The Serpent – Season 1 Episode 5 Recap & Review

The Arrest

Episode 5 of The Serpent begins on the 11th March 1976. Nadine answers the phone at Charles’ complex and learns that police are due to arrive very soon. However, Charles happens to be with her and she feigns ignorance. Trapped in Charles’ venomous grip, Herman scrambles to try and save Nadine before it’s too late. He rings through to the police and tries to get her out.

Back at the complex Ajay and Charles start to suspect Nadine, and even make her a cocktail to drink. She’s clearly on-edge and that’s made worse when Marie is called away by Ajay. The Major calls in the order though and police quickly mobilize on the complex.

Paul tries to buy them some time but inevitably finds himself stuck on the road in traffic.

Back with Charles, he speaks to Nadine about Dominique and eventually admits that he knows she helped him. He disguises his anger as best he can in front of everyone, punching Nadine in the gut and taking the girl upstairs.

Thankfully, Paul arrives and manages to save Nadine before things turn really nasty. In private, she speaks to Paul and tells him he needs to hold off for now until all three suspects are in the apartment. If not, then her and Remi will be dead.

It’s a pressure cooker situation, and one that’s at a stalemate temporarily until Ajay and Marie finally show back up. Charles realizes what’s going on, and tells Marie to put on all the jewelry lying around the apartment. After, they remain completely still while lying on the floor. The raid goes ahead, but as Charles is taken out the room, he notices the drawing of the apartment on the side. Now he knows Nadine is responsible.

It’s here we skip back two days to see Charles, Ajay and Marie all suspicious of Remi and Nadine. In fact, they bide their time and await for the inevitable raid to take place. Charles sends Suka off to buy a whole load of gems – the most they’ve ever bought – while boasting to Ajay that they’ll be able to move freely now.

This then cuts us back to the police station as Ajay, Charles and Marie all empty their pockets, including all jewelry they’re holding. Believing all three are done for and thrown behind bars, Herman and the gang all sit together and drink to their success.

That is short-lived though when Herman receives a call from the station. Unfortunately the records here don’t match Alain Gautier, and instead have Charles’ identity down as David Gore. Unfortunately this gives the police no basis to keep them in their jurisdiction.

Despite the passport being a fraud, they’re left with no option but to free the trio – barely within three hours of their arrest. Herman pleads with the officers to hold the trio for a little longer, eventually allowing them to stay until noon.

This does cause ripples across to the sergeant though, who refuses to help Charles out and berates his daughter for her involvement in all this. Meanwhile, Herman meets an American called Gilbert Redland who was also investigating a missing girl – that girl being Teresa of course.

With Redland by his side, the pair head back to the police station and confirm the passport used is a fake. Redland heads in alone to interrogate Charles, with Knippenburg waiting outside. He asks about Teresa and pays specific attention to his accent.

Getting nowhere, he tries his luck with Marie next, who lets her cigarette burn down when she sees a picture of Teresa. This is enough to incentivize him to look into the case further. When he does, Redland learns that David Gore is another victim, someone who was drugged and robbed by Charles and his group.

Unfortunately Charles manages to pay off the officers, which sees him released from prison and escaping into the night. Nadine heads in to investigate and finds Ajay flashing the torch around.

Nadine is antagonized by this man while Charles heads off to see Suda. Specifically, he grabs his suitcase which happens to hold absolutely everything inside, including all the fake passports and the diamonds. He takes the suitcase and heads off, ready to leave.

As rain drums against his car, Herman realizes that all of this hard work has slipped through their fingers.

The Episode Review

Charles manages to slip through the net again, this time while held in custody. Herman managed to do a good job piecing everything together until this point, but unfortunately a bribe and the right calls to those in charge are enough to see the entire plan fall to pieces.

This episode definitely injects a lot of tension into the fold too and although the time jumps are still here – albeit for hours rather than days – there’s a lot more urgency here now, especially with the cat and mouse chase remaining in the here-and-now, present day timeline.

So far, The Serpent has delivered some excellent drama and this one continues to impress. Quite what will happen next though, remains to be seen.