North Texas Daily

Julia Falcon | Senior Staff Writer

“A Series of Unfortunate Events” was beloved by me and many other children in the early 2000s. I read every single book written by Lemony Snicket when my parents got divorced, so it was quite an escape for my 7-year-old self.

Needless to say, I was so excited when I heard the series was coming to life on Netflix. But I was a little disappointed when I first binge-watched this series.

“A Series of Unfortunate Events” tells the story of the Baudelaire children – Violet, Klaus and Sunny – whose parents perished in a fire that burned down their home. The biggest difference I found in this series from other iterations was how it was implied that the Baudelaire parents did not actually die in the fire, but that they were on the run with the goal to find the children and tell them all of their secrets.

In 2004, the movie based on the “Series of Unfortunate Events” books was released. Starring Jim Carrey, he played Count Olaf and brought Snicket’s character to life in a spooky way. Unlike the movie, which featured three of the 13 books, this Netflix original series comprises of two-part episodes, adapting each of the first four books.

Much like that movie and the actual books, this series is narrated in third person by Patrick Warburton as Lemony Snicket.

The series features stars like Joan Cusack, Will Arnett, Cobie Smulders and Alfre Woodard. Arnett played “Father” and Smulders played “Mother,” both of whom made appearances throughout the episodes.

Season One started out with “The Bad Beginning,” and introduces the children riding the Rickety Trolley to Briny Beach, when Mr. Poe steps in and takes the orphans to their new guardian, Count Olaf.

Neil Patrick Harris was a funnier and less frightening Count Olaf than Carrey was. Malina Weissman (Violet), Louis Hynes (Klaus), and Presley Smith (Sunny) were certainly younger actors this time around, but had the same brilliant personalities Snicket gave them.

So what I’m saying is the new actors and their performances weren’t as great, gloomy or gruesome as the books or movie were.

Personally, I think this Netflix original was aimed at younger kids by spicing things up and flipping around certain aspects. It was witty, but maybe not necessarily meant for 21-year-old viewers.

The series ended with the children being dropped off at boarding school, which is the name of the fifth book, “Austere Academy.” The children, Snicket, Olaf and Poe all sang a song that I didn’t quite understand, but it makes me nervous if there will be more of the series or not.

Or, I’m probably too much of a die-hard Lemony Snicket fan who had high expectations for my childhood classics.

Featured Image: Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris) has his eye on the Baudelaire children (Malina Weissman, Louis Hynes and Presley Smth). | Netflix