The Essex Serpent, the new gothic drama about a panicked village which believes it has been cursed by an evil beast, features terrific performances from Tom Hiddleston and Claire Danes. In the mood for something a little spooky? The Essex Serpent is available on Apple TV+ from – you guessed it – Friday 13th May. New subscribers can watch The Essex Serpent free with the Apple TV+ 7-day free trial.
Season premiere: Friday 13th May 2022
Global stream: Apple TV+ 7-day FREE trial
Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Claire Danes, Frank Dillane, Clémence Poésy, Hayley Squires
Season finale: Friday 10th June 2022
If you've not read Sarah Perry’s award-winning 2016 novel, you're in for a treat. This six-part adaptation – part gothic ghost story, part romantic drama – sees wealthy widow Cora (Danes) travel to a bleak English village in search of a winged serpent said to have killed a local girl.
Amateur palaeontologist Cora thinks it might be a dinosaur – a view that horrifies the dashing Reverend William Ransome (Hiddleston). Cue a Victorian-era clash between science and theology that heats up faster than a dodgy paraffin lamp.
The Financial Times calls The Essex Serpent "gripping", while The Sydney Morning Herald has it pegged as an enchanting "examination of wealth, poverty, freedom, faith, reason and feminism." Pretty promising – even if you're not a devout "Hiddlestoner".
The first two episodes of The Essex Serpent debut globally on 13th May 2022 on Apple TV+. Follow our guide to get a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ and watch The Essex Serpent wherever you are.
Watch The Essex Serpent on Apple TV+
The Essex Serpent is an Apple Original, so it's exclusive to the Apple TV+ streaming service.
New users get a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+. After the trial, it's £4.99 / $4.99 / AU$7.99 a month. There's no contract, so you can cancel any time.
The first two episodes become available on 13th May 2022. New episodes air every Friday, with the season finale set for the 10th June.
The Essex Serpent episode guide & air dates
Episode 1 – Friday 13th May 2022
Newly widowed, Cora (Claire Danes) relocates to a small village in Essex, where she is intrigued by a local superstition that a mythical creature known as the Essex Serpent has returned to the area.
Episode 2 – Friday 13th May 2022
Episode 3 – Friday 20th May 2022
Episode 4 – Friday 27th May 2022
Episode 5 – Friday 3rd June 2022
Episode 6 – Friday 10th June 2022
The Essex Serpent official trailer
Is Apple TV+ worth trying?
Apple TV+ is Apple's dedicated subscription streaming service, designed to rival the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.
It's ad-free (aside from Apple ads) and features a host of high-profile shows – such as The Essex Serpent, Shining Girls, They Call Me Magic, Pachinko, WeCrashed, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey and Severance – produced by the Apple Originals department.
In our review, we praised Apple TV+ for its "reasonable pricing, superb streaming quality, Dolby Vision HDR support and lavishly-produced exclusives".
If you're yet to experience Apple TV+, why not take advantage of this 7-day free trial?
How to watch Apple TV+ from overseas using a VPN
Apple TV+ is available in over 100 countries. Travelling abroad and can't access your account? Not to worry. You can use a VPN to enjoy your Apple TV+ account, as if you were back home.
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