On March 30, Netflix released the second season A Series of Unfortunate Events, a Netflix Original based off of Daniel Handler’s series of the same name. Handler is better known by his nom de plume, Lemony Snicket. 

The show tells the story of a bright trio of siblings, the Baudelaires, whose parents died in a mysterious fire. The Baudelaires stick together through thick and thin, and each sibling has their own unique talents which come in handy in times of crisis. Violet (Malina Weissman), the eldest, is constantly coming up with ingenious inventions to get her siblings out of trouble, while Klaus (Louis Hynes) relies on his photographic memory and book smarts. Sunny (Presley Smith) is the youngest, and although she cannot speak in full sentences, she makes plenty of witty comments that her siblings can understand, although the adults around her interpret them as mere baby babble. 

In the aftermath of their parents’ death, the Baudelaires are placed under the guardianship of Count Olaf (Neil Patrick Harris), a distant relative.  They soon discover that he’s out to steal their enormous fortune and will stop at nothing to obtain it.  Olaf and his motley band of minions follow the Baudelaires, and they’ll go to any lengths to track them down and steal their inheritance. In every episode, Olaf and his lackeys appear under a different disguise. The show gently pokes fun at the foolishness of grown-ups, as adults like Mr. Poe (K. Todd Freeman), the orphans’ banker, fails to see through Count Olaf’s disguises every time. 

A Series of Unfortunate Events, which is quite true to the books, is chock-full of wry witticisms and subtle humor. 

“The series doesn’t break the fourth wall so much as continually smash it with a hammer and a chain saw,” wrote Andrew R. Chow of the show in The New York Times. 

Lemony Snicket, the narrator of the series, is actually represented as a character on the show. Played by Patrick Warburton, he appears periodically to make some witty quip or to elaborate on the perils of the Baudelaire orphans. The show is tinged with tragedy, as each episode begins with a dark love note to Lemony Snicket’s lost love, Beatrice. Such dedications also appear in the books. 

“To Beatrice—my love for you shall live forever. You, however, did not,” reads the dedication in “The Reptile Room,” the third episode of the first season. 

Each episode also begins with the show’s introductory song, which advises viewers to “look away.” The song is altered to include details about each episode. 

“You, in the audience, have no such obligation. I would advise all our viewers to turn away immediately and watch something more pleasant instead,” warns Snicket in the show’s first episode. 

The first season is based off of the first four of the season’s thirteen books, and the second season focuses on the next five. In the second season, the Baudelaires are enrolled in Prufrock Preparatory school, a grim place governed by ridiculous rules. There, they meet Vice Principal Nero, an eccentric egotist who forces his students to listen to his mediocre violin performances, as well as Carmelita Spats, a spoiled brat who taunts the orphans at every turn. Most importantly, the children meet Duncan and Isadora Quagmire, two of three triplets whose parents (and brother Quigley) perished in a fire similar to the one that killed the Baudelaires’ parents. They also befriend Olivia Caliban, a resourceful librarian who proves to be an invaluable ally later in the season. The season has ten episodes, two for each of Snicket’s books: The Austere Academy, The Ersatz Elevator, The Vile Village, The Hostile Hospital, and The Carnivorous Carnival. 

The second season is arguably more thrilling and action-packed than the first, as the children discover more and more about Count Olaf and his connection to their parents’ death. Throughout the season, they also uncover a number of secrets about the mysterious V.F.D., an organization to which the Baudelaires’ and the Quagmires’ parents belonged. 

“I’m so excited for such a great TV show to have a second season,” said freshman Jake Rieber.

If you’re partial to absurdist humor and a bit of nostalgia, make sure to add Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events to your list. The second series is as witty as it is riveting. The first two seasons are available on Netflix, and you should keep an eye out for news about the third season, which will cover the last four books in the series.