Right from the opening credits, A Series of Unfortunate Events consistently reminds you this tale is not for the fainthearted. Author Lemony Snicket (Patrick Warburton) reiterates as the narrator of the series that the story is dreadful, melancholy and not for those looking for a happy narrative – but for Netflix, the self-aware entertainment bodes a mysterious and enticing streak that is enough to keep you hooked.
The series is not the first adaptation of Lemony Snicket‘s original novels. Although it serves as a broader and more in-depth interpretation than the 2004 film starring Jim Carrey, it takes a couple of episodes of viewing to become truly engrossed in the series.
Neil Patrick Harris, who also serves as an executive producer, is a clear standout as the over-the-top and menacing Count Olaf. As the antagonist, Patrick Harris brings his larger-than-life stage presence to the screen and fittingly so, as he terrorises the Baudelaire siblings. From donning strange costumes to attempting to marry the oldest Baudelaire child, Patrick Harris brings his all in this performance. Although a far cry from the womanising Barney Stinson on the long-running sitcom How I Met Your Mother, Patrick Harris continues to use his dynamic range and over the top persona to give the character justice.
Although Patrick Harris, along with the adult cast including Joan Cusack as Justice Strauss, K. Todd Freeman as Arthur Poe and Aasif Mandvi as Uncle Monty entertain, the children who carry the series tend to need a bit more time warming into their roles. Compared to Netflix’s last child-actor driven series of Stranger Things, Violet (Malina Weissman) and Klaus Baudelaire (Louis Hynes) take a comprehensive amount of viewing to settle and develop into their characters.
Aesthetically, the series is straight out of the pages of the original book series. In parallel to the novels, there is no set time period in which Unfortunate Events takes place; from classic film reels in cinema to mentioning online shopping, the 50-60’s inspired production gives the series that extra charm carried on from the source text. Even the noticeable use of green screen sets add to the otherworldliness of the story; including Uncle Monty’s infamous Reptile Room.
Overall, A Series of Unfortunate Events takes some time to fall into place, as the story itself is a lot to comprehend. Its renowned uniqueness is carried on through fourth-wall breaks and outlandish plotlines, which ultimately helps the source material move swiftly in the transition to television. Halfway through the first season and the series becomes more exciting and mysterious, allowing you to become wrapped up in the dreadful mythos of Lemony Snicket’s mind.
And not to spoil anything, but expect to see some rather familiar faces appear more often than expected…
First Impressions Score: THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Lemony Snicket‘s A Series of Unfortunate Events premieres worldwide on Friday, January 13, 2017 only on Netflix.
———-
