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A Series of Unfortunate Events
S1.E1
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  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Bad Beginning: Part One

  • Episode aired Jan 13, 2017
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 49m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
2.8K
YOUR RATING
Neil Patrick Harris, Malina Weissman, Louis Hynes, and Presley Smith in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)
  • Adventure
  • Comedy
  • Drama
After their parents perish in a fire that destroys their entire home, the Baudelaire orphans are sent to live with Count Olaf, who claims to be their distant relative and a renowned actor.After their parents perish in a fire that destroys their entire home, the Baudelaire orphans are sent to live with Count Olaf, who claims to be their distant relative and a renowned actor.After their parents perish in a fire that destroys their entire home, the Baudelaire orphans are sent to live with Count Olaf, who claims to be their distant relative and a renowned actor.
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
2.8K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Barry Sonnenfeld
  • Writers
    • Daniel Handler(based on the book series by)
    • Joe Tracz(story editor)
  • Stars
    • Neil Patrick Harris
    • Patrick Warburton
    • Malina Weissman
Top credits
  • Director
    • Barry Sonnenfeld
  • Writers
    • Daniel Handler(based on the book series by)
    • Joe Tracz(story editor)
  • Stars
    • Neil Patrick Harris
    • Patrick Warburton
    • Malina Weissman
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 5User reviews
    • 19Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos17

    Neil Patrick Harris and Louis Hynes in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)
    Joan Cusack, K. Todd Freeman, Malina Weissman, Louis Hynes, and Presley Smith in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)
    Malina Weissman, Louis Hynes, and Presley Smith in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)
    Neil Patrick Harris in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)
    Patrick Warburton, Malina Weissman, Louis Hynes, and Presley Smith in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)
    Malina Weissman, Louis Hynes, and Presley Smith in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)
    Neil Patrick Harris, John DeSantis, Jacqueline Robbins, Matty Cardarople, and Usman Ally in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)
    Joan Cusack in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)
    Patrick Warburton in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)
    Patrick Warburton and Darcey Johnson in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)
    Patrick Warburton in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)
    Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Warburton, Malina Weissman, Louis Hynes, and Presley Smith in A Series of Unfortunate Events (2017)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Neil Patrick Harris
    Neil Patrick Harris
    • Count Olafas Count Olaf
    Patrick Warburton
    Patrick Warburton
    • Lemony Snicketas Lemony Snicket
    Malina Weissman
    Malina Weissman
    • Violet Baudelaireas Violet Baudelaire
    Louis Hynes
    Louis Hynes
    • Klaus Baudelaireas Klaus Baudelaire
    K. Todd Freeman
    K. Todd Freeman
    • Arthur Poeas Arthur Poe
    Presley Smith
    Presley Smith
    • Sunny Baudelaireas Sunny Baudelaire
    Will Arnett
    Will Arnett
    • Fatheras Father
    Cobie Smulders
    Cobie Smulders
    • Motheras Mother
    Joan Cusack
    Joan Cusack
    • Justice Straussas Justice Strauss
    Usman Ally
    Usman Ally
    • Hook-Handed Manas Hook-Handed Man
    Matty Cardarople
    Matty Cardarople
    • Henchperson of Indeterminate Genderas Henchperson of Indeterminate Gender
    Cleo King
    Cleo King
    • Eleanora Poeas Eleanora Poe
    John DeSantis
    John DeSantis
    • Bald Manas Bald Man
    Jacqueline Robbins
    Jacqueline Robbins
    • White Faced Woman #1as White Faced Woman #1
    Joyce Robbins
    Joyce Robbins
    • White Faced Woman #2as White Faced Woman #2
    Jack Forrester
    • Albert Poeas Albert Poe
    Kaniel Jacob-Cross
    Kaniel Jacob-Cross
    • Edgar Poeas Edgar Poe
    Darcey Johnson
    • Trolleymanas Trolleyman
    • Director
      • Barry Sonnenfeld
    • Writers
      • Daniel Handler(based on the book series by) (teleplay by)
      • Joe Tracz(story editor)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Briny Beach is named after the beach in "The Walrus and the Carpenter" poem from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll.
    • Goofs
      During her first conversation with the children, Justice Strauss drops Mr. Poe's business card when pulling out the baguette, but is holding it again a moment later.
    • Quotes

      Justice Strauss: A library is like an island in a vast sea of ignorance. Don't you agree?

      Klaus Baudelaire: I do. Particularly if the library is tall, and the surrounding area has been flooded.

    • Connections
      Featured in Late Night with Seth Meyers: Aidy Bryant/Patrick Warburton/Bibi Bourelly/Leah Shapiro (2017)
    • Soundtracks
      It's The Count
      Written by Nick Urata

      Performed by Neil Patrick Harris, Usman Ally, Matty Cardarople, John DeSantis, Jacqueline Robbins & Joyce Robbins

    User reviews5

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    A far from bad beginning
    Lemony Snicket's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' book series was a very popular book series among family and friends when in school, and the books were also very popular back then full stop. Found myself very much enjoying the 2004 film, which has actually gotten better for me overtime and Jim Carrey's Olaf has grown on me and not as silly as he first appeared. So when hearing that there was a series that had adapted all the books instead of cramming three books in one film, a large part was very excited.

    Part of me was praying that 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' would work, considering the source material and Neil Patrick Harris sounded like inspired casting. Was also a bit nervous, hoping that big potential would be lived it. The first part of "The Bad Beginning", adapting the first book of the 13-book series, didn't quite meet let alone exceed very high expectations but it far from dashed them and was a good stab on the whole. Not everything worked, then again the series was just finding its feet which was the slight feeling that the book itself had too, but most things did.

    "The Bad Beginning: Part 1" kicks off with a highly imaginative and beautifully designed opening credits sequence, and the tone of the story is established well with the viewer like the book being reminded that the events that would follow would be far from happy in narration form. The grim mysteriousness being something that was present throughout the whole of this adaptation of 'A Series of Unfortunate Events'.

    It looks great, with a very unique sense of period and a deliciously dark atmosphere. The photography is both beautiful and eerie and of the production design Count Olaf's home is the standout, the exterior eerily dilapidated (as described in the book) and the interior reinforces even more how vile a person Count Olaf is. The music is also a good match for the atmosphere and the story sets up these unfortunate events mostly with a mysteriousness and intrigue. Barry Sonenfeld brings the same atmosphere here as in his two 'The Addams Family' films, that is meant in a good way.

    Having watched "The Bad Beginning: Part 1", and the whole series overall too, Neil Patrick Harris came over as a very interesting though atypical choice for Olaf hearing of the casting initially and, even though the other episodes would showcase his talents even more (when Olaf gets even more evil and outlandish) he is a wonderful mix of fun and sinister right from his very first appearance. Of the three children, Malina Weissman fares best as Violet, did prefer Sunny in the film adaptation though. Joan Cusack makes a nice brief appearance and Patrick Warburton is wonderfully deadpan and enigmatic. Did initially think that his narration over-explained and was used too much in the series and it did take some getting used to here, before reminding myself that Snicket himself plays a very major role as narrator in the books too, both to move the story forward and interrupt proceedings to remind us of further doom.

    Although this is just the beginning and just set up, not everything worked for me. The pacing can drag a little, with it finding a while to find its footing. Some of the dialogue agreed does make one cringe, the narration did come over a little awkward in this episode at points.

    Never throughout the adaptation found myself getting behind the casting of K. Todd Freeman as Mr Poe. Found him out of place and somewhat annoying.

    Concluding, a few things that could have been improved but a far from bad beginning for this adaptation. 7/10
    helpful•5
    1
    • TheLittleSongbird
    • Feb 19, 2020

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 13, 2017 (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    • Production companies
      • The Sonnenfeld Company
      • What is the Question?
      • Paramount Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      49 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.00 : 1

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