Open to the first page of A Series of Unfortunate Events’ “The Bad Beginning” and you’ll read the following dedication: “To Beatrice – Darling, Dearest, Dead.” Begin streaming Netflix’s adaption and you’ll be greeted by those same words in an opening title card. So begins the streaming site’s long-anticipated adaptation of the famous children’s series; a solemn promise by Netflix that they intend to be loyal and uphold the books that so many of us love.
Netflix follows through on this promise (as far as the first four episodes go). The most obvious way it does this is through narrator and pseudonym author of the series: Lemony Snicket. Mr. Snicket, in the books, feels ever-present. He is in the past, present, and future of the Baudelaire’s lives. He at times seems to know the answer to every question we have, and on other occasions seems as clueless as the rest of us. But he is always there.
Netflix represents this eerie feeling brought about by the books in a brilliant way. Sometimes the author and narrator (played by Patrick Warburton) is right in front of or between the characters, while at other times he is far off in the background, out of focus. But he is never seen by the characters. He feels outside of the story and at the same time an integral part of it.
In addition to a faithfully executed narrator, Netflix shows us original readers love in many other ways. Often in the books, Lemony would take the time to define a certain difficult word just uttered by a character. This is also the case in the series. There are also countless references that only dedicated fans of the books will understand or catch. If you watch the adaption with one of these fans, be prepared for many gasps at seemingly unimportant dialogue or props. “Blink and you’ll miss them” is an understatement.
Neil Patrick Harris’ portrayal of Count Olaf tops Jim Carrey’s. NPH balances Count Olaf’s quirkiness and cruelness in perfect harmony. One minute he is a bumbling villain and the next an evil mastermind. Every on-screen character seen thus far does a wonderful job of sticking to their book counterparts. The children (Malina Weissman is Violet, Louis Hynes is Klaus) are innocent and scheming. Justice Strauss (Joan Cusack) is pleasant and utterly clueless.
The biggest complaint amongst readers at the conclusion of the 13th and final book was the excess of unanswered questions left by Snicket. While the majority of the show stays true to its roots, Netflix has taken the liberty of adding a certain subplot to the story. They asked we not reveal it, but it seems as though this subplot will finally, definitively answer many questions the books stayed mum on.
While this gives old readers of the series something new to discover, it also may take away that deep feeling of the unknown that the books captured so well — a feeling, for me at least, that was a cornerstone of the series.
What you need to know above all else is that this is not ASOUE taken in a new direction. It is not darker; it is not more kid-friendly. It feels just as the books did: sad and depressing, but above all hopeful and lighthearted. The books carried an atmosphere that can never be duplicated on screen, though this on-screen adaption has found a rhythm of its own to run on.
Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events premieres all eight episodes on Friday, January 13 (how unlucky!). Season 1 covers the first four books in Lemony Snicket’s series (there are two episodes per book).
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