The second season of A Series of Unfortunate Events just premiered on Netflix this past weekend, and I have already seen all of it. For those of you who haven’t yet seen any of the show, this article will definitely contain spoilers, so beware.
This show documents the lives of Violet, Klaus, and Sonny Baudelaire following the death of their parents in a mysterious fire. Count Olaf, their first guardian, is constantly trying to steal the children’s fortune and will stop at nothing to get it. Though this is written as a children’s series, its very delicate balance of suspense, comedy, and artistry make a fantastic Netflix show for any age. So, here are 5 reasons why you should watch it on Netflix as soon as you can.
1. You wish you babysat Violet, Klaus, and Sonny. These are hands-down the smartest kids that I’ve ever seen in a television show. Violet is a brilliant inventor who is able to quickly create amazing inventions that can save her and her siblings in the nick of time. Klaus, on the other hand, is a literary genius. Like Violet, he is often able to save himself and his siblings using literary-related methods. And Sonny, who can’t be more than nine months old, is able to use her sharp teeth to save the family. Don’t underestimate these kids.
2. Olaf is the perfect villain. Played by none other than Neil Patrick Harris, Count Olaf is a remarkable character. Though his character trails don’t develop much during the show, his backstory does. At first, Olaf seemed like a stranger to the children, but as the show progressed, Olaf’s backstory is slowly revealed to be more complicated than you would have guessed. Olaf will stop at nothing, not even countless murders of innocent people, to steal the fortune of the orphans. Though Olaf is a treacherous and evil villain, NPH does an incredible job of making him witty and three-dimensional.
3. The guest stars. For a children’s show, A Series of Unfortunate Events has a handful of notable guest stars, including Joan Cusack and Catherine O’Hara in season one and Roger Bart, Kevin Chamberlain, and Robbie Amell in season two. But the best guest stars by far were David Burtka, Neil Patrick Harris’ husband, and his two children, Harper and Gideon in the second season finale.
4. The puzzle of the show. Throughout the show, the Baudelaire children try to cover the mystery surrounding their parents’ untimely deaths. A symbol of an eye leads the children to important clues that help the children begin to solve the mystery. One of the biggest pieces of the puzzle is the narrator, Lemony Snicket, who is also the author of the book series. His involvement in the lives of the children is very fuzzy, and the viewer is left wondering how he is involved, and if he is alive and able to help the children.
5. It’s surprisingly funny. For a show about the tragic lives of three orphans, it is a rather comic show. Much of the humor comes from the incredible mind of Neil Patrick Harris, and some of it comes from the unsurpassed stupidity that most of the adults in the school seem to possess. No matter where it comes from, this show is able to be comical while telling the tragic and suspenseful tale of the Baudelaire orphans.
If you haven’t already, check out A Series of Unfortunate Events on Netflix. Though the narrator will tell you to look away, it’s worth the watch.