Netflix A Series of Unfortunate Reviews, The Austere Academy ~ The Dom

[@Dominic-Noble]

The worst spoiler is between 3:20 and 3:43 if you want to skip it.

[@v1de0gamr23]

I just began part 1 of The Vile Village. I'll err on the side of caution and come back later.

[@LadyLightningstorm]

The Dom I've always thought that you can only really enjoy the books if you don't actually believe the author when he tells you it'll end badly.

[@rhymebeat1142]

The Beatrice letters despite the BEATRICE SANK message still make it clear that the Baudilaire's made it back to society alive and started careers of their own. I think the Beatrice sinking was what separated them from Beatrice Snicket, or at least some of them.

[@robbywilliamson4152]

Although the books don't have a particularly happy ending, I don't think it's as depressing as how you seem to be interpreting it. There is reason to believe that they probably survived their trip to the mainland. Sunny apparently ends up with a cooking show after the events of the series, and Violet still needs to make a third visit to Briny Beach.

[@applad3206]

The Dom I

[@moonydoll7109]

I really like the show/books because to me, the whole thing is an allegory for child abuse, the lack of authority, autonomy and rights children have in that situation, and the way most adults will find some arbitrary reason to look away and say their "hands are tied" because they honestly just don't want to inconvenience themselves by getting involved or taking a stand . I think the emotional nature of allegory and the surreal setting of the story lead it to be a story that operates more so on the logic of emotion, rather than tangible logic, the way a fairytale might operate on emotion (but more like the original fairytales that were meant to scare children than the Disney type). Also, I think the end message about hope, in a pessimistic/nihilistic world and/or viewpoint can be interpreted more like "Maybe hope can't save you, but love makes it all worthwhile."

[@paramitch]

This, 100%. The books were weirdly cathartic to me because the Baudelaire kids are brave, smart, and always manage to get through it (and aren't alone). There is poignance to what they go through because of this, and I'm surprised Dom (who is so smart and insightful) has never gotten this.

[@strawberrylemonades]

The message, to me, isn't "Hope won't save you" but "Hope is worth having, always." Even though they're doomed, they find happiness and love in what they can, and you come away feeling like even if they didn't get a happy ending, what they went through didn't break them. They were true to their optimism and morals and to each other to the end, and that is worth something.

[@jacobb5484]

strawberrylemonades another message is that knowledge and books are good and will help you

[@frostfang1]

strawberrylemonades that's a lovely way to look at it. I think I only read up to book 7 or 8 and just couldn't do it anymore. But if the latter books are like those, I don't feel like it quite enforces that message enough. There's a lot of emphasis on escaping and freedom of situations that are all or nothing . A lot less of enduring and making happy memories where they can...like IDK in The Secret Garden if it didn't have a happy ending? In this they leave a trail of people who sacrificed for them, or were caught in the cross hairs. Which isn't their fault, they weren't trying to win, they were just trying to live a happy life. They are so passive sometimes and it allows them to be taken advantage of instead of trying to stop it forever, if not for themselves, then for all the people Olaf keeps involving.

[@lulucanpy3513]

Poi Lethe I feel like you're putting too much pressure on literal children. Of course they were passive - they're 14, 12, and a baby, who lived a very sheltered and cushy life up to that point.

[@frostfang1]

Lucille Fisher I mean, they knew someone was after them and a lot of the time I feel like they go into a new situation and think they are safe or this time it will be different. After a few times you start Learning that that's not going to be the case. Just being more proactive, realizing they can't depend on adults or the system to look after them, make a plan before hand rather than as its happening to them. It's not like this world really operates normally. Most adults seem to only have two defining characteristics and the more extreme one tends to be their downfall. And sunny isn't a normal baby. At some point I'd figure out adults fall into two categories, casualties or corruptible and stop depending on them to uphold some semblance of the laws or systems in place and just leave how to operate without depending on the collapsible system or assumptions based on it. That and doom in the end is a lot easier to swallow if they actually have some wins once in a while. And not wins that are taken away two seconds later. All they are managing us survival. It's not happiness, it's not fulfillment. It's survival, it's running out the clock

[@onijester56]

In Book 7, the two surviving Quigley Orphans manage to escape Olaf's clutches. In Book 8, where they start as falsely-accused criminals and Olaf is considered dead, things do get progressively worse. They resort to deceitfulness and trickery, with Klaus almost forced to kill his sister. And in Book 9, they consider murdering Olaf outright and are left for dead rolling off the precarious peaks of the mountain pass. After this, however, they do start earning victories. Olaf does start losing henchmen as a consequence of his wickedness, and does eventually die. People who had abandoned them do make appearances once or twice to console them or apologize for their abandonment. Etc, etc.

[@bretsheeley4034]

"He would go straight to jail." And from my experience, he would be promoted to superintendent. There's a reason why on the UK version of The Office, the boss was fired after two seasons, while in the US version he lasted seven.

[@KhayJayArt]

Yeah, dumbass assholes are awarded here in the states. :/

[@RainbowHorseygirl77]

This was my thought too. I had a Principal like this and he kept his job for years after i graduated, despite the police being involved several times. And I live in Canada.

[@adamdavis1648]

Even with the part about embezzling money from the school? I would've thought that even an immoral school system would punish someone who stole from them, albeit for selfish reasons rather than moral ones. Am I wrong?

[@benjaminmadrigalperez9010]

@@adamdavis1648 he would share with them

[@adamdavis1648]

@@benjaminmadrigalperez9010 Sorry, but who would share what with who? I don't know what you mean.

