While it may feel like we’ve been waiting for new details on this upcoming series for quite some time, we come bearing good news: The Essex Serpent has finally landed on Apple TV+.

Based on Sarah Perry’s bestselling novel of the same name, the TV adaptation was originally announced in 2020 with Keira Knightley attached to star in the lead role. Owing to family reasons relating to the coronavirus pandemic, Knightley dropped out of the project, but filming resumed when Emmy-winning Homeland star Claire Danes took the helm last year.

There’s plenty of star power elsewhere, too, as Danes is joined by Emmy Award-nominee Tom Hiddleston in the new Apple Original drama. The stellar ensemble also includes Frank Dillane, Hayley Squires, Clémence Poésy, and Jamael Westman.

Now that the first two episodes have premiered on Apple TV+, the reviews are in – and critics are captivated by the long-awaited miniseries.

Writing in the Guardian, Lucy Mangan notes that Danes is “magnificent” as Cora – “brusque, athletic, undisguisably intelligent and every inch a woman gradually being restored to life and self in the wake of her husband’s brutality”.

Elsewhere, Andrew Webster observes that the series offers “a tense and heartfelt exploration of grief and belief and how much those two things can mess with you”.

“It’s a slow burn of a show, which doesn’t reveal its true intentions until a few episodes in,” he writes in The Verge.

“But once it finds its footing, The Essex Serpent becomes a drama that treats its subjects with a refreshing kind of honesty that makes them all the more interesting. Falling in and out of love is always messy, but especially when the world around you is also a complete mess. The Essex Serpent captures that perfectly.”

On social media, viewers are already praising the chemistry between the two leading stars, with many heralding Hiddleston the ‘Hot Vicar’.

Here’s everything you need to know about the star-studded project. 

What’s the plot of The Essex Serpent?

For those who have yet to read the award-winning tale, The Essex Serpent (set in 1893) follows newly-widowed Cora Seaborne, who, after being released from an abusive marriage, relocates to the small village of Aldwinter in Essex.

There, she quickly becomes intrigued by a mythical creature known as the Essex Serpent (hence the title), and finds herself inexorably drawn to the village vicar, William Ransome, and his wife, Stella. But when tragedy strikes, locals accuse her of attracting the creature. 

 To say much more would veer us towards spoiler territory. Suffice to say, though, it’s a compelling read – which explains why The Essex Serpent was named the 2016 Book of the Year by both the British Book Awards and Waterstones.

Who stars in the cast of The Essex Serpent?

Danes will be portraying Cora, obviously, and Hiddleston will take on the role of William.

The rest of the cast will take on the following roles:

• Dillane will star as Luke Garrett, a pioneering young surgeon. Some call him a genius, others a liability. He’s headstrong and ambitious, and he meets his intellectual match in Cora.
• Squires will appear as Martha, who is more than just a servant in Cora’s household; she’s a highly intelligent and fiery young socialist, and Cora’s closest confidante.
• Poésy will star as Stella Ransome, who is friendly, sympathetic and adored by her husband Will and children. A beautiful soul inside and out, she becomes a firm friend of Cora’s when she arrives in Aldwinter.
• Westman will portray Dr George Spencer, Luke’s right hand man. An unexceptional surgeon he may be, but a kinder man you couldn’t hope to meet.

Who’s directing The Essex Serpent?

The six-episode series is directed by The Selfish Giant’s Clio Barnard, and is written by Anna Symon, who has been nominated for both Bafta and Writer’s Guild awards thanks to her work on Mrs Wilson and Friday.

Is there a trailer for The Essex Serpent?

The official trailer for The Essex Serpent teases plenty of disturbing events taking place in a Victorian village. 

In the tense clip, we see Danes’ Cora embarking on a quest to find the mythical sea monster, as well as a battle against temptation as she forges an instant connection with pastor William.

The trailer also highlights the divide between faith and science as the deeply religious community finds itself in the grip of hysteria. With local people falling victim to fainting fits, suspicion falls upon Cora as the outsider who may have awoken the beast.

“It was woman that was tempted by the serpent. It was woman that ate the fruit,” one man shouts at Cora as a debate around sin turns confrontational. Take a look:

When will The Essex Serpent be available to stream on Apple TV+?

The first two episodes of The Essex Serpent are now available to watch on Apple TV+, with new episodes premiering weekly thereafter.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our pick of the best period dramas that are available to stream right now.

Images: Apple TV+