As the episode begins, we join Herman (Billy Howle) and Yotin (Kenneth Won) as they visit the morgue to have a look at the bodies of the victims. We jump three months back and see Marie-Andree (Jenna Coleman) check on Helena (Ellie de Lange) and Willem (Armand Rosbak). The couple struggles as Marie walks around them and Herman learns that the man was strangled and the woman was hit over the head with a hard object. Yotin translates for Herman and explains that both victims had smoke in their lungs before Helena rolls over and sees Marie watching her. Yotin goes on to say the victims were likely still breathing when they were set on fire. Helena pleads with Monique to help them just before the intro begins. After the intro, we’re taken to Kashmir, India 10 months in the past.

Marie writes in her journal about her trip and meeting the most interesting man in the world. She admits she wishes she hadn’t traveled with Jules at all before Charles (Tahar Rahim) or Alain enters with drinks. Jules Dupont (James Gerard) tells Charles that they were lucky to have found him and Marie thanks him for the drink. Marie watches Charles carefully and he tells her he’ll see her later. When Charles leaves, the other couple tells Marie and Julie that Charles was a war photograph and spent time in Vietnam. He is there to shoot a spread for Paris Match. Jules continues talking to the other couple while Marie watches Charles ride away on a motorcycle. Later that night, Jules gets sick and Marie tries to take care of him. She asks if there is anything she can do, but Jules says no and encourages her to enjoy her holiday.

While Jules stays home sick, Marie hangs out with Charles and lets him take photos of her. He notices a scar on her leg and says it must’ve been painful before she admits they didn’t think she would walk again. Charles suggests they didn’t see Marie’s strength and she should be with someone who sees her the way she is. He goes on to tell Marie that she is beautiful. We jump forward 10 months and rejoin Herman meets with Lawana (Apasiri Kulthanan) who gives him the missing enclosure which contains photos and letters from Willem and Helena. She thought he’d like to have a look at them before they went to the police. Herman sits down and looks through the photographs and letters. Then, he goes to the police station where he is told that the region suffers complex problems and communist insurgents do not stop at national borders.

The Major General looks through the autopsy documents before handing them to Herman. Then, Herman says the victims weren’t revolutionaries but came as guests and were killed in his country. The General confirms that the case is open, but their resources are not limitless. Herman tells him more about the horrific crime and encourages him to investigate before the Major General reminds Herman that he doesn’t give him orders. Herman explains that the incident would negatively impact people in Western Europe who wish to visit this beautiful country if the killer is not found. The General consults with his partner and says it isn’t that they don’t want the crimes addressed. He suggests Herman can continue his inquiries with their consent since he has made admirable progress thus far. Herman reminds the General that he isn’t a police officer before leaving and meeting with Paul Siemons (Tim McInnerny) and the others.

Gilbert Redland (Adam Rothenberg) finishes his speech before Ambassador van Dongen (William Brand) encourages Herman to apologize for being late. Herman apologizes and they begin discussing the two murder victims. Herman tells the Ambassador about the Thai police encouraging him to continue with his inquiries, but the Ambassador doesn’t want that. Later that night, Herman looks through the photos before Angela (Ellie Bamber) enters and tells him about her party. She reveals that Alain Delon was there and refused to dance with anyone else. He even invited her to his suite tonight. She sits down with Herman and looks at the photos of the victims before he tells her about the letters they wrote in Hong Kong just before leaving for Bangkok. They met a French gem dealer based out of Bangkok who invited them to stay at his home with his wife. They do not name the gem dealer so Angela yells for Kannika (Chotika Sintuboonkul).

Angela asks Kannika to get the Bangkok Post for them and she gets it moments later. Angela shows him a newspaper article about Count Michel-Andre Jurion of the Belgian Embassy and says something about a diplomat and a bar girl. Herman reads it and finds that Count Michel-Andre will make himself known to the lawyers of Monsieur Alain Chartier, but Herman doesn’t understand. Angela tells him that Alain is a French gem dealer who is based in Bangkok. We jump back 8 months and Charles talks to Marie about how much he misses her. She flies out to Bangkok so she can be with him. She arrives and they leave the airport before we jump 3 weeks later. Marie says a two week holiday has become three weeks of torment, but she refuses to go home. She goes on to say that Alain has not shown her the intimacy she craves. Later, he asks her for 100 dollars and she agrees to give it to him.

