Polski Spoiler, dark intrigues, parallel octaves - Brecht on Netflix

Abstract

Aim. The main purpose is an attempt to find an answer if the creators of Netflix Series The Series of Unfortunate Events (Sonnenfeld, 2017-2019) intentionally or unintentionally realized Bertolt Brecht’s concepts described in his theoretical works. The paper focus especially on musicality of the Netflix’s production and Brecht’s theatre.

Discussed concepts. The paper is based on a current studies of the seriality in both culture and pop culture, with a comparative analysis of musicality of Brecht’s works and theoretical concepts, and music pieces of the Netflix’s series. The role of the pieces seems to be somewhat analogues, what indicates the question of the similarities in the function of the construction of cultural texts and the intentionality of the reference - which becomes the main topic of the article. 

Results. The similarities observed through the process of the analysis shows
a postbrechtian character of musical pieces of The Series of Unfortunate Events. However, the origins of the songs differ. Brecht’s are more political, while songs in The Series… are to be entertaining, sometimes with a social messages, understanding of which is not required to understand the series’ main message. This indicates the multiplicity of possible interpretations of the series and a pop culture as a whole.

Cognitive value. The paper includes the comprehensive analysis of the musicality of the songs of Brecht and Netflix’s Series of Unfortunate Events. This research might lead to the further studies of the mutual influences and antagonisms between the stereotypically presumed as high culture and modern pop culture.