‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ Has Finally Grown up Alongside the Baudelaires

There’s a moment in this last season of A Series of Unfortunate Events when the Baudelaire orphans stand at a crossroads. They can either go with Mr. Poe (K. Todd Freeman), the incompetent but well-meaning banker who has shuffled them from dangerous guardian to dangerous guardian for three seasons now, or they can go with a stranger who claims to know their parents. With little to no hesitation they break tradition and go with the latter option. That choice, more than any other, defines why this season is different from the rest of the Netflix original. For once A Series of Unfortunate Events isn’t defined by its flashy cameos… It’s finally the Baudelaire’s story.

As smart and engaging as Violet (Malina Weissman), Klaus (Louis Hynes), and Sunny (Presley Smith) always are, every adaptation of Lemony Snicket’s series has suffered from a problem of focus. The 2004 film adaptation and Season 1 of Netflix’s series were overpowered by their Count Olafs, Jim Carrey and Neil Patrick Harris, respectively. Season 2 may have toned down its Olaf, but only to let its increasingly bizarre collection of celebrity cameos shine. It’s always fun to watch a bumbling Tony Hale character or a heroic Nathan Fillion, but in between those two, Will Arnett, and a surprise Allison Williams appearance, there came a moment where it was unclear if this children’s series was actually about its leading children; or the adults around them.

But looking back on A Series of Unfortunate Events after the benefit of seeing Season 3, it’s clear that’s always been the point. Mark Hudis and Barry Sonnenfeld’s adaptation of Snicket’s iconic series has never just been about defining difficult words or marveling at the brilliance of three dedicated orphans. It’s about three children who are forced to take ownership of their own lives, and as a result, their own destinies. It’s about growing up, and the terrifying weight of realizing we’re each responsible for our own story. In that way, A Series of Unfortunate Events‘ gradual change in focus has mirrored the revelations the Baudelaire children have been approaching since they first arrived on Briny Beach in Season 1.

It’s especially gratifying to see this shift happening now: Weissman and Hynes are finally getting the complicated acting challenges they’ve already proven they can handle. Every season of this series has seen them grow from the stoic stars of the series’ first episode, but Season 3 finally lets them do more than merely flex their muscles.

For Weissman, that means leaning into her more tender side thanks to a romantic subplot, while channeling Violet’s pent up rage and jealousy. The young actress has quietly become one of the most engaging and promising young stars on television.

For Hynes, it means pushing away the overly dry explanations of episodes past and embracing an earnestness the series has yet to fully explore. Both actors are wonderful this season, finally transforming the Baudelaire orphans into a group of heroes you want to root for based on their own virtue, not because of their terrible lives or a viewers’ personal fondness for the book series. Even the CGI around Sunny has greatly improved, transforming her into a more believable protagonist.

Watching A Series of Unfortunate Events unfold these past three years has been a privilege, and one which Lemony Snicket himself would likely approve. But only now in its final season has the series settled into the work of art it has wanted to be since its beginning. For once, this series is firmly about three sweet, smart, and incredible heroes. In that way, A Series of Unfortunate Events has finally grown up.

Watch A Series of Unfortunate Events on Netflix