Die Schlange

I have been interested in serial killers for quite some time (not that I admire them or want to emulate them). I was looking forward to the series, and I was all the more disappointed. It was mostly boring, and the constant time jumps annoyed the hell out of me. I wasn't entertained and I don’t see any point in watching this show. (12.08.2021)

A period series about a weird guy called Charles Sobhraj, who in the 1970s robbed and murdered backpackers in India and Thailand. I didn’t know anything about him, which made the show was pretty fascinating. Judging by some of the responses abroad, it seems people have trouble following the constant flashbacks and flash-forwards, but I think the mosaic is very clearly put together and getting the when, the who and the how wasn’t much of a problem. Another good thing for me were the attractive locations, especially now in times of travel restrictions; it was nice to reminisce Bangkok and other places. (27.01.2021)

After the end of this series, I feel like going to buy whiskey and celebrate that I managed it without any harm to my health (at times I thought I really couldn't make it). The Serpent has its qualities and I would have appreciated more in a two-hour feature format. But in this eight-hour series, it feels like an old Fiat driving through a village at 30 km/h, not willing to accelerate even once. So, let's go through the positives: the series captivates with its faithful depiction of the 1970s and the exotic settings of Thailand, Nepal, and India. The hippie theme and the relatively unknown serial killer Charles Sobhraj, who doesn't impress as a killer because anyone can do the trick with poisoning – Bundy, Dahmer, and others would probably roll their eyes – but what really captivates is the unconventional manipulation of people and Tahar Rahim's acting performance, which is possibly the best thing the series offers, but is it enough? Most likely yes, but unfortunately it didn't satisfy me. The negatives include mainly the unengaging and slow pace, with too many dull moments for my taste, and halfway through I even considered stopping watching. It took me a week to finish it, which is a bad note for me, because if a series captivates me, I can finish it in a day. There are also annoying flashbacks – countless of them. In one scene, it jumps ahead by two years, then back two weeks in five minutes, then three years ahead ten minutes later, and at times I didn't even know which country they were in. The fact that there is no murder or explicit scene is also disappointing. There no darkness, rawness, or chills down the spine to speak of, and this time the creators even avoid erotic scenes. Personally, I had a problem with the positive portrayal of an unlikeable bureaucrat. If an intelligent badass detective had been investigating the case, it could have been a much more interesting duel. Normal viewers, however, like the series, I belong to the minority here, so form your own opinion, but those who are not patient will most likely suffer. I'll give it a neutral 3, but emotionally I'm more inclined towards 2 stars. (09.04.2021)