Adding to this, I just saw the rest of the Reptile Room and it was far, far superior to the Bad Beginning.
I think I just know the Bad Beginning story so well, it was dull for me to watch.
I am mildly disliking the small spoilers in the title music sequence.
I think it’s very cool that it changes each episode or two, to reflect the story, but I would like it better if it reflected on what had happened up to the point of the episode I’m about to watch.
I wanted to like this show but I just couldn’t.
The show wasn’t at all what I thought it was going to be.
(I didn’t read the books obviously)
My girls and I are huge fans of the books, and hated the movie. We’re really grooving on the Netflix show. The changes they’ve made to the plots corrected some of the issues we had in the books, the tone remains mostly the same, and the inclusion of Lemony Snicket fits the makeup of hte books also. We’re really enjoying it. Needs more Sunny biting stuff though. that was my youngest favorite parts.
Wide Window was OK, but it’s only an OK book. Reptile Room has been the most solid so far.
I’ve watched two episodes so far and I’m enjoying it. I’ve not read the books or seen the previous movie.
Ooooooooookay…
And I remember their children from book 5. I might like seeing their characters progress next season with this fuller backstory.
I’m actually interested to hear what you thought it was going to be, having not read the books. Actually, like it or not like it, I’d be interested to hear thoughts from anyone going into the series fresh with no prior knowledge of the story or characters.
One of the only things I really dislike is whenever they use a doll/puppet for Sunny. Just looks… creepy, and Sunny’s not creepy, damn it! There was one scene where they used a doll and all she was doing was sleeping next to Violet. She was on her side with her face turned away (in a position in which babies do not sleep), it just looked weird.
Another minor complaint: I don’t like all the references to the fact that it’s a streaming series. e.g. “I don’t like movies, I prefer long form television that I can watch at my convenience in the comfort of my own home,” “Haven’t you learned anything this year? errr, week? uuuhhhh season?”, “It’s the end of the season, errr, semester, so you’ll have a lot of catching up to do!”
But my complaints are minor. I’m, over all, really enjoying it.
It’s so great that Catherine O’Hara gets to come back and do a whole new character! Is she the only actor from the movie that has also appeared in the series? Am I missing someone? And I was really excited to see Rhys Darby.
I have never read the books, did think the original movie was decent and really liked this series- mostly for all the great cameos like Rhys Darby (Murray!), Will Arnett and it took me a while to recognize Don Johnson.
I didn’t know who Patrick Warburton was but it got my significant other to sit and watch it for a while (something about Seinfeld and being a special forces guy I guess) and I thought he was the best part. The episodes with Monty Montgomery were my favorite.
He was also perfectly cast in the original, 2001 The Tick series.
I didn’t realize it would be so dark basically. I thought it was going to be them living with their eccentric uncle who can be a little bit of a grumpy gus but underneath he’s really just a big softie. I didn’t realize he was going to be a full blown abusive dick.
No way I can watch an entire season of that.
Take a look at the back-cover descriptions on the books. For example:
[QUOTE=Lemony Snicket]
I hope, for your sake, that you have not chosen to read this book because you are in the mood for a pleasant experience. If this is the case, I advise you to put this book down instantaneously…
I have promised to write down the entire history of these poor children, but you haven’t, so if you prefer stories that are more heartwarming, please feel free to make another selection.
[/QUOTE]
The books are full of this sort of thing. They’re not just dark, they glory in being dark, and in pointing out just how dark they are. (I haven’t seen the Netflix show, but I hope the same applies to it.)
LOL, it does. In the very opening line of the series, the narrator explicitly warns the viewers: “If you’re expecting a happy feel good ending, you might want to change the channel.”
But I didn’t listen. 
The first episode was decent, but I’ve been watching other shows and haven’t gotten around to watching more.
Baby actors are difficult to work with. They have very limited time they can be on set, and of course there’s no guarantee that they’ll be in a mood to do the thing you want (I suppose the second isn’t always different with older actors, but it’s maybe more likely?). It’s one reason that small children are often played by twins. Probably they just didn’t have time in the production schedule to have those shots with the real child.
This is one that I find myself not enjoying if I watch too much at one sitting. The kids’ affects, fine in small doses, wears on me if I watch more than episode at a time. Especially Klaus’s.
I’m into Part one of Miserable Mill now.
As someone who only read one or two of the books along time ago (and never saw the movie) I am a bit puzzled. Olaf is portrayed in the show as a bit of an idiot, so much so that it seems odd that he would be able to rack them down each time so quickly. Is he brighter in the books?
It’s not so much a matter of Olaf being bright or being stupid.
The larger point is just how much the children are failed by every adult in their lives. Olaf’s schemes and disguises should be obvious to anyone. Not only do the adults always fail to see through Olaf’s subterfuge, but they also refuse to believe the children when the children confidently announce “That’s Count Olaf!!!”
Children being failed by the adults meant to care for them is a central theme of the books.
Watched the first half of the first episode during dinner tonight. Did not read the books, but saw the movie when it came out, with my young son. The Ukulele Lady, who hasn’t read the books OR seen the movie, liked it as much as I did.
I preferred this to the film. The overt campiness (Andersonness?) works for me. Jim Carrey – basically a big cartoon himself – seemed out of place in the movie, but Count Olaf fits in well with the mise-en-scene here.
LOVE Warburton in it. “Oh my god, it’s the TICK!” What has he done since Seinfeld and The Tick that has gotten you people tired of his schtick?