The Essex Serpent Takes up an Interesting Angle at Period Romances

So you’ve just gobbled the first two episodes of The Essex Serpent and you’re already wondering how much romance will this show have?

Sure, the larger picture is about the mythical serpent, hysteria, and gothic superstition… but we also have the lovely Claire Danes sharing the screen with Tom Hiddleston and Frank Dillane (young Tom Riddle from Harry Potter), who give her some pretty longing gazes.

Is it a romance? Is it a love triangle? Here’s all you need to know.

The Essex Serpent is a period drama with the subgenres of gothic and romance. The protagonist Cora Seaborne has two love interests, Luke Garrett and Will Ransome. It is expected to be a love triangle with Cora favoring Will’s feelings over Luke’s.

So far, we’re only two episodes in, so it’s not entirely possible to speculate how either of Cora’s romances will turn out. But since I do know the book’s storyline, I can give you some non-spoiler speculations about how The Essex Serpent looks at period dramas with an interesting lens.

Cora’s Relationship with Luke and Will

From Episode 1, there has been an undeniable connection between Cora and Dr. Luke Garrett—he treated her as more than just someone’s widow and was surprised by her enthusiasm in the sciences when she didn’t even flinch during a live operation.

So, when he does give her a slice of a cadaver heart, it is a clear symbol of his affection for her.

Despite its macabre nature, Cora does accept Luke’s heart and it seems like she may entertain these feelings as long as he can keep her intellectually stimulated.

On the other hand, Cora meets Will under more uncouth circumstances when they try to rescue a sheep together. Cora later discovers that Will is the vicar in Aldwinter, where the serpent has been spotted.

For now, they get along on a very surface level as Will wants to squash all rumors about the “devil” serpent. So, even though technically Cora is on his side in trying to give the serpent a more logical explanation, they both can’t see eye to eye with each other.

We’re led to believe that down a few episodes, Will and Cora may find themselves attracted to each other… but we have to remember that aside from being a vicar, Will is also married with kids.

While I will refrain from giving any spoilers, I think between the two, Will has more of a chance with Cora, seeing that he will spend more time with her in Aldwinter, as opposed to Luke who’s back in London trying to be the best surgeon of his generation.

All I can say is that the story actively recognizes that Cora is a Victorian woman who has just come out of an abusive relationship, and questions what role new romances play in her life. Has she had time to fully heal from her abusive husband? Does having another beau also equal to once again submitting to a man? What is her worth as a single windowed woman during the Victorian era?

While I’m unsure if the series will follow Cora’s novel romance to a tee, going from her nightmares and flashbacks, I’m sure they will depict how she deals with her trauma.

About The Essex Serpent

The Essex Serpent is an Apple TV+ original series that follows recently-windowed Cora Seaborne who moves from London to Essex upon hearing rumors of a mythical sea creature.

Determined to investigate the truth, she befriends the local pastor but ends up getting up blamed for attracting the creature.

The cast is made up of Claire Danes, Tom Hiddleston, Frank Dillane, and Hayley Squires among others.