[@laurarodrigues6377]

As someone with a tough childhood and a parent that was abusive while outwardly acting very convincingly as loving and protective I found comfort in those books growing up. The "hope won't save you" message was ultimately a good incentive for me to survive through it, cause to me what it said was "Hey, sometimes, no matter what you do, you can't stop bad things happening to you. It's not your fault for lack of trying to get out of the situation, sometimes bad stuff happens to good people for no reason, sometimes good people get punished while bad people get praised, sometimes abusive people's words are heard over the victim's own words and proof. But you will survive it all. You may not have the same happy life you would have if this all never happened, but you will find happiness somehow in your own way, even if it's a tiny comfort in a world that is out to tear you down."

[@drifter_d]

People hating what I love doesn't bother me as much as people loving what I hate.

[@KeybladeMasterAndy]

drifterd It bothers me when they don't articulate why they hate it in a mature manner, like the Dom does.

[@neverlandhunter6988]

drifterd Your love is bothering someone who gets bothered about opinions the same way as you~

[@ILUV412]

Wow, I thought I was the only one who didn't like it when people loved the things that I loved. XD

[@oof-rr5nf]

drifterd Holy shit, I have never thought about this . . . With me I try to put a nice and calm front to opinions on media I don't agree with, while I bitch and seeth on the inside. :P

[@oof-rr5nf]

ILUV412 I don't think that is what they were talking about. But I kinda am in the same boat as you. I call it my "hipster tendency". I'd much rather like fringe stuff that not many know about than share my love for a thing with many, many other fans. I admit it, but I am not proud of it.

[@Dominic-Noble]

I think "hope won't save you" is the single most depressing thing I've ever said on camera :S

[@romulusnuma116]

The Dom I don't know the whole 50 shades of grey review made me feel pretty hopeless afterwards.

[@sirrmobreadings6978]

agreed

[@TheGerkuman]

The Dom p m

[@TheGerkuman]

Mklmm? Lm k omni ppl'm l km l mm? M km l mm m l? No lml Mm l mm lmplml

[@NjK601]

I don't think most people even realized you were affiliated with Channel Awesome, to bad what happened there but at least your not as affected. As for these books I have yet to read them but from what I have gathered on Reddit people who read them as kids have a far darker view.

[@JoannaDavidovich]

To add to discussion of the appeal of these books: I read these in college and thoroughly enjoyed them because they are like parodies of the children's books I enjoyed as a kid, most notably Roald Dahl's books. The cartoonishly grim circumstances and the irrepressibly spirited and bright orphan heroes is the same (think "Matilda"). Both Dahl and Handler push the limits of accepting child cruelty as entertainment, but the hyperbole is so great that it becomes funny. I also thought these books were brilliant because he is commenting on the often insipid nature of children's books (another similarity with Dahl) while also paying homage to the classic literary traditions of Charles Dickens, Horatio Alger, O. Henry, and the like in theme, tone, and writing style. He just twists the morality of the tales for comedic effect. Years ago, I got to see a "lecture" by "Lemony Snicket" where Handler basically performed a one-man show gleefully picking on all the children in the audience, and it was hilarious. And the children loved it too! I guess now that I think about it, he's doing the same thing that makes a good insult comic so enjoyable, except in the form of children's media. Sometimes it's fun to go to a dark place- even as a kid.

[@katieobrien1621]

Even as a kid I read the adults as being intentionally caricatures, taken to the level of absurd, but reflecting something real which I could relate to. Such as adults dismissing kids (portrayed more realistically in Harry Potter), how absurd an obsession with being In or fashionable was, how some adults may be well meaning but their own issues prevent them from meaningfully standing up for you, or how hiding things from kids for their protection can wind up hurting them more than helping.

[@TheAmityElf]

Also, I enjoy the books' caricaturing, and I usually don't enjoy un-subtle weighing-of-the-story's-intelligence-quota. To me, it wasn't really commentary saying "These people are dumb", but more like being in a Fun House (so to speak; I really wish Fun Houses were called something different so my point would make more sense) where everything is awful and terrifying. Like, I'm pretty sure I had a happy childhood, but I was enjoying the crud out of these books all the way through it; there's a picture of me at age eight reading "Grim Grotto" at the botanical gardens. Part of it for me was probably that the books made me feel smart. I learned new words, and I had never read something that played with the conventions of novel writing so much. I vividly remember when the beginning of one of the books was printed backwards and I was like "Aha! I'll read it in the mirror!'. Basically, it was among my first experiences with medium-aware humor, dark comedy, and...Wow this sentence would be a lot more solid if I had a third example. I was always at the edge of my seat trying to figure out the solution to the characters' problems. When I read the books now, I see their troubles a different way and can imagine *tons* of better ways for the characters to have handled things, but that's part of the fun for me now, too; I get to snarkily say "You know, you could have just...not told them your plan?" (Seriously, the whole series seems to exist in a world where you give full disclosure of your intentions to your enemies, and that's hilarious to me.) But it's an opinion thing.

[@QuikVidGuy]

It's also not like the adults are stupid or that the world makes no sense. It's just an adults' world where everyone who has the power to help is preoccupied with their own petty concerns while downplaying the suffering of others when it's inconvenient. Oblivious, selfish, but not non-functioning.

[@garrettcarter2959]

The thought of Tim Curry as Olaf just made my day.

[@caegray6987]

Is it bad that my mind immediately went to the snowman after I read your comment? It may have been the lack of "count"

[@Hey-Its-Dingo]

I would imagine that he was who Handler had in mind when writing Olaf in the books, it seemed that way when I was reading it at least. It is for obvious reasons that they weren't able to get him for the show. Even if only as a side character, he would have brought a lot to the table.