She hands him the money, he leaves her alone, and she sobs. Later, he returns with beautiful jewelry for her and tells her about his dog Frankie. He gives her something he thought she could wear at the beach and says they should go away for a few days. They take the dog and leave for the beach. Charles believes the couple nearby wonders what a beautiful woman is doing with a half-breed like him because people have been asking this his entire life. He encourages her to go over and say hello but introduce herself as Monique. He wants her to say she is a fashion model and he is her photographer husband. She asks if it is a test, but Charles says it is a game. Marie does exactly what he asks and takes Frankie with her. Before too long, Alain and Marie sit down with the couple and begin talking about the price of oil quadrupling in under a year.

They talk about America’s retreat from Vietnam and Alain shows them a souvenir he got photographing it. Marie follows that up by saying it was a relief when he gave up military campaigns to shoot fashion campaigns. Viola gets sick and has to excuse herself. Her man follows her while Charles and Monique share a drink. Later that night, Monique follows Alain to the couple’s room and finds them passed out. He begins grabbing their belongings and Monique follows his orders and shuts the door and curtain. Charles admits to drugging them but denies that they’re dead. He finds a book called Oil Politics and claims the man knows only what he has read in the book. Before long, we jump ahead 8 months and Herman meets with Paul to talk to him about Alain. Herman tries to explain why Paul should help him so he tells him about the letters and the French gem dealer. Paul realizes Herman has taken the cops up on their offer, but he isn’t sure Herman’s ambassador is aware of it yet.

Paul tells him to pay for his lunch. He goes on to say he can’t take him to the gem dealer, but he can take him to Jurion. Paul encourages Herman to send his driver away because he doesn’t want to see where they’re going. They go to a brothel of sorts and Paul explains that the gem dealer is suing Jurion who is one of their Belgian attaches. The fight was over a bar girl and they began looking for dirt on the gem dealer to get him to back down. Paul explains that Jurion heard a crazy story before they sit down with the man. Herman tells Jurion (Raphael Roger Levy) what he knows about the gem dealer and Jurion tells Paul it is true then. Paul explains that two months back in December, a French woman was doing the rounds of the embassies looking for helping and making accusations against a French gem dealer with an apartment near the Patpong.

 

Herman finds out that the accusations were linked to drugging and robbing of some young longhairs who’d been persuaded back to the gem dealer’s apartment. Herman is upset that Paul didn’t tell him about it sooner, but Paul says Belgium’s interests have to be confidential. Herman gets angrier and says there are at least two French gem dealers in Bangkok. He says Chartier would’ve been a fool to openly publish his name over a row with a degenerate Belgian if he was involved. He refers to them as fools before getting up and telling Paul he is going where he should’ve gone immediately. He says he is going to find the woman. We jump 6 months earlier to the Kanit House and rejoin Marie and Charles. They enter one of the rooms and Charles pours wine for them. Charles admits he has been a photographer just like Marie has been a fashion model.

She tries to find out the truth about Alain and forces him to admit that his name is Charles. Then, she tells Charles that Jules wasn’t even her boyfriend. They were engaged before but she broke it off. There was nobody else who wanted to go on holiday with her and nobody wanted anything to do with her. She says all he had to do was ask her. Charles claims nobody wanted him since he was 15. He claims he was denied everything and wasn’t even allowed to be a member of the country. If he had waited for the world to come to him, he’d still be waiting. He had to take everything he ever wanted. He pushes her against the wall, they get undressed and have sex. Then, the party continues and Marie learns more and more about Charles and his gem trade. Charles continues drugging more and more people. Then, Marie sits by the pool with a friend and they discuss their men.

Marie tells the woman about meeting Alain before he arrives with a drugged man in the back of his car. Marie approaches as Charles leads the man inside and says he must’ve eaten something bad. Marie follows them upstairs before Charles tosses him on a chair. She asks Charles why he is there. Charles says he doesn’t want her doing housework and says keep him a little sick and he’ll do anything for you. Then, Charles claims they’re rescuing the poor boy and people will believe that. Five months later, Herman begins looking for the French woman who was making the claims. He calls many embassies but is mostly given the runaround. The Ambassador passes by and that puts a stop to Herman’s pursuit. Lawana receives a call from the British Embassy and passes the call to Herman seconds later.

The man on the phone tells Herman they have a record of her and he saw her himself. Then, we jump four months earlier and Marie gets prepared for the night. Before long, Teresa (Alice Englert) shows up at the party with Ajay (Amesh Edireweera). Marie tells Teresa about her husband the gem dealer. Later, Marie watches as Ajay and Alain leave with the girl. Marie is asked if she gets jealous, but she says it is Alain and it is who he is. Later that night, Charles and Ajay return and clean the sand from their shoes before Marie walks in and asks them where they’ve been. Charles says the girl wanted to swim so she swam with Ajay. Charles gives her the American girl’s traveler’s checks and asks her to get them cashed. When she checks the passport, Charles tells her not to worry because he will fix the photograph. Marie is worried because Teresa has been there and she can tell the police.

