The newly released Netflix Original television series The Serpent stars Tahar Rahim who plays the role of a dangerous gem dealer who goes by Alain Gautier. The series is based on true events and takes the audience back to the 1970s, where people began traveling the hippie trail in Asia. The audience soon comes to find that Alain is serial murderer Charles Sobhraj. 

Sobhraj is not the average jeweler, as he considers himself to be a successful French businessman. The series unveils the horrific actions Sobhraj and his accomplices partake to obtain gems. The series centers around a hotel in Babcock, Thailand where most of his crimes are committed.

The catchphrase parents tell children growing up about not talking to strangers could not have been spoken louder than in this series. The film will have one question about their next trip to a different country. 

Sobhraj is a very devious man in the way he moved, he is the walking devil. A good-looking man who seems trustworthy and friendly. However, Sobhraj preyed on couples and singles from European backgrounds by befriending those who seemed like easy targets.

Sobhraj’s main accomplice was Marie-Andrée Leclerc played by Jenna Coleman. Leclerc was Sobhraj’s fiancé who narrates a portion of the series where she shares her thoughts on how she is becoming sick by the why is she helping Sobhraj with his wrongdoings.

However, Leclerc is not the only one who is physically harming European travelers. Ajay Chowdhury played by Amesh Edireweera is Sobhraj’s right-hand man who is just as responsible for luring travelers. Unlike Leclerc who knows that her helping Sobhraj is wrongful, Chowdhury seems to enjoy the thrill. 

The series is dark as it foreshadows the twist and turns Sobhraj can overcome. The series leads one to wonder if he will ever be caught. 

There is a shift in the series that focuses on Leclerc, where one could feel pity and sadness for her. She is also a target trapped in Sobhraj’s game. 

The acting in the series is phenomenal and ties in with the 1970’s setting. The clothing is bright and colorful and Leclerc represents a naturally beautiful woman during that time. 

The series has 8 suspenseful parts and is recommended to watch for those who enjoy traveling or who have never traveled before. The series is a great eye–opener for the term looks can be deceiving.