‘A Series Of Unfortunate Events’ Recap, Episode 6: “The Wide Window, Part Two”

I know that Lemony Snicket has admirers of all ages, and I know that many of you reading this do not plan to watch A Series of Unfortunate Events with young viewers. But I would feel remiss if I did not offer those of you who do a word of caution based on my own experience.

The Baudelaire children experience a great deal of loss within a very short span of time. The sheer volume of deaths is, of course, something of a grim gag, but, after five nights of watching an episode a night, my own ten-year-old—a huge fan of the books and no frail flower—was overwhelmed by angst about mortality in general and fresh sadness about particular losses in her own life.

We can’t protect our children from the world, and I appreciate authors and filmmakers who trust children enough to share difficult subjects with them. My own kid is eager to resume watching—she’s hooked—but, now, we’re going to watch at a pace that gives her time and space to process big feelings. I’m not a child psychologist or any other kind of expert. I’m speaking only as a parent and a former child when I say: Share with care.

Now, on to the next installment…

Upon discovering that Aunt Josephine’s suicide note is riddled with grammatical errors, Violet and Klaus suspect that she might not have killed herself after all. Convincing the oblivious Mr. Poe, however, proves as difficult as ever. Instead of actually helping the Baudelaires, the banker takes them to brunch with Count Olaf—still disguised as Captain Sham—who is about to become their legal guardian yet again.

The adults in the childrens’ lives are not entirely ineffectual. Larry, the waiter at the Anxious Clown Restaurant, is clearly part of the secret society dedicated to helping the Baudelaires. He provides them with the peppermints that provoke an allergic reaction that allows them to ditch Olaf. Klaus realizes that Aunt Josephine managed to leave them a coded message. The mysterious figures known as Mother and Father in the credits provide accidental assistance at a crucial moment. And even Mr. Poe, quite unwittingly, helps the children escape by keeping Olaf busy with legal paperwork.

But, for the most part, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny are on their own, with little choice but to sail a boat across Lake Lachrymose in the middle of a hurricane as they search for Aunt Josephine. This is, of course, an eventful journey. Indeed, one of the pleasures of this episode is the introduction of action. Up to now, most of the story has taken place indoors. The interiors have been exquisite—surely I’m not the only viewer who wants the snaky wallpaper in the children’s bedroom at Uncle Monty’s—but the hurricane provides some real excitement. The fall of Aunt Josephine’s house is both funny and thrilling, and the scenes set on Lake Lachrymose are fun, too. Visually, they’re a terrific mix of CGI realism and old-timey painted backdrops. The staginess is aesthetically pleasing, and it takes some of the edge off the danger.

The children continue to mature. They take charge of their own rescue, and they also inspire Aunt Josephine to rediscover the courage to be “fierce and formidable” again. Alfre Woodard really goes to town with Josephine’s soliloquy. Sadly, though, inspiring oratory is not enough to save her. Once more, Olaf has murdered the Baudelaires’ guardian—but not before they gave them a fresh tidbit of information about their parents, and a new destination. Sunny saves the day by using her prodigious chompers to chew through Captain Sham’s peg leg, finally convincing Mr. Poe that the supposed sailor is really the Count.

By the end of this episode, the orphans have eluded not only Olaf but also Mr. Poe. They are alone, on their way to Lucky Smells Lumber Mill, and quoting Haruki Murakami.

Jessica Jernigan is a writer, editor, and mom-about-town in a mid-sized Midwestern city. You can find her professional website here, but Instagram is where the cat photos are.

Watch "The Wide Window, Part Two" episode of 'A Series Of Unfortunate Events' on Netflix