[@TheDanishGuyReviews]

Imagine Dr. Furter going "Oh look, l've been impaled."

[@garrettcarter2959]

It also helps that Neil Patrick Harris glaring thought the bleacher stands in this episode reminded me a lot of the drain scene from IT.

[@fovika]

I can just picture a scene where Tim Curry finishes talking to an adult and turns towards the kids and smiles his creepy smile. He makes such a good villain!

[@vertoatrum]

As somebody who had a very terrible childhood, and suffered deep depression from a very young age, with adults around me that didnt listen to questions, concerns, or consent, the books showed that you can have everything bad happen to you but still find a reason to live. A reason to go on is all you need, whether it's a sibling, a pet, a hopeful thought once a day. It was also a series where, while reading it, I felt allowed to be miserable and sad. I even enjoyed the sadness it brought me, like how people who with depression can sometimes feel a certain solemn peace in their misery.

[@tamarariveracolon3759]

I liked the baby to toddler joke. I thought it was clever..

[@moonlightdrown9366]

Tamara Rivera Colón me too

[@avosmash2121]

Tamara Rivera Colón Same here plus she naturally ages at the same rate in the novels

[@JSanime]

I did too. I like when a series does stuff like that... As long as they don't over do it

[@Carewolf]

I am just sad they cut out most of the funny jokes of Sunny working as a secretary. I would have loved seeing her answer calls.

[@tylerd8289]

I liked "it feels like we've been sitting here for months."

[@laotasurfs1110]

I feel like the Snicket books were made as a reaction to all the super-safe, reassuring, "more for the parents than the kids" children books that treat their readers like glass imbeciles, and that all the warnings of unpleasantness to come are for the parents. A mother once wrote J.K. Rowling *demanding* that she lighten the tone of her books. Imagine someone trying to pull that crap with Handler after being warned twenty times not to read them.

[@JustAnotherPerson4U]

I'm not going to say anything but I'm glad they expanded Olivia's character by introducing her earlier. It made her ending so much sadder because you can tell she was a genuine person. The kids romance attraction is both sad, cute and kind of silly. It just makes me sadder to know the Quagmire's ending... And I truly felt I could relate in the Vile Village ending. I honestly think the baby is the best actor out of the three kids. I mean, they all got better in comparison to season 1. Still not great, but better. I think Louis Haynes improved the most compared to his co-worker Melissa. His expressions properly convey his rage and frustration at them never being believed... although there was one scene in the 7th book (netflix episodes) where he was sadly not very good and had the emotional weight of a pancake. Ironically this one and the next book out of season 2 are my least liked really. the ones after I would say is when it gets good and proper scary. I think I got more hooked on this season since they changed quite a bit like you say, so this sense of unease makes me scared and care for the characters more. We see them make hard decisions and have to play Olaf with his rules. The Hostile Hospital brings good memories and a great Pattrick Harris scary performance. Some problems no doubt but probably my favourite.

[@KeybladeMasterAndy]

becsbabe7465 I gotta say, the baby makes all the right faces.

[@SweenyTodd98]

I liked them adding Olivia in early too, made for a better character. Though it's hard to say that she's the same character from the book, show Olivia and book Olivia are very different from each other.

[@ivy5694]

You’re channel is the place I discovered my love for Harry Potter I always thought I never fitted in to any house (not knowing Ravenclaw existed) ,I went on a school trip to the studio tour when I was 10 and that still did not interest me in the series however one day when I was in holiday (specifically September 1st when I was 11 the day I would have boarded the Hogwarts express)I found a small KZbin channel containing a presenter with a similar British accent to my self ,I then continued to spend my day binging your videos and researching Ravenclaw house and falling love. Thank you This was also the time when I realised dyslexia does not make me dumb and I am actually now in top set science, maths and English all thanks to you! I know you will never see this but thank you for changing my life to the nerdy way I live it now! Thank you! One of you’re now many beautiful watchers Ivy

[@sophs1983]

I have to agree with you on the dyslexic part, I am myself 24 years old, and have struggled with people thinking that dyslexia automatically thinking you can’t do basic English and maths, to the point I got fired from my office job when they found out and they stated “they would have never hired me if they had known from the start” but I stand here with 14 A-Cs at gcse and 4 alevels, you can Achieve anything you want in life of you try hard enough for it, and find my dyslexia makes me think in ways that others don’t

[@krixkhaos]

You went to the studio tour on a school trip??? Fuck me, I wish my school trips were half that cool. Also, welcome to the cult. I'm a Slytherin.

[@jalix9574]

I'd like to point out that Jacques is the least moronic adult in the tv show. He's the greatest Nathan Fillion badass and I cried my eyes out when he died.

[@jalix9574]

I also freaked out when I saw that Nathan Fillion was Jacques, I was like "Nathan Fillion is Jacques!?! But he's supposed to look just like Count Olaf!?!"

[@MsAbixxx]

Jalix Turner I had no idea Nathan Fillon was going to be in the series. I must have missed his name in the opening credits and when he turned up I was so surprised and I squealed a little. I love Nathan Fillon!

[@daniellins4114]

Jalix Turner He's great. Him and Oliva. It was really cool when he showed up for the first time and I was like "yeah Nathan Filian, awsome!" but than he said his name and I was "Oh no, Nathan is going to die... and he's nothing like count Olaf" . Also I like what they did in Village Vil, it was keeping to the theme where count Olaf made discaises the adults couldn' t see trought and it made sense to me

[@catdragon2584]

That Nathan Fillion intro was the best thing in this episode, probably because it was the most fitting way to have him swoop in and say “hello, I’m here to make your evening better”

[@betheroo2397]

Maybe Dewey Denouement, too. He barely had a chance. :'(

[@samkirkegaard4316]

I think the best argument for Neil Patrick Harris being Count Olaf I've ever seen, is that it's always painfully obvious that it's count olaf under the disguise. And whatever Neil Patrick Harris plays, it's always painfully obvious that it's him underneath it all. So In that sense I think it's a perfect cast

[@sedonasunshine7322]

I think the "hope won't save you" message is actually part of the appeal for me, although I was too young to realize at the time. It felt honest in a way I wasn't used to.

