--- title: "The Essex Serpent: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/the-essex-serpent/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/the-essex-serpent" critics_score: 74 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Essex Serpent (2022): what the critics said Critics' score 74 from 12 reviews: 11 positive, 0 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics welcome The Essex Serpent as an atmospheric Gothic romance, with praise clustering around its performances and sense of place. Claire Danes draws consistent approval, while many reviews find persuasive chemistry between her and Tom Hiddleston. The foggy Essex marshes, eerie visual detail and careful production design help sustain the unease. For much of the consensus, the series balances human feeling with folk horror, making its period setting feel inhabited rather than merely decorative. Reservations centre on pace and emphasis: some critics find the opening slow, the tonal shifts frustrating or the romance too dominant at the expense of other storylines. Others think the ideas need fuller exploration, though a few explicitly praise the pacing. The spread is wide but overwhelmingly positive, with The Guardian the lone negative review. It finds the drama cold and sluggish and Hiddleston miscast, while still admiring Danes, the women’s performances and Clio Barnard’s atmospheric direction. ## Empire — Jordan King Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 12 May 2022. King finds the series enthralling, beautifully human, and rich in ideas, despite a slow start. He particularly praises the palpable chemistry between Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston, captured in Clio Barnard’s sensual direction. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/the-essex-serpent/) ## The AV Club — David Cote Rating B+. 12 May 2022. The review finds the series a humane, engaging balance of folk horror and romance, though some elements feel labored. It praises Claire Danes’s performance and the moody, atmospheric visual design. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/tv-review-the-essex-serpent-apple-tv-plus-claire-danes-1848907862) ## The i Paper — Emily Baker Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 12 May 2022. Baker finds the adaptation engrossing and unsettling, and says it does justice to the novel. She particularly praises Tom Hiddleston’s performance and the series’ sustained suspense around the serpent. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/the-essex-serpent-is-an-engrossing-unsettling-adaptation-thats-sure-to-be-yet-another-hit-for-apple-tv-1626633) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Angie Han Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 13 May 2022. The critic finds the series ultimately worthwhile despite frustrating shifts in tone and focus. She praises its striking landscapes and the compelling performances of Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/the-essex-serpent-tv-review-1235145418/) ## IndieWire — Steve Greene Rating B-. 13 May 2022. Greene finds the series lush but limited, with its ideas often left underexplored. He praises the rich sense of place and time, while faulting the story for remaining too much on the surface. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/the-essex-serpent-review-tom-hiddleston-claire-danes-apple-show-1234724523/) ## Radio Times — Flora Carr Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 12 May 2022. Carr presents the adaptation as an unusually distinctive period drama. The available page text offers no specific praise beyond that characterization. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/essex-serpent-apple-tv-review/) ## Variety — Caroline Framke Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 12 May 2022. Framke finds the adaptation rich and nuanced, though it sometimes slips into ill-fitting melodrama. She praises its eerie, textured visuals and production design, while faulting the romance for eclipsing other promising storylines. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2022/tv/reviews/essex-serpent-review-tom-hiddleston-claire-danes-1235265273/) ## The Guardian — Lucy Mangan Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 13 May 2022. Mangan finds the adaptation cold and sluggish, with its central romance undermined by Tom Hiddleston’s miscasting. She praises Claire Danes as magnificent and says the women’s performances and Clio Barnard’s atmospheric direction stand out. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/may/13/the-essex-serpent-review-claire-danes-is-magnificent-unlike-tom-hiddleston) ## Collider — Carly Lane Rating A. 12 May 2022. Carly Lane praises the series as an atmospheric Gothic romance that delivers on its performances and emotional journeys. She singles out Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston’s yearning performances and the foggy Essex marshes, while noting that Cora can feel idealized. [Read the review](https://collider.com/essex-serpent-review-tom-hiddleston-claire-danes-apple-tv-plus/) ## /Film — Valerie Ettenhofer Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 12 May 2022. The critic finds the series a captivating, spellbinding Gothic romance, though its deliberate pace may not suit everyone. She praises its eerie, beautifully filmed atmosphere and the score’s swelling contribution to the drama. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/861362/the-essex-serpent-review-a-beast-hunt-gives-way-to-a-gorgeous-eerie-gothic-romance/) ## Consequence — Clint Worthington Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 12 May 2022. The critic finds the adaptation rich and well paced, capturing the novel’s pensive Gothic spirit. They praise the cast and the filmmaking’s tactile sensitivity. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2022/05/the-essex-serpent-review-tom-hiddleston-claire-danes/) ## Den of Geek — Louisa Mellor Rating 4/5. 12 May 2022. The review finds the adaptation atmospheric, transporting, and unusually modern in feel, despite occasional flattening of the novel’s dialogue and characters. It especially praises Frank Dillane and Hayley Squires for injecting slyness and contemporary energy into the earnest drama. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-essex-serpent-review-gothic-tom-hiddleston/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/the-essex-serpent.md