Review Roundup - Netflix's LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS

Neil Patrick Harris stars as Count Olaf in the upcoming Netflix original series LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS. The eight-eisode series premieres worldwide on Friday, January 13, 2017 only on Netflix.

Based on the internationally best-selling series of books by Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler) and starring Emmy and Tony Award winner Neil Patrick Harris, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events recounts the tragic tale of the Baudelaire orphans -- Violet, Klaus, and Sunny - whose evil guardian Count Olaf (Harris) will stop at nothing to get his hands on their inheritance. The siblings must outsmart Olaf at every turn, foiling his many devious plans and disguises, in order to discover clues to their parents' mysterious death.

Let's see what the critics have to say:

Keith Uhlich, The Hollywood Reporter: How perverse to feel such glee amid such gloom. But there's something about Handler/Snicket's downbeat worldview that always intrigues and attracts, perhaps because it comes off as an invitation to engage more fully with life rather than run from it. Unfortunate as things get, the Baudelaire children push on, as does their nefarious tormenter. In this context, "expect the worst" is the motto of survivors, not capitulators.

Erik Adams, The A.V. Club: Thirteen years later (an appropriate number), A Series Of Unfortunate Events makes a smooth transition to Netflix, with help from Handler and executive producer Barry Sonnenfeld, both of whom were involved (and then not involved) with the movie version. To paraphrase the series' own tongue-in-cheek metacritique of the cinema, "It's so much more convenient to consume entertainment from the comfort of your own home"-and it's so much more convenient to retell Handler's epic tale of woe and whimsy when each novel gets two 42-minute episodes to set the mood

Liam Matthews, TV Guide: A Series of Unfortunate Events is a very worthwhile reboot, one that we didn't even necessarily know we were missing. It's laugh-out-loud funny, delightful to look at (Uncle Monty's Reptile Room is magical) and treats kids like it knows they're smart, a word which here means "as capable of appreciating wordplay and a dark sense of humor as any grown-up."

Aubrey Page, Collider: For purveyors of quirks and fans of the original books, there's a lot to love. The Baudelaire's world, from Briny Beach to Uncle Monty's Reptile Room, is nearly perfectly wrought, and though casual fans might find its aesthetics to be simply lifted from the prior film adaptation, those familiar with the books will be able to see the clear influence ofBrett Helquist's original illustrations in every frame. But it's the writing, much of which has been done by Daniel Handler - the real man behind the "Lemony Snicket" nom de plume - that truly shines here

Ben Travers, IndieWire: "A Series of Unfortunate Events" proves as inspirational and endearing as it claims to be forlorn and heartbreaking. Not enough can be said for Neil Patrick Harris' extensively ranged, yet perfectly measured performance, nor Sonnenfeld's dedicated eye for depraved detail amid a story built on heart and hope.

Images courtesy of Netflix

To post a comment, you must register and login.