[@TheAmityElf]

The moment I saw Sunny was allowed to just casually walk in Austere Academy, I was like, "Oh, I guess we're not going to have that moment at the end of Vile Village." XD I like the show, though.

[@bucwhovian8305]

You lost me!

[@DarbyBellisle]

I find my reason for enjoying the books is the fact everything so wrong in the world is just seen as normal, it's a massive sense of absurdity and deoending on what you enjoy in literature you get lost in the absurdity, somewhat what the appeal of Warhammer 40,000 is similarly. You kinda want to see how bad things get, how deep does the rabbit hole go?

[@KyrstOak]

'Deoending'?

[@Arkenway]

Formulaic and sadistic : that's why I love these books !

[@djpal5321]

I had an easy childhood and I love them. I think I loved them because they were so dark. They seemed to challenge the girly and fluffy literature popular in my day

[@CREN13Queen]

Great video! Was anyone else thrown by Violet crushing on Duncan? Like throwing in some Klaus/Isadora is all fine and dandy but isn't it a bit weird having Violet/Duncan when (spoiler alert) she and Quigley are a thing in later books?

[@rosiemontgomery1]

CREN13Queen I thought it was strange too! And,well, Klaus also had a thing with another character in book 11, The Grim Grotto. I felt the romance aspect wasn't needed at all here.

[@mallk238]

9:40 I know this video is old, but the point of the librarian showing off her librarian skills is that it shows the children that she is capable of her job. Haven't you noticed that so far, every adult the children have been able to trust has been amazing at their job, and the ones causing problems have been terrible at them? it establishes who is an actual capable adult and who is not. This give the children hope that they have someone to turn to. at least, that's my theory

[@dreacranford]

I think the message of ASoUE basically IS memento mori: remember that you have to die. Objectively, every life ends with a series of unfortunate events--either very quickly or over a period of time. Everyone will suffer and then die. Period. Who you are and what you do in between is what matters. The children grow up, they grow wiser, they learn that life is hard, but they don't become bad people even when the world is bad to them. It's not about the hope that things will get better. It's about having grace when things are bad. I've had a chronic illness since I was a kid. It will never go away, so I have to live with it and still try to be a positive force in the world. That's why this series has always meant a lot to me.

[@AK-tr6lo]

As someone who read and enjoyed these books in my childhood I have to say I generally prefer the show version of things. I think this come down to me enjoying the books more once the vfd stuff started up and so having more of it has improved the experience. It’s also been a really long time since I read them so I’m basically expecting my memories of the books to be full of nostalgia making them seem better than they were.

[@AnvilPro100]

Woo! This is like the second half of the season for me. Also I think this season completely fixes the problem of "NPH is too likable to be a monstrous villain", he does some fucked up stuff this time around

[@superkamiguru4615]

I agree I really love how they amped him up especially bc in the books at this point, him and Esme were pretty much chuckling idiots

[@EionBlue]

The one point I really realized he was getting scary was probably the Hostile Hospital part, that hallway scene with the lights was legit kinda scary for me.

[@AnvilPro100]

For me it was what he does to that one guy in The Vile Village. It may happen offscreen, but the idea of what he's doing is kind of crazy to think it's a kids book

[@superkamiguru4615]

Viredae haha for me it was when he stroked Violet’s shoulder saying he could “touch whatever he wanted”. Like damn dude the undertones became overtones and I love it. Really makes him despicable AND intimidating

[@lulucanpy3513]

It took the show to remind me how terrifying Olaf was.

[@Becca-bm8rt]

Your point about people with sad childhoods liking the books more makes sense. I actually realised when watching the series that the time I most enjoyed the books was when my home life was at its worst. At the risk of sounding pretentious, I also think the books act as a kind of Baby's First Post-Modern Literature. That kind of self-aware, frustrating writing was a new experience for me when I read them.

[@potterpal5]

In my opinion,this season isn't that good until the Hostile Hopsital. The hostile hospital and the Carniverous Carnival are the best 4 episodes of the whole series because they are MUCH darker, they are less formulaic, and have less filler.

[@TheAmericanDragn]

If I'm not mistaken, Handler narrated books three to five because he wanted to try his hand at narrating the books. He ultimately didn't like it, so it went back to Curry.

[@bucwhovian8305]

In my experience, authors are never good at narrating their own work. On paper, it sounds ideal because they would know exactly how their characters should sound, and how certain lines should be said. However there are two clear issues with it, good authors don't always have good reading voices and, knowing how something or someone should sound is one thing, but achually being able to deliver it in the right way is another.

[@TheAmericanDragn]

Buc Whovian I think Brian Jacques might be an exception. He was a radio DJ for a while and his delivery was pretty good.

[@scifigeek14]

I had a loving and wonderful home life and still loved these books. I liked them because they never talked down to kids and made you feel like you were smarter than adults. :) That being said I get why you dont dig it. And i really enjoy this adaptation series :)

[@bareakon]

The statement that there are no happy endings for the orphans is because there are no happy endings. All our stories end in obituary. Which is a very in-character thing for Lemony to say. He's a melancholy kinda guy. There's plenty of clues that the Baudelaires live for many years after the events of the books at least. So I vibe with the "perseverance" theme, because that's our entire lives; traumas, mundanity, grief, loss, hard work, quick thinking and brief spots of hope, joy and beauty in between, and then eventually death. Ed:- I also liked the Series' observations about some of the absurdities of adult behaviour and society.

