A Series Of Unfortunate Events Season 2 Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

6. The Astonishing Additions

A Series of Unfortunate Events already had a stacked cast, but it gets much, much better in Season 2 with a few brilliant new additions.

Arrested Development's Tony Hale arrives as Jerome Squalor, a man comically torn between his marriage to Esme and his desire to do what's right by the children, and Sara Rue arrives as a librarian who not only adds to the humour but helps drive the VFD story forward and has great chemistry with yet another newcomer, Nathan Fillion.

The Firefly star is predictably great as Jacques Snicket, who gets a bigger role than in the books. Fillion plays him as a swaggering hero, which he can do in his sleep, but best is when he and NPH's Olaf get to bounce off each other in madcap fashion - and it's even better if you're familiar with Dr Horrible.

Lucy Hale (Hot Fuzz) is a perfect fit for the Cruella de Vil-esque Esme Squalor, parading out declaring what's in and out in perfect hoi polloi fashion, and she too makes for a wonderful foil for Harris. Best of all, though, is Kitana Turnbull as Carmelita Spats, a bratty, attention-seeking student at Prufrock Preparatory School who completely steals the first two episodes and has what may be the season's funniest scene.