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

2. The Chilling Count

A Series Of Unfortunate Events Season 2
Netflix

Once again, for all the cast's work, there is only one star of this show (which is exactly how the Count would like it): Neil Patrick Harris' odious Olaf.

Like with Season 1 he's a 'master' of disguise, with this year's efforts including a gym teacher, a police detective, and a doctor. Some of them are almost ridiculously transparent, but that's just part of the joy in Harris' performance: a good actor playing a terrible actor who thinks himself a great thespian.

Harris perfectly hams it up in comic fashion, and also gets to display his musical gifts much more this season, with a couple of show-stopping numbers alongside his opening credits tunes. Crucially, though, he still manages to balance the silliness with real menace, and there are a few moments this season where Olaf goes darker than ever before and feels truly threatening, especially in The Horrible Hospital, and doubly so for the younger viewers among its audience. Even in its weaker moments, NPH's Olaf is always worth watching for.

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Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.