Recess reviews: 'A Series of Unfortunate Events'

Though viewers are warned with every episode to discontinue watching the series, Netflix’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events” compels audiences to power through the eight-episode season with excitement. First told by novelist Daniel Handler under the pen name Lemony Snicket, the series tells the tragic story of the clever Baudelaire orphans, Violet (Malina Weissman), Klaus (Louis Hynes), and Sunny (Presley Smith). Their story begins after their parents’ tragic death and grows into a dark chase for survival as the Baudelaires dodge the villainous schemes of Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris), a crusty man bent on acquiring the Baudelaire fortune by any means necessary.

The Netflix series’ structure is the most praise-worthy aspect of the show. It demonstrates a commitment to maintaining the integrity of the best-selling novels. For this reason, readers of the series are more likely to appreciate the on screen adaptation. Each novel is represented in the series with two episodes, and each episode masterfully mirrors Handler’s written work with enjoyable guest star performances of some of Hollywood’s underrated gems—like Alfre Woodard as Aunt Josephine and Aasif Mandvi as Uncle Monty. Lesser known actors such as K. Todd Freeman playing Mr. Poe are refreshingly new and breathe life into characters many young adults grew up reading.

Despite being one of the few novel-to-screen adaptations to successfully please readers, the series fails to employ the narrator appropriately throughout the show’s first season. The narrator, Lemony Snicket (Patrick Warburton), often distracts from the story and interrupts provoking scenes with lackluster commentary meant to make the audience laugh but instead has them wishing that the story would continue without Snicket completely. Perhaps, Snicket’s presence would be best as an occasional voice-over in season two.

Notwithstanding Snicket’s irritating existence in the show, “A Series of Unfortunate Events” is a Netflix family favorite destined for a long run on computer screens. It is staying true to the original story that will keep the series flourishing—hopefully—for years to come.