWankincense · 15/01/2021 08:42

Thank you @Cocolapew!

Sooverthemill · 16/01/2021 09:35

[quote whensmynexthol1day]@bigbluesea I have to say that as someone with lots of French family I thought Jenna's accent was not at all unconvincing. It was a pretty amazing achievement if what pp said is true and she's never spoken French before but it was clearly an English person speaking French- she did get a lot of the intonation and speed aspects right. But it wasn't convincing enough and was one of the things that grated most - Charles, nadine and juliette were all native French speakers - I thought it was a shame that they chose Jenna over a québécois actress.
I thought the Herman actor was convincing though although have had more limited exposure to Dutch speakers [/quote]
I agree! She speaks French so slowly and so laboriously. Nine the less well done for learning g from scratch but honestly in the 2 months she said she gave to it she couldn't have been fluent which is the inference from interviews. I wish they had cast Karine Vanessa who is one of my favourite actors. French Canadian , you may have seen her in Revenge, Pan Am and Cardinal but she s done quite a lot of films and is crying out for a lead like this.

I think Jenna Coleman is a terrible actor, so one dimensional and god how I hated having to watch Dr Who with the kids when she was in it.

The male lead Tahar Rahim is a brilliant actor, with a very wide range. He's being directed here to be very wooden I think. He was in the Looming Tower, The Eddy ( Netflix throughly recommend), the film A Prophet, so much good stuff. He's truly excellent

I've watched 3 episodes so far and will carry on. I cannot understand why he was so compelling nor why people stayed with him. I guess Aline, far from home, he seemed sophisticated and wise. But omg what an awful situation to be in. I was doing A levels at the time and remember nine of this. But no one I knew travelled yet. It was still exotic to go to Paris for a French exchange

LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 16/01/2021 22:55

I have one more to go. The scenes for the most part get less graphic apart from a couple. Hugely tense in places (Dominique!??!)

I love Jenna. I didn't get her accent was poor, not sure that many people would.

P999 · 16/01/2021 23:23

I think the acting (especially the 2 Male leads) is brilliant. And the clothes. All of it. The only thing that jars isJennas French accent. The quebecaccent is weird. Butnot weird in that way. She sounds 100% english putting on an exaggerated accent. But she's good. And am gripped.

VanGoghsDog · 17/01/2021 00:11

@sashagabadon

That’s a good point BLT! In fact why didn’t his parents?! I’m pretty sure I would. Unless he didn’t tell them? Also why didn’t he go to the french embassy and tell them he had lost his passport? Maybe you don’t think of stuff like that when you are young plus he was sick too
Well, embassies don't help you for losing your passport but anyway, Alain told him that as his visa had expired he would be arrested as an over stayer so he was scared to go to the authorities in Thailand. No-one wants to be arrested in Thailand.

Once he got back, he probably felt he had no evidence, not much had actually happened to him and he was probably still worried about the passport and visa thing.

VanGoghsDog · 17/01/2021 00:52

I want to know what he was drugging people with, does anyone know?

It comes out later.

I found the timeframes tricky but I can see why they did that, to give each victim their own story and also it reflects how it was all revealed rather than a linear story. I nearly stopped after the first episode but glad I watched it all.

His wig was odd but it does look like his hair did, I suppose his hair is an unusual texture given his mixed heritage. The actor is much better looking than the real guy.

I'm not sure he would have had to be that charismatic, he'd just have to seem normal with a huge sense of self belief. Too charismatic could lead to suspicion.

HmmSureJan · 17/01/2021 02:38

I wish they had cast Karine Vanessa who is one of my favourite actors. French Canadian , you may have seen her in Revenge, Pan Am and Cardinal but she s done quite a lot of films and is crying out for a lead like this.

She would have been perfect. With brunette hair she even looks a bit like her.

Sooverthemill · 17/01/2021 09:33

@VanGoghsDog I'm now on episode 5 and I think you are right. When you are young and alone and in a very different culture you look for something familiar and he spoke their languages, could tell them how stuff worked, help them out with a room etc and just appear to be very nice laid back. Psychopath probably isn't top of your list of things to look out for on the hippy trail.

I act felt sorry for Ajay in episode 4. I googled the Dutch wife and she became an important person in the UN. I thjnk she's the best. But I do not yet understand Nadine. I'm beginning to think 'Monique' is as much a victim of coercion as anyone else here

clpsmum · 17/01/2021 16:34

It's terrifying me tbh. Reminds me a bit of the film hostel. So scary. Can only watch one or two at a time. Couldn't breathe when Dominique was at airport and now Nadine is on car with them

vivariumvivariumsvivaria · 18/01/2021 11:36

I didn't understand the end where Charles was standing with Juliette.

Surely she didn't go back to him?

Enjoyed it, but, yes, chilling.

VanGoghsDog · 18/01/2021 13:03

It looks like she did. She didn't dob him in in Paris either.

If you read the article it says one of his wives remained fiercly loyal, I assumed that was her.

sashagabadon · 18/01/2021 14:20

She does seem very complicit now and almost as psychotic as he is. After all she told him about the couple with the rubies. She didn’t need to mention she had met this latest couple at all if she was really fearful as she would know his reaction. He’d never of known if she hadn’t told him.

bloodyhairy · 18/01/2021 14:52

I loved Angela, the feisty German wife of Hermann.

I'm going to go against the grain and say that I was underwhelmed by the main actors. I wasn't convinced by Colman's breathy voice or French accent. And the main actor was a bit wooden and emotionless.

PrincessScarlett · 18/01/2021 15:06

@sashagabadon

I think Monique possibly told him about the couple with the rubies to prove her loyalty/love for him. Maybe she thought it would take the focus off her as he was beginning to doubt her and may have killed her too.

I am finding it really hard to have any sympathy with Monique though. I get the angle that she was controlled/as much of a victim but I find the whole her struggling with what he has done and then playing her part in it all makes her look really immature and emotionally vacant. I read something about the real Monique saying she was not quite all there which I guess explains her behaviour a little.

Sooverthemill · 18/01/2021 19:13

@bloodyhairy I agree Jenna Coleman is dreadful but I think shes a dreadful actor anyway. The male lead is playing it like the man himself, that's what he was like. I do not understand why anyone was convinced by him. Tahar Rahim is a brilliant actor, check him out in the Looming Tower or the Eddy!

I finished it today and was very pleased for Herman and saddened he and his wife didn't make it. I can quite understand though how obsessed Herman became, marriages aren't sustained by that! I was also interested in what happened to the others

MsTSwift · 18/01/2021 19:40

I think Herman wanted to keep living overseas which would be totally at odds with Angela wanting a heavyweight career herself. No way could she achieve that being a trailing spouse.

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