It’s been 13 thirteen years since I was first captivated by Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events.”
STARS: 5/5
I was in the fifth grade and my entire class was reading the first three Snicket novels in preparation for our field trip at the end of the year to see the film version. The film was not a great interpretation of the popular novels, but the Netflix series is.
“A Series of Unfortunate Events” follows the Baudelaire children Klaus (Louis Hynes), Violet (Malina Weissman) and Sunny (played on screen by Presley Smith with voice acting provided by Tara Strong) on a perilous journey after the death of their parents.
They must outwit villainous characters like Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris) and uncover the mysteries their parents left behind.
Delightfully witty and thoughtful, “A Series of Unfortunate Events” is the first truly enjoyable series produced by Netflix that is built for families. That’s not to say a college student cannot enjoy this series. This generation grew up with the books and will appreciate the attention to detail given by producer/director Barry Sonnenfeld and head writer Daniel Handler.
Fans of the series will know that Handler is the true author, having written under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket since “The Bad Beginning” in 1999.
What Handler does so well, as he did in his 13 novels, is language. With words like phantasmagorical and inordinate, “A Series of Unfortunate Events” both entertains and educates even its oldest viewers.
Perhaps the success of the series stems from the fact that the man who originally dreamt the characters helms this adaptation; however, much of the charm comes from a cast chock full of talent.
Patrick Warburton leads the cast as the mysterious narrator, Lemony Snicket. His gloomy tone and strangely unemotional demeanor perfectly encapsulates this gothic mystery.
On the other hand, the most exciting moments of the series occur when Harris graces us with his portrayal of the vile Count Olaf. Harris is a chameleon of acting techniques as he goes from one disguise to the next throughout the series.
The show’s supporting cast features delightful performances by Joan Cusack, Catherine O’Hara, and Alfre Woodard.
Even if you’ve never read the books, “A Series of Unfortunate Events” will captivate you all the way to the desolate cliffhanger ending.