[@heathercalun4919]

I was a fan of the books, and I really like these adaptations. Barry Sonenfeld was probably the best possible choice for director, and even though I'm not the biggest fan of slapstick, it's still NPH doing it, so it works. Honestly, I'm rather confused by what you meant by lack of talent. I especially approve of the crowbarred in VFD stuff. It breaks up the monotony of the depressing A story, and shows that there are good, intelligent adults out there trying to save these kids, even though we know they'll never succeed.

[@Wander85942]

It wasn’t until the second season did I remember how much I hated Carmelita and she only gets worse.

[@kyletowers9662]

i never had the desire to punch a little girl in all my life harder than before watching these epsiodes.

[@ilexdiapason]

Carmelita Spats is the Umbridge of ASOUE. That or Esme...

[@ida6950]

I can't wait for the tap-dancing ballerina fairy princess veterinarian! XD

[@Newman43439]

Kyle Towers it's like that in the book as well

[@avsambart]

Sammmeeeeeee. As soon as I saw her, my entire brain just yelled NOOOOOOOOOOO

[@mollymcdade4031]

I love Larry Your-Waiter and I was disappointed to find out he’s not in the book

[@willrigby8202]

Well he's based on a part in Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography, which revealed that the waiter in The Wide Window was actually an undercover VDF agent.

[@KeybladeMasterAndy]

Will Rigby I'll have to read that at some point.

[@ida6950]

He's in the wide window

[@plebproblems4315]

He was in the book - The Wide Window, he just wasn't an important character.

[@lemontree666333]

I love that everyone refers to him as "Larry our Waiter"

[@thegodtracker]

as someone whose grandfather was kidnapped by the government from native parents, forced into reform school where he lost his real name (Makadewamik) and was given the name "Michael Miller" and was then raped repeatedly as a form of punishment as a child within that reform school, thus developing a long term cocaine addiction in an attempt to cope- which he passed on to my father by drugging his food when he was a kid, who then grew up in jail without learning a single thing about being a functioning adult to be a massively abusive drug-dealer and thief who abused me and my mother all through my childhood and recently threatened to kill me, my partner, and our cats, I can say with total confidence: To a lot of people who grew up being abused, the adults around them really WHERE that incompetent and stupid. My father didn't know the acctual meaning of the word "reform" until I taught it to him when I was 15 and he was 31 - he thought it was the designation given to schools designed to steal native children from their families and nothing else. Another example: child protective services has walked into my home when I was a kid, saw drug paraphernalia and been offered bribes, and said nothing is wrong without taking the bribe. It really all comes down to the fact that in real life it's mainly inconceivably stupid people that are that abusive, because they just can't muster the intelligence to put themselves in the viewpoint of another person so they think their abuse is harmless or justified: no one thinks their evil, some people are just too stupid to notice.

[@AndySunshine1291]

When Sunny says "Buscheney!" and it's interpreted as "You don't care at all about the good of the people around you!" I thought that was pretty subtle and clever.

[@solitarychap]

I've never read the book and I'm really enjoying this series! It's DEFINITELY very formulaic (I think everyone immediately saw the librarian and thought "oh look, the new nice adult that will help the orphans then die shortly after") but I think the various exaggerated characters and new situations and settings, along with the whole mystery of the VFD, is what mainly keeps me entertained and coming back for more. (Plus, I can't wait to see what your thoughts on the Ersatz Elevator because I LOVED Lucy Punch as Esmé and was glad her character is in the rest of season 2, which I may or may not have binged all in one go hahaa). This series definitely has its negatives but for me personally the positives are enough to keep me engaged. I actually assumed that since it's a book series aimed at kids, even though Snicket constantly reminds the reader the ending is bad, the ending will be happy and like idk Lemony and Beatrice will adopt the orphans or some shit and originally I was avoiding all spoilers but I wanted to watch this video and....damn I guess I was wrong!

[@willrigby8202]

I believe their using some stuff which happened in Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography. I wonder if the third season will use stuff from The Beatrice Letters.

[@JustAnotherPerson4U]

I really want to read the Beatrice letters but it costs an insane amount to buy the book!

[@willrigby8202]

I was lucky enough to find it in the local library.

[@grahamkristensen9301]

What are you talking about. It's $11 on Amazon.

[@JustAnotherPerson4U]

Graham Kristensen Really!? Last I checked there was only a hardback version available... and I'm not talking about audible books.

[@garrettcarter2959]

Can't wait for the next episode. Ersatz Elevator has proven to be the best arc so far in the show.

[@MEG4nerd]

Garrett Carter really? I hated it. I thought it was the worst.

[@QuikVidGuy]

The only one I was truly disappointed with was the vile village because they removed any responsibility for the incident from the kids

[@StankyPizzaRoll]

thank you my thoughts entirely it was absolutely dreadfull!

[@albatross1688]

Garrett Carter The book is one of my favourites in the series, but this adaptation is not. I don't mind the actress for Esme, but the pacing was way too quick. Seriously, the book did not take place within 24 hours. WTF? The VFD stuff just serves to make that organization look extra incompetent. Yeah, I'm sure you can tell where hostages are being kept just by looking through windows on the front of a building. Oh, and it makes no sense that Violet built a hot air balloon to use as a makeshift parachute. She also didn't have a plan on how to get back out until the Quagmires gave them the other half of the scope thing.

