Neil Patrick Harris' Is Terrifying On 'ASOUE'

On Jan. 13, Lemony Snicket's beloved children's series, A Series of Unfortunate Events, is coming to life in the form of Netflix's new series. This is the second time a live-action version of the novels has been made. Back in 2004, a film version was created of the first few books, but only saw a limited success. Now in this new series, Netflix is attempting to breathe new life into these classic stories with an all-star cast, which includes none other than Neil Patrick Harris. So who does Neil Patrick Harris play on Neflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events? NPH will play the slightly terrifying — but also highly comedic — villain, known as Count Olaf.

A Series of Unfortunate Events follows the story of the three young Baudelaire siblings, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. After their parents are killed in a terrible fire, they are placed in the custody of Count Olaf, their murderous and highly suspicious relative. Throughout the series, Count Olaf attempts to steal their inheritance while the Baudelaire children attempt to escape his formidable grasp. However, as the story progresses, the siblings begin to learn there's more to the story about their parents' deaths and the connection between their parents and Count Olaf than originally meets the eye. The series of books are known for their dark humor and fans are eager to see if the show lives up to those expectations.

Harris definitely has the credentials to play the role of Count Olaf. He's a Tony and Emmy award-winning actor who first became well known as Doogie Howser, M.D. on the show of the same name. Since then, he's starred in a multitude of highly popular shows and films, including How I Met Your Mother, Gone Girl, and The Smurfs, just to name a few. He also starred in live productions of the musicals, such as Rent, Sweeney Todd, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

There's no doubt Harris can bring the hilarity to A Series of Unfortunate Events, but fans have already begun comparing him to Jim Carey, who played Count Olaf in the original film. Despite the comparisons, I have no doubt Harris will dominate the role. Based on the trailer alone, it looks like he'll be a great evil villain you can't help but love to hate, and I can't wait to see how the first season plays out.

A Series of Unfortunate Events is available for streaming on Netflix beginning on Friday, Jan. 13.