A Series of Unfortunate Events: Season 1 (2017 Netflix Series)

 (Source: comingsoon.net)

In my childhood years, I was an avid reader of the novel series known as A Series of Unfortunate Events. I gained interest in the series after reading the first book loaned to me by my step-grandmother, as she felt I had to read the book before seeing the 2004 film adaptation. Upon seeing the aforementioned film, I was intrigued yet I wanted an adaptation that faithfully handled the source material. The Netflix series is faithful; however, is it too faithful? Is it too close to the source material?

My answer to both of these questions is a relieving "no". While the adaptation is a faithful one, it also expands upon the original work as well as adding some "Shyamalan"-style twists that fans of the books would not expect. To add to the previous statement, executive producer Daniel Handler (better known as Lemony Snicket, the author of the original novels) throws in a few red herrings to the plot to keep the story as unpredictable as possible. Initially, one might expect a full adaptation of Handler's novels. However, the viewer might be disappointed with that mindset. It is best to view this series with little expectation, aside from iconic events being faithfully recreated.

Thankfully, the characters in this film are smarter than their counterparts in the source material and the earlier 2004 film. Unlike the novel and original film, characters such as Uncle Monty are completely aware Olaf is in disguise. Unfortunately, characters such as Mr. Poe (the Baudelaire family banker) lose significant amounts of intelligence. As a result, I did not like his character as much as I did in previous adaptations. In this series, Mr. Poe is portrayed as gullible, moronic, and naive. While he did not initially recognize Olaf in disguise in previous incarnations, it was not like pulling teeth for him to see Count Olaf was standing right in front of him.

In regards to Count Olaf, he is portrayed similarly to an evil mastermind from an early 1980s cartoon, with a recent comparison being the Team Rocket Trio from Pokemon. Unlike previous incarnations, he relies more on his henchmen to pursue his goal of obtaining the Baudelaire fortune. Viewers are also given a stronger backstory than in previous adaptations, allowing for stronger character development. Neil Patrick Harris is a talented actor and accurately portrays the character, but he is not an antagonistic type. He does not look like the novels' Count Olaf, or the 2004 incarnation of the character portrayed by Jim Carrey. Jim Carrey was able to balance the comedic and sinister aspects of the character. Harris was more sinister than comedic, similar to Olaf from the novels.

The Baudelaire Orphans are portrayed as a mix of their counterparts from the original novels and the 2004 film, so not much has been changed. Sunny seems to be based more on her counterpart from the 2004 film, as her babbling is translated. The font size of her subtitles could have been reduced so they do not obscure a large portion of the viewing area. As for the other two orphans, their intelligence is emphasized and more opportunities are given for it to be utilized, such as during The Bad Beginning.

Overall, if you did not like the 2004 film but enjoyed the original books, then this show is one you must watch and will probably enjoy. It stays true to the spirit of the novels, as well as expanding upon them with new material, new characters, and some unexpected twists. Currently, the first season is available on Netflix, but it has been renewed for a second season.