Dear