The Serpent viewers complain about ‘confusing’ time jumps

'I've just about had enough,' one viewer wrote

BBC viewers are feeling frustrated with its new drama The Serpent.

While many reviews of the new eight-part drama have been positive, some people are being left confused by the show’s time-hopping structure.

The Serpent tells the story of real-life international killer Charles Sobhraj, played by Tahar Rahim (A Prophet, The Looming Tower).

Sobhraj was the main suspect in the unsolved murders of at least 12 people travelling through India, Thailand and Nepal in the mid-Seventies.

Instead of telling the story in a linear fashion, The Serpent jumps back and forth several years and months in each episode. 

For example, the first outing jumps from events leading up to three of Sobhraj’s murders and junior diplomat Herman Knippenberg’s search for the missing backpackers two months later.

“Having to rewatch episode one of The Serpent because the time jumps make it confusing and I have no clue what's going on,” one viewer wrote.

Another added: “Decided to watch #theserpent this afternoon with high hopes. Two months later, two months earlier, two months later, four months earlier. I've just about had enough! Bloody ridiculous.”

Someone added: “Flashbacks that contain both flashbacks and flashforwards within them. Don't we just love it folks!”

The show’s title gets its name from the moniker Sobhraj was given due to his ability to deceive and outwit the police for many years. 

Jenna Coleman stars in the show as his girlfriend and accomplice, Marie-Andree Leclerc.