Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events release date: Netflix unveils suitably meta-first teaser

The show adapts the popular series of children's books penned by Lemony Snicket (AKA Daniel Handler)

Netflix has unveiled our first look at the highly-anticipated adaptation of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.

And it's suitably, and deliciously, meta in its content; seeing Snicket himself (portrayed by Patrick Warburton) give a warning to potential viewers. Strolling around the show's set, Snicket calls the upcoming series a string of depressive phrases; from "upsetting" to "utterly unnerving", pleading with viewers to, "look away before this dire tale is even filmed and avoid the cruel whimsy and whimsical cruelty of what's to come."

The reveal also comes with an official launch date; on an equally suitable Friday the 13th, specifically 13 January 2017.

Based on the popular series of children's books by Lemony Snicket (AKA Daniel Handler), the series follows the dire misadventures of the trio of Baudelair ophans - inventor Violet, bookish Klaus, and bitey Sunny; as they find themselves perpetually hounded by the mysterious Count Olaf, hell-bent on landing the orphans' inherited fortune.

Neil Patrick Harris is set to play Count Olaf; donning his many, poorly conceived guises for the show; with the eight-episode series coming from exec produers Barry Sonnenfeld and Handler himself.

All eight episodes will be available on Friday, Jan. 13, 2017.