[Review] A Series of Unfortunate Events Season 1: Definitely Don't Watch This Masterpiece

As 2017 kicks off, Netflix continues to deliver a diverse range of series. Leading the charge this year is A Series of Unfortunate Events, which premiered mid-month.

I'm sure the name A Series of Unfortunate Events rings a bell. This children's novel series was adapted into a film in 2004, starring big names like Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep, and Jude Law, but it received mixed reviews and no sequel was produced. Over a decade later, Netflix has now adapted the novel series into a TV show, with the author Daniel Handler (whose pen name is Lemony Snicket) serving as executive producer and co-writer. The first season, which premiered this month, has eight episodes, with every two episodes covering the story of one book. Thus, the first season covers the first four books, essentially like four 90-minute movies. A Series of Unfortunate Events primarily tells the story of the three Baudelaire children – older sister Violet (Malina Weissman), middle brother Klaus (Louis Hynes), and baby sister Sunny (Presley Smith) – who, after losing their parents, are adopted by their distant relative, Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris), and embark on a series of unfortunate events. In fact, the 2004 film already covered the first three books, so viewers might find the first six episodes somewhat familiar, but the series adaptation ultimately feels more complete and coherent.

The first three stories in the first season share very similar structures and elements: the three children are taken to live with a distant, unfamiliar relative, while Count Olaf disguises himself repeatedly, trying every trick to steal the children's inheritance. Ultimately, through the children's cleverness, they always manage to expose Olaf's schemes. The characters and elements in these three stories constantly repeat: a trustworthy adult who, however, fails to see through Olaf's disguises; Olaf and his incompetent henchmen who are always in disguise; the incredibly foolish Mr. Poe (K. Todd Freeman); and the narrating Lemony Snicket (Patrick Warburton). Because the first six episodes share similar structures and elements, they can feel a bit repetitive. It's not until episodes seven and eight that the story structure finally differs somewhat, though the writing and narrative pace and quality falter slightly there.

As the name suggests, the series primarily recounts the series of unfortunate events befalling the Baudelaire children: their parents tragically die in an accident, they become orphans, and are taken in by the cruel Olaf, who plots to steal their inheritance. Subsequently, their two trustworthy guardians also die untimely deaths, and they encounter numerous troubles and accidents along the way. In handling these themes of death and tragedy, the series employs a darkly comedic style, using exaggerated character designs and performances, witty dialogue and plot handling, and cartoonish settings to elevate the tone. At the same time, the series exaggerates the behavior of adult characters, highlighting their foolishness, self-righteousness, and susceptibility to manipulation. This seems to be an attempt to prompt adult viewers to reflect on their own behavior and encourage them to listen more to children's voices and opinions, to not be too self-centered, and not to dismiss children's thoughts and feelings based on their tone or age.

I initially expected Neil Patrick Harris's portrayal of Olaf to continue Jim Carrey's exaggerated style from the film. However, his handling of Olaf is just right; his different accents and tones when in disguise are spot-on, creating very distinct impressions. Several supporting characters also left a strong impression on me, especially Alfre Woodard's portrayal of the timid and fearful Aunt Josephine, whose exaggerated performance perfectly fits the absurd tone of the series. As for the three children, they are a major highlight of the show: the resilient older sister Violet, the clever younger brother Klaus, and the adorable baby sister Sunny all bring their respective roles to life. I especially appreciate the production team's decision to add subtitles and animated effects for Sunny's babbles, making the series even funnier and making Sunny appear even more adorable and likable.

What most captivated me about this series is its thoughtful art direction. As a work aimed at children, no matter how dark the plot, the cartoonish, brightly colored sets and houses are bound to amaze and delight viewers. Furthermore, the show's visuals and camera compositions are highly stylized, somewhat reminiscent of Wes Anderson's aesthetic. I particularly admire the costume design in the series; whether it's Olaf's numerous exaggerated disguises or the children's colorful outfits (I especially love their raincoats), they are all very memorable and complement the show's overall art direction.

While I mentioned above that the structure and elements of the first three stories are somewhat similar, the overall structure of the series offers quite a few surprises! In the opening scene of the first episode, we learn that the Baudelaire children's parents tragically died in an accident, leaving the three of them orphaned. However, at the end of that same episode, we unexpectedly see a pair of parents (played by Will Arnett and Cobie Smulders) planning to escape captivity and return home to their children. As the story unfolds, they seem to be nearing a reunion with their offspring. Yet, in episodes seven and eight, we discover that we've been misled all along, and this entire setup was merely groundwork for characters in the next season. Simultaneously, Lemony Snicket's narration remains consistently mysterious, and his relationship with the main plot is quite intriguing, compelling viewers to keep watching.

Although the show's promotional trailers and opening credits constantly warn viewers not to watch it, this series is actually a very worthwhile masterpiece! I'm eagerly looking forward to the next season, especially for more innovative art design.