The Essex Serpent trailer: Tom Hiddleston and Claire Danes investigate a mythical serpent

Apple TV+ has released the trailer for The Essex Serpent, a new limited series starring Tom Hiddleston (Loki) and Claire Danes (Homeland).

Set in Victorian England, The Essex Serpent toys with faith, science, love, and obsession. Claire Danes plays Cora, a recently widowed woman who relocates to a small village in Essex. While investigating reports of a mythical creature known as the Essex Serpent Cora forms a bond with the village vicar (Tom Hiddleston). Although the trailer for The Essex Serpent is largely lacking in… well, serpents, I’m a sucker for Victorian-era dramas; toss in some religious intrigue and small-town paranoia, and you’ve got my attention.

The six-episode series is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Sarah Perry. In addition to Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston, The Essex Serpent also stars Frank Dillane (Fear the Walking Dead), Clémence Poésy (Tenet), and Hayley Squires (I, Daniel Blake). The series was slated to star Kiera Knightley, but she stepped away last year and was replaced by Danes.

The official synopsis for The Essex Serpent:

A widow, a village vicar, and a mythical beast… are the rumors true? Set in Victorian England, The Essex Serpent follows London widow Cora Seaborne (Danes) who moves to Essex to investigate reports of a mythical serpent. She forms an unlikely bond with the village vicar (Hiddleston), but when tragedy strikes, locals accuse her of attracting the creature.

The first two episodes of The Essex Serpent will debut on Apple TV+ on May 13th. The remaining four episodes will debut weekly until the finale on June 10th.