A Series of Unfortunate Events: Netflix Series vs. Books

Fans of A Series of  Unfortunate Events have been waiting for the Netflix series to drop ever since it was first announced. As the series is an adaptation of the original books by Lemony Snicket (also known as Daniel Handler), it is understandable why some fans might be skeptical about the adaptation. Book to screen adaptations have often been a point of contention for readers.

I was surprised to see that Netflix’ A Series of Unfortunate Events stuck close the books. It managed to capture the atmosphere of the books that was both dark and humorous. Nevertheless, the Netflix show does take its own creative direction in order to make some important changes.

Cultured Vultures spoilers

The Parents

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Hypable

Probably the biggest change in the show is the suggestion from the first episode that the Baudelaires’ parents haven’t perished in the fire after all. The show gives the audience glimpses into the father and mother characters embarking on adventures of their own, alongside the Baudelaire children. At the end of the first episode, we see them kidnapped, and in subsequent episodes we see them escaping from prison and attempting to reach their children. In the second to last episode of the season, we find out that they aren’t the Baudelaire parents at all, but rather the Quagmires; an important family in subsequent books.

The addition of the father and mother characters was brilliant. It added an inkling of hope to a show that is otherwise filled with despair and hopelessness. It created a fantastic balance with the darkness of the show. The reveal in the second to last episode dashed hope for the Baudelaire siblings, and the audience, making the end to the season even darker.

 

Jacquelyn

The show also introduces a brand new character that never appeared in the books. She’s introduced in the show as Mr. Poe’s assistant, Jacquelyn. However, her role seems to be much bigger as she tries to keep the Baudelaires safe, and adhere to their parents’ wishes about who they should be placed with. It is suggested from the get-go that she plays an important role in VFD as she gets up to multiple spy shenanigans throughout the season: getting kidnapped, appearing in a silent movie to send secret messages, dressing up as a statue, and traipsing through secret tunnels amongst others.

There have been suggestions that Jacquelyn might not be a show-only character, after all, but instead a gender-bent version of Jaques Snicket. Whether this is true or not, Jacquelyn is still an excellent addition to the show. Her involvement, and interest, in the Baudelaires remain a mystery both to the children and the audience. Moreover, the spy storyline that follows her around gives an overarching story arc to the series. In this season, it has also sparked the Baudelaires’ attention to the fact that things aren’t as they seem.

 

The Music

Another significant addition to the show was the decision to add music. The opening theme worked quite well. As fans of the books will remember, each book usually began with a warning not to continue reading by Snicket, along with a list of things that this book would include. The addition of the theme song was very reminiscent of this. Its lyrics claim, “look away, look away… every single episode is filled with nothing but dismay,” sticking close to Snicket’s warnings in the books. The theme song also lists a few important things that will be coming up in the two-episode arc.

There’s another song in the show when Count Olaf’s Theatre Troupe is introduced. The song is fitting for a theatre troupe, and to Count Olaf’s over the top dramatics. It was a clever way of introducing Count Olaf’s henchmen, and the song fit quite seamlessly into the show.

The last musical number was placed at the very end of the last episode, as the Baudelaire siblings enter the Austere Academy. It is, in many ways, supposed to tie the entire feeling of despair throughout the season together. It seemed to be trying to drive home the hopelessness that the Baudelaires are feeling as they are now all alone, in a miserable boarding school. The song claims, “There’s no happy ending, not here and not now, this tale is all sorrows and woes.” However, despite the song’s lyrics, the message would have been driven home better had the showrunners decided to leave this musical number out altogether. It was a lackluster ending to an otherwise excellent show.

 

The Next Season?

The show has already been renewed for a second season, which is great news. I’m sure that in the future season we will see more divergence from the books. Considering how clever the show has been so far in its adaptations, I don’t think fans have anything to worry about. Moreover, I think the first season has set things up perfectly for the VFD storyline to unfold. I’m already eager for the next season!

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