Netflix's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' Isn't Set In Any Particular Time Period

A Series of Unfortunate Events returns to Netflix tonight at midnight and there’s one big thing that we’ve always wondered – what time period are they supposed to be in?

Turns out, none!

According to Neil Patrick Harris, who plays Count Olaf, there’s no specific time period for the series at all.

“I don’t mean that the series is ‘for all time’, but that the series is intentionally not set in any single historical period or era,” he shared in a new interview.

“Even though we’re not using cellphones, we’re not speaking in old-timey English either,” he adds. “That makes it more interesting when you’re picking automobiles or pocket watches, because you want something that could come from the 60s, 70s, 80s – or the 20s!”

Neil also opened up about getting a different look, and even recording a different theme for each and every episode, too.

“A few times when we were recording the theme tune yet again, I would ask, ‘Can’t we just use the one from the last episode? Do we have to keep re-recording this chorus?’” he shares.

“The first episode of each two-parter is sung in Count Olaf’s voice, but part two always has a section sung in the voice of the character he’s portraying,” Neil adds. “That was a fun idea – but it is very, very difficult to sing as Gunther…”