[@ZakanaHachihaCBC]

Actually, the first Sugar Bowl reference is waaaay back in Ep2 IIRC, where Olaf says he’s just having a nice cup of Coffee, but couldn’t find the Sugar Bowl. Sure the context has him talking about a different bowl, but it’s still a reference to the item of the same name that takes up the plot of the last few books.

[@mayashley6163]

I understand that you aren’t a fan of this series, and I can totally respect why. Still, somehow, you’ve perfectly put into words the reason I love it without me fully comprehending it until now. When I was younger and didn’t mind how formulaic it was, I felt that the word choices forced me out of my comfort zone and made me learn more, so that was the excuse I told myself for the last 15 or so years. Really, my childhood wasn’t the happiest, and I currently suffer from PTSD. This is something I knew and tried to convey to my parents, only to be shut down and ignored until I finally got a doctor to tell them when I was in my early 20s. My entire childhood was filled with what I saw as incompetent adults refusing to listen to me, even if not nearly as egregious. And in that, I relate to the Baudelaires. Seeing other kids sharing in my experience made me feel less alone. Your criticisms are all absolutely correct, and I appreciate the critical lens taken to this series. But I still enjoy this series for that common ground to my childhood that helped me get through. Thank you for sharing this, and for helping me put that into words.

[@mrsnatural2368]

The scene where Olaf talks to Carmelita from under the bleachers in this episode made my skin crawl.

[@quinnsinclair7028]

I think my biggest problem with the series is that Olaf is too goofy to be intimidating. For instance in the Carnivorous Carnival he finds evidence that the orphans are there and questions madam Lulu really threateningly. I literally went “whoa NPH is scary” but then not five seconds later he’s cracking jokes about heath care. I wish he’d been more consistently menacing and the sillier stuff had been left to his henchmen.

[@rjmayo]

Yaaay Maven shout out, I love her channel!

[@ShionaPenrake]

I'm so glad you appreciate Tim Curry's narration in the audiobooks. His Count Olaf impression is so much better than Jim Carrey and Neil Patrick Harris' combined!

[@rachaelbao]

Crossover with Maven would make so many of us happy. But what you do already makes us happy, as well. Keep up the good work.

[@annaLee-uh1xz]

This was actually my favorite book out of all of them. One reason was the making of staples. IDK why but I thought that them making staples was simmilar to the busy work I always had to do in school while listening to teachers who were awful, mean, and would do nothing about bullys. Also I read this in grade school so like 7 to 10 years old, and I think any older and you start to dislike the repetition. Its kinda like old cartoons or comics. Same formula different issue with a big bad guy causing all of it. P.s. it also had one of the smartest female characters I had read about ,as I didn't ready harry potter. And violet was a -if not the- main character unlike in the potter books.

[@clothcat3071]

The Dom your wardrobe choice is always a joy to see, seriously I love your t-shirts and felt they deserved a shout out

[@wfbgenius]

I always loved the books because as a kid it’s not too far off that all the people in power are either morons or actively malicious (or both), and the kids who survive will be the ones who read books, stick together, and don’t stop trying.

[@gaphic]

I couldn’t get into the books as a child- I liked the writing style, but for whatever reason I just stopped reading early on. Possibly because I already had an extremely overblown view of my own intelligence and didn’t get much from that aspect of the books. As an adult I actually like them much better. Probably because I’m now disillusioned to some things in my childhood that I didn’t realize were fucked up at the time. I think asoue succeeds in being a story that captures what it FEELS like to be surrounded by authority figures who don’t care- the world is actually full of people who should be in jail, but aren’t. The ersatz elevator in particular strikes VERY close to home for me with its premise of children being fashionable accessories. It’s also a great series in that it makes the intended audience, children, feel smart and capable in a way and to a degree that nothing else really does. It’s not supposed to be realistic so much as validating, and it’s overwhelmingly successful at that.

[@lilmermaid246]

I don't know how accurate this is but I have a lot of tv/movie school/team colors are red and yellow because the teams associated with those colors tend to be less heavy handed with the lawsuits.

[@shikuthetempest]

It's been so long since I read the books I barely remember them. So it is nice to get these little refreshers from you on what they changed. Keep up the good work, Dom~

[@dragoniraflameblade]

Olaf's scenes made me zone out. I also get the sense that the henchman with the hook hands has some deep, possibly romantic feelings for Olaf. Jack Snicket's scenes make me laugh because I felt like they were having a ton of fun shooting it. Looking forward to the next episode.

[@Valtharr]

in regards to the unbelievability of the world and the actions of most adults in the series, I kind of see it as the world working in a way that kids see the real world, only in an exaggerated way accenting the negative. there often are moments when kids feel like adults don't believe them, even though the truth seems obvious. or times when the demands of authorities seem arbitrary and senseless. the world operates on kid logic, kinda like Scott Pilgrim operates on video game logic.

[@AlexLintMeow]

The fact that the series is so unrealistic is what drew me in as I was younger. I love the whimsy and absurdity of it all, it was a good form of escapism for me and I'll always be thankful for that.

[@akisutahatter3245]

I've discovered that I love The Dom's videos so much that it doesn't matter that he's shitting on one of my favourite childhood series, that's how good he is

[@samanthachase8]

The evolution of the vampire myth and their effect on popular culture was what I did my senior research project on in high school. It was most of my final English grade.

[@MistbornTaylor]

I’m in the same boat as you. I came into this series pretty late in life. While I don’t share your hatred for the books, I also don’t have the same nostalgic love. I think a series that did the concept of in universe characters telling you that the ending is going to be sad is Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. It more of comedic edge...until you read the ending and then you realize what that comedic edge was.

[@CHEESEPUFF_7]

I fell in love with these books when I was about pre to early teen. Thank you for helping me realise I didn't have a great childhood when I began reading them.

[@PaulaSantos-uo7xi]

I'm a fan of the books but I've read them so long ago that I'm able to watch the show as something new and enjoy it a lot Looking forward to the next videos about this season, good job Dom!

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

I think the aging of the baby timed out really well by the last episode of the series. I think letting her age normally during the shooting process and going with it worked well when seeing her as still little, but older then an actual newborn.

[@shelbyhotz8623]

I semi enjoyed the books when I read them, but mostly finished the series out of a sense of needing to see how it ended. Like you I don't like depressing stories and never enjoyed how stupid and evil all the adults were. I appreciate them adding in all the VFD stuff early on because it's stuff I honestly feel could have been going on behind the scenes in the books (plus it's more interesting than what's going on in the foreground). I mostly watch the show to see how these stories can be done visually.

[@Bookdragon11]

“Maybe I’m just tired, but I think she is improving.” Good one 😄😄.

[@tomwylie6562]

Good video Dom, always enjoy listening to your humour and critiques.

[@jonathanmeier964]

Even when I disagree with you about a book or series, as with SUE, I always enjoy your commentary and the perspective you bring... keep up the great work!

[@clavasconcellos1712]

I will admit that I missed Reginald. Great review, Mr Dom. Thank you! ^^

[@kakoishii]

I know the librarian throwing books over het shoulder onto a shelf may not have added anything, but I watched that episode with my 10 month old and when the scene happened he laughed his little head off and it warmed my heart 😊

[@TooRudeProductions]

Carmelita spats and the vice principal were absolutely perfect

[@allisongertler5428]

I really just like the humor, characters, and mystery of the series.

[@waldolumberjack3169]

Just throwing my two cents because I didn´t know you when you made that tweet Yeah...my perspective on the world wasn´t really cheery when I was a child, not happy at school, not happy at home. My enjoyment of the books came out of seeing people that faced adversity and incredibly depressing subjects with some optimism and love for eachother, and while it´s true the story doesn´t really suggest a happy ending is even an option, I think that makes the story stronger, at least from personal experience, when I was really young there was a part of me that though that happiness wasnt going to be there in my life, and I like to think taht the Bourdalares also thought that in some capacity, but they still fought through for the slight chance the next step on their lives could eliminate that thought. Edgy rant over, sorry for any grammatical mistakes.

[@colbyg.1029]

You're meanness toward the show just makes me love it more.

[@elizabethtles5367]

For me I think it was the bond between the three siblings that made them so good. I was raised a military kid, I moved around a lot and add to that the fact that I have Pervasive Developmental Disorder (A type of Autism Spectrum Disorder) my sister was more often then not my closest and sometimes only friend. Even now at 20 my sister is for lack of better term 'my person' I can do things I normally couldn't handle on my own when she's with me. So this 'we'll be alright if we're together' attitude the three orphans have really struck a cord with me.

[@annbe1l]

Thank you for recommending the Never Hero. I really enjoyed it!

[@LouiseBrooks-vt7jh]

Super excited for these videos! Always enjoy your content. 😁👍💫🌟🌺

[@Isrjisoneavalable]

I consumed these books as a child as audio books on long car trips. I thought they were a form of satire on popular tropes in children literature. The way the world works, adults vs kids, the bringing in vocabulary words but giving a slightly flawed definition. We where 4 kids I think ages from about 11 to 5 and we all enjoyed them.

[@desmondgentle1474]

13:43 I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that. I found it so creepy that the Quagmire and Boudelaire boys liked the other ones sister because the LOOK THE FUCKING SAME. That was weird as hell.

[@Carewolf]

I love it because it is grotesque and unpredicatable in what it will throw at the kids, even if it is formuleric in the overall structure of each story.

[@CynicalBibliophile]

I actually really like this adaptation. I loved the books as a kid. Then again, I come from a family with a dark sense of humor. I’d say your theory about quality of childhood correlating to the enjoyment of these books is correct. My younger sister was a nightmare to deal with, but the adults in my life never believed me so I grew up dealing with depression and anxiety.

[@jackaylward-williams9064]

4:12 actually that’s not too unreal. I had teachers at school who did that stuff and got away with it. This was between 2006 and 2015 , so it’s contemporary. My teachers would regularly throw students on the floor and physically drag them out the room for misbehaving in class, I had quite a few instances where 2 of my English teachers gave ME detention when other students were bullying me, my maths, PE, English, and art teachers would regularly take the piss out of anyone who wasn’t good at their subjects, detentions would often be dished out just because the teachers felt like it, we would have our food taken away for just eating what was palatable, and if any of these practices were questioned by parents or other people outside of the school, the teachers would just deny that they’d done any such thing or claim that the victim had done something that they hadn’t. Even though most of the book characters are pretty unbelievable, Nero could actually be a real life teacher.

[@havencreatives2488]

I kind of enjoy the message that hope won't save you; it's okay to have it and all, but in the end just hoping isn't going to change anything. It's the orphans' talents that save them, and even if those talents are used in hope, they're still taking personal agency and saving themselves.

[@anonymoose2386]

Maven is an awesome reviewer, and forms the quartet of my favorites reviewers with yourself, KrimsonRogue, and Decker Shado!

[@princeapoopoo5787]

Idk if the Dom will read this, but I really appreciate that he tried to understand and even like the series. I grew up reading these books when I was young. Besides Harry Potter, these were the ones that I bought every time a new one came out. I recently reread the first three, and while they aren't perfect (being children's books I expected my nostalgia goggles to not be so prevalent and I was right!) I still enjoy them. I'm not entirely sure I agree with the Dom's thoughts, but his issues seem a bit more subjective if anything. (Isn't that what critics are about, anyway?) Despite our differences though, in today's culture it could just be easier to dismiss what you don't like entirely, but he is (mostly) polite and understanding and it is definitely appreciated by me, particularly considering his troubles lately. I've seen way too many toxic fan/hatedoms lately.

[@LaurenTheorist]

I appreciate that throughout the entire series the siblings always have each other and that is what is important. To me...the ending isn't all bad.

[@tgiacin435]

My major problems came from Sir not having the cigar smoke, and the execution of the ersatz elevator. With that, I was expecting to over the top fashion district, but they drug out the plot, instead of letting it breathe before continuing. And then there’s the hostile hospital.

[@seleuf]

Aaaaalready following Maven, but definitely a good shout out! As someone who's had a big interest in vampires since my pre-teens and am currently working to publish a book involving them, I think she and I would get along. ^^

[@EvangelinaGrey]

YAAAASSS I love Maven so much!!!

[@Omega_Mak]

I’m loving the Red Dwarf shirt 😂

[@robbywilliamson4152]

I was a pretty big fan of the books growing up, and so far, I've really been enjoying the Netflix adaptation. There are a couple additions/changes that I don't care for, but I also think it improves on the source material in some respects. Introducing Jacques Snicket and another character earlier on was a good move, in my opinion, since it allows the audience to get more attached before tragedy strikes in "The Vile Village". I also like how they're introducing and solving mysteries from the books earlier on.

[@robyndaniell434]

The Dom Your review was so insightful (and entertaining), that I did not notice the continuity error until long after it occurred! Damn, you're good son! Well played!

[@YuzuruA]

I remember fantasy author brandon sanderson explaining the fascination with the fist fantasy he read, compared with the books that he was forced to read in school as a child: "oh my god, this book has DRAGONS, and ADVENTURE, and there is no dogs dying"

[@thetiniestpirate]

There's a moment when they're trying to escape Olaf's car on the train track (from the film) when Violet says "there's always something" which has legitimately got me through some scary stuff in and out of hospital. The depressing hopelessness to the world they are in feels real and relatable enough that their problem solving approach and support in each other seems hopeful and importantly achievable.

[@LaurenTheorist]

These books are meant for young children. Younger than the Harry Potter series is meant for. I read them between 8 and 12 and enjoyed them because I understood what it was like to have everyone underestimate you. I remember thinking adults were so stupid, that it was so obvious, but no one ever realised. I was reading a chapter book in Kindergarten and my teacher took it away saying I couldn't read at that level yet even though I had proven I could multiple times. What I am saying is, how illogical and crazy the books seemed at times made them fun. And I could relate to the orphans as a kid that grew up feeling a little unwanted at times. And even though the V.F.D stuff was introduced later than it should have, I didn't mind because I was about 10 at that time and it wouldn't have made as much sense earlier anyways. I was too young to catch every plot hole, but none really stick out to me to this day. The show is more accurate and better than the movie and it's themes are what are important to me at heart. That kids matter, are smart, and can succeed even when the world is against them. They helped me through a really rough time. I couldn't afford the books so the librarian gave me one when she could. I might be biased because of how they helped me at a very low point in my life, but I still enjoy the books to this day. The show isn't amazing and I know I only like it because I loved the books growing up, but I like it a lot. Now I am about to graduate highschool and I use these books, along with Harry Potter, to help kids from rough childhoods get into reading. We can laugh at the stupid adults and admire the children. I understand and respect your opinion of course, The Dom, because I understand and respect you. Even if you ARE an adult. I just wanted to explain why I feel some people are so attached to this series and so eager to defend them.

[@anneclinton2928]

I think it's worth pointing out that Handler is Jewish, and that influences the worldview from which he writes. The maintenance of strong family/community bonds even in the face of unrelenting misery and violence is a very Jewish theme. Handler's discussed this in a few interviews and I think it's an important consideration to take when evaluating the books. They hold the idea that things might not turn out well, that you might do all the right things and still not "win, " but that living by your principles is still important. They are by no means perfect, but that theme is unusual and, I think, valuable in children's literature.

[@leadingblind1629]

Omg. Dom. I needed your video. I've had such a bad weekend

[@TheDanishGuyReviews]

LeadingBlind I hope this week will be better for you!

[@stopthatwaffle9928]

Hang in there fam

[@catfoy8888]

Know it can’t do much but here’s a virtual internet hug

[@Dominic-Noble]

Hope things pick up for you soon.

[@leadingblind1629]

Thanks everyone. I've been having nightmarish issues trying to make and post my second KZbin video. Spent 72+ hours waiting for the download. Now I'm going to remake it and hope different ratios will help...

[@Takisan111]

I loved what they did with Jacques Snicket. He was pretty different from the books but he was just so badass and charming, he just added an extra flare to the series.

[@wildcosmia5018]

ok but the "What can't be beat? a dead horse!" line was brilliant

[@sabrinaloizides-merideth9874]

I'm a fan of the books and I love the series as well. I don't mind the retconning of the series at all because it fits with the prequels that Handler has written and I just find the new approach amusing. Also, I was an adult with a happy childhood when I first read the novels and I still enjoyed them. I hope this doesn't mess up your theory. Keep up the good work.

[@ermreading]

I recently listened to an interview Audible did with Daniel Handler where they talked about the audio books and he himself said he could never compare to Tim Curry and Curry sounds much more like the characters than he does.