Netflix's A Series Of Unfortunate Events is the most faithful adaptation of the book series yet, bringing the unique tone and dour tale of the Baudelaires to streaming television. While the series primarily follows the story of the orphans and their journey from guardian to guardian, another set of precocious children are introduced in the final two episodes of the season. Spoilers for ASOUE Season 1 ahead. If their introduction is any indication, we'll be seeing a lot more of the Quagmires in A Series of Unfortunate Events if the Netflix series continues.
Over the course of the eight-episode first season, ASOUE plays a cruel narrative prank on the audience that ends in the introduction of the Quagmires. Early in the series, Will Arnett and Cobie Smulders are revealed to be playing two characters named Mother and Father, which seems to imply that the parents of the Baudelaire orphans may still be alive. However, in a gut-wrenching twist, it's revealed that the characters of Mother and Father are the parents of the Quagmire triplets, not the Baudelaires. While Mother and Father may not be the Baudelaire's parents, it seems that they did work alongside the Baudelaires in a secret organization.
Although all seems well for the Quagmires, their house unfortunately meets the very same fate as the Baudelaire mansion as it is burnt to the ground. The final moments of the season show the Baudelaires arriving at an especially austere academy, while Lemony Snicket talks about the value of finding people who have similar life experiences. It's revealed that on the other side of the tall bench seating the Baudelaires are two of the Quagmire triplets, hinting that these similar, parallel stories will likely cross into a potential Season 2.
Of course, anyone who simply can't wait for another season of the TV show can also turn to the book series that the show is based on, where the two Quagmires play a major role in the rest of the series, making the Baudelaires feel a little less alone. However, the happiness that the Quagmires bring doesn't last long, as they are kidnapped by Count Olaf, pushing the Baudelaires to chase after them and further unravel the truth behind the secret organizations and conspiracies that have had such a massive impact on their entire lives.
While the Quagmires are an important, if fleeting, presence in the book, there's no telling how much of an impact they'll have in Netflix's adaptation. It has already taken some liberties with the Quagmires' story, showing their parents while still alive and leaving room for ambiguity as to whether or not they died in the fire. As fans who have read all the books know, the Baudelaires also run into the thought-to-be-deceased Quigley Quagmire, which shows that this family has the ability to escape death in their genes. Perhaps the parents will do the same thing and continue to play a large part in the Netflix series.
While the story begins as the story of the Baudelaires, the Series Of Unfortunate Events quick becomes to story of the Quagmires, the Snickets, and many others who were a part of the secret organization that connects them all together. While this narrative may be tricky and happy to pull the rug out from under the audience at any time, the best shot at truly finding out what the Quagmires are up to in the Netflix adaptation is to watch the show if it comes back for a second season.
