A Series of Unfortunate Events: Look Away.

Morning, Guys…

So, who remembers the dark comedy, Pushing Daisies that ran on ABC from’07-’09 until the writers strike killed its thunder?

Where ya going with this, J?

We just finished the second season of A Series of Unfortunate Events over the weekend.  Yeah, I’m late on the follow up, but Patty’s life’s been more important.  Remember, friends and fam first…ALWAYS!

Anyhoo, the connection’s that director/producer, Barry Sonnenfeld, directed an episode of Pushing Daisies and is producer on Unfortunate Events.  They both have the same tonal feel.  He was also attached to Men in Black.

Unfortunate Events’s based on the Lemony Snicket series by Daniel Handler.  Now, granted, we haven’t read the books yet, it’s on our ‘to do’ list.  But, we did check out the Jim Carey version, which was OK.  It just didn’t seem to have the darkness the Netflix series has.  I don’t know if it was Carey or, what, but it just seemed like Unfortunate Events light.

At the core, the series and movie’s theme’s family.  Yes, I know that’s been a running theme with me lately, but OK.

The Baudelaire kids become instant orphans when their folks die in a fire, so they have to live in various homes throughout the series with the conniving Count Olaf, this time played by Neil Patrick Harris.  Lemony Snicket's, played by Patrick Warburton, narrates with Joe Swanson's (Family Guy) voice.

You know how when you see a wreck, you just have to see?  That’s Unfortunate Events.  By definition of the title, it’s known these kids are gonna have a bad time of it.  You hope (another running theme with me lately) knowing that probably the end game’s probably gonna be badly.  The kids have to rely on each…ONLY, because, it seems they’re the ones they can trust.

Like I said, the comedy’s dark, so if you’re looking for shiny, happy, look elsewhere.  This rivals any horror movie, just without the blood and gore.  It’ll be interesting to see if the Baudelaire kids will be able to finally be rid of Count Olaf when the series wraps next year when they tackle the last four books.

Be good to each other.

-J-