Synopsis: After a fire kills their parents, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are sent to live with their mysterious relative Count Olaf. The children soon learn that he is after their enormous fortune and will do anything to get his hands on it, leading the children on a series of harrowing adventures that will challenge them in ways they never thought possible.
Based on the book series by Lemony Snicket, the Netflix series could be considered a more concise follow-up to the 2004 film which was based on the first three books. Season One covers books 1-4, and each book is broken down into two episodes. The two-episode format ensures that all the material from the books is included in the episode, and it feels much more concise than the film. The adaptation focuses more on the black humor element, making Lemony Snicket an actual character that narrates while navigating through the real-time events of the episodes. The range of the actors and the guest stars help to create the world of the books, and the actors themselves seem to have fun in their roles. A few elements have changed, but it helps to keep the viewer engaged and rounds out a few of the plot points from the books. The show plays up the V.F.D. as a secret society much more, creating characters that are operatives who are invested in helping the Baudelaires. It makes for an interesting bit of character development and creates a number of interesting plot devices as well. It's definitely binge-worthy and fun for viewers of all ages.