Everything Is Blue
Episode 4 of The Essex Serpent starts with Cora getting ready for a big night. Will is reluctant about joining her but it’s Stella that actually talks her into going. It’s Cora’s birthday, and Dr Garrett is there to help with the festivities. He’s even got her a rather expensive necklace too. She’s taken aback and unsure how to react, but it’s Martha who comes to the rescue, saving her by claiming it doesn’t go with the neckline of her dress. The evening soon gets underway, with Charles showing after Will. The latter is socially awkward and eventually apologizes for what transpired last episode. However, there are clear tensions between Luke and Will, as the pair clash over their faith VS science beliefs. While the party continues on, Luke speaks to Stella in confidence. He urges her to come to London and see him, knowing that she has a respiratory disease and wanting to heal her. “Life is for living.” He says. With that matter sorted, Will and Cora end up dancing together, partly on Stella’s order as it will “make her happy.” But as they hold hands, looking deep in one another’s eyes, it’s clear the pair are hiding much deeper feelings for one another. In fact, Cora even moves her mouth toward his. The dance ends abruptly, the party takes an uneasy turn, and Will hurriedly leaves. Cora follows when they leave something behind, while Martha and Luke end up kissing and having sex. Cora isn’t not the only one wandering about though, as Naomi believes she’s sinned and remains worried about the serpent “getting her.” After trying (and failing) to speak to Will at the church, she eventually takes off into the night. Cora walks about all night long, eventually noticing Luke Garrett hurrying off to get the train. When she heads inside, Cora speaks to Frankie who admits he was down at the beach with Cracknell, who ended up dying while he was there. Cora is shocked, especially given how nonchalant he is to the whole situation. When Naomi’s father, Henry, finds out about Naomi in the morning, he’s shocked. Henry is the one who finds Cracknell, and immediately believes the serpent has got him. All the townsfolk turn on Cora, while Will fumbles and struggles to speak up and defend her. While the men drag Cracknell to the church, Will chases after Cora and admits that he can’t think clearly around her. “Love is not a weakness.” He eventually says, as he ends up kissing her and making love. The thing is, cheating is a sin of course and because of all this, Will loses control and begins punching the sculptures of serpents on the benches. With the whole village stuck in a state of panic, Cora has enough and decides the family should go back to London and be done with this.
The Episode Review
The fourth episode of Essex Serpent is perhaps the slowest but also, ironically, one of the more important chapters in the lives of these characters too. The idea of sinning is brought center stage and with that, plenty of question marks around Will and Cora’s characters. The pair have had an unspoken bond since very early in the show and it eventually manifests itself here in the wake of all this drama. It’s clear from the ending that things are about to take a turn for the worst, but the show has certainly taken its sweet time to reach this point. The Essex Serpent is definitely one of those shows that requires a good amount of patience to watch but the themes and ideas this one pedals is definitely thought provoking and interesting to watch.
