"A Series of Unfortunate Events" is based on the children’s book series of the same name by Lemony Snicket. It follows the story of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire after the tragic death of their parents. And of course, their journey is fraught with tragedy and misfortune at the hands of the wicked Count Olaf. Two episodes of the show typically cover one of the classic books. And, for the most part, the series stays very true to its original source material, including the author’s interjections throughout.
After the unexpected success of Marvel’s Deadpool in the R-Rated comic book film category, other programs began to adopt a similar approach to humor. That does include the family-friendly "A Series of Unfortunate Events." The show regularly breaks the fourth wall and makes use of intelligent and topical humor. There are numerous classic novel references throughout that will turn the mental gears of many literary-minded viewers. Lemony Snicket narrates the story by speaking directly to the viewer to recount the tragedy of the Baudelaire orphans.
The acting in the new series is truly stellar. Neil Patrick Harris shines as Count Olaf and his disguises. Following in the footsteps of "Stranger Things," "A Series of Unfortunate Events" features extraordinary acting from some rising young stars. Malina Weissman and Louis Hynes play a wonderful Violet and Klaus. K. Todd Freeman plays the infuriating role of Mr. Poe, the banker with no observational skills who is constantly putting the orphans in greater peril. Patrick Warburton brings a glorious sense of macabre glibness to the role of Lemony Snicket as he narrates the events of the story. Even Presley Smith brings character to the infant, Sunny. There are numerous other known actors and actresses who appear throughout, but I won’t spoil them here.
The tone of the series is laid out very clearly from the start. It is one of tragedy, greed, betrayal, and death. Frequent character deaths are a trademark of the series, and all occur in truly unfortunate ways. Even so, the story writers have kept the series very friendly toward a younger audience. As an adult, I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the series. It stands out as a rarity among family shows that could be watched repeatedly and enjoyed more and more each time.
Looking ahead, we can probably expect about two more seasons of the Netflix series, given that there is a total of 13 books in the series. The writers have taken a few liberties in changing some of the original story around for the sake of entertainment, but it works well in this format. I won’t spoil it here, but there’s a particularly interesting sub-plot that centers around two spies escaping from Peru and their journey. Fans of the books will be left scratching their heads and clutching their hearts as the story progresses into deeper misfortune. But the journey is a worthwhile one and the story is told with wonderful attention to detail. We can only sit and wait patiently for season two!
Now, look away, look away. Every single episode is nothing but dismay.