Ajay says she can’t and Charles tells her not to worry about any of it. The following day, Marie goes to the bank and tries to cash the checks. We see that the photo has been changed and Charles watches from a distance as Marie receives the money. After that, Ajay is asked to take a photo of Charles, Marie, and the money so Charles’s mother can see how well they’re doing. Four months later, Herman meets with Mr. Cartwright to learn more about the woman. She was afraid to go to the police and Cartwright says there was nothing they could do the help her. The woman left a book with Willem’s name written on it. Herman looks through it and finds a picture of Willem with Helena. Then, he finds a card with A. Courtier Gem Dealer written on it. Herman is surprised to learn that the woman left an address with him.

There isn’t a name though. Then, Herman shows Cartwright the picture of Willem burned alive and says it was his diary. Herman gets upset and tells Cartwright that they’re here for reasons just like this. Next, Herman calls Paul to tell him he has found her. We jump back in time 3 months once again. Marie returns home and is approached by Suda who gives her a piece of jewelry. The woman’s father steps out and Suda explains she told him Marie is Alain’s secretary. Charles joins them and greets the Colonel. Charles says if they go now they can make the reservation. When they leave, Charles tries to tell Marie that he doesn’t have any feelings for Suda. He claims he is using Suda for her gems and the Colonel for protection.

He pleads with Marie to free her mind of suspicion because she is above that. Next, a man shows Marie a picture of his woman Stephie and his little Cleo. Charles watches as the man says she is like a life raft for him and Marie is beautiful. Marie dances with the man until Charles interrupts and tells them not to get too close. He gives the man a drink before he gets sick and collapses to the ground. Later, Charles approaches the man’s room and Marie tells him that he won’t take his medicine. Charles crushes up a few pills and mixes it with milk. They take it to the man together before he asks them what is wrong with him. He wants to go to the hospital but Charles says he is safe and gives him the drugs to take. The man drinks it down after Charles promises to call Stephie. Marie writes in her diary and wonders if she can play this role forever.

Ajay and Charles try to get rid of the man’s body after that. Another man approaches Marie and asks her where they’re taking him. She claims they’re taking him to the hospital because he is very sick. She questions whether she can tolerate Charles being with Suda in front of her. Before long, Willem and Helena join them at Kanit House. Then, we watch as Helena rolls over and Marie tells her she has been unwell and they’ve been looking after them for almost two days. Marie talks about their love before Helena pleads with her for help. Marie tells her she should’ve bought the gems like she told her. Willem wakes up and asks Marie what she has done to them. Charles joins them as they realize the medicine makes them sick. Ajay enters and tells Willem to relax and go back to bed, but Willem tries to fight back. Helena pleads for Marie to help but she turns up the radio and ignores them.

Three months later, Herman and Paul visit Kanit House. Herman opens the glove compartment and gets a handgun but he doesn’t like it. Paul warns him that it might not be the scared French woman who answers the door. Herman says he isn’t going to take the gun so he puts it back. He says that Willem’s diary confirms that the man’s name is not Chartier. He says it is Gautier. Then, he tells Paul he can go home because he doesn’t think Belgium’s interest will be served, but Paul doesn’t care about their interest. Herman tells him to keep the engine running before leaving. Paul grabs the gun and waits. Herman heads up the stairs in hopes of locating the French woman. He knocks on the door and tells them why he is there. The woman opens the door and lets him inside. Meanwhile, Marie uses the radio to drown out the cries of Willem and Marie.

 

The Serpent Review

I have no doubt that The Serpent can be one of the best British true crime shows in recent years, but the constant time jumps are really killing it for me. After a few time jumps, I am starting to lose interest. It might be worse because I am recapping the show as I watch it though. Either way, the time jumps are overdone and unnecessary.

We already know how the couple died and that Marie decided to ignore it. Why did we need two episodes full of annoying time jumps to tell us about Marie’s relationship with Charles and the deaths of Willem and Helena? Why couldn’t we have simply started out with Marie meeting Charles?

Then, we could’ve tackled everything in chronological order. I think that would’ve made a lot more sense and it would’ve been less annoying. I am taking it slow and recapping each fine detail while stopping and starting every few seconds. I can only imagine how confusing everything is for the average viewer who doesn’t have this luxury.

Not only does it make this show significantly harder to recap, but it likely drives viewers insane. I am confident that The Serpent will pay off in the long run. I just hope the time warps stop pretty soon because I don’t think they’re improving the show in the least. The episode scores a 7 out of 10. Previous recaps of The Serpent are available on Reel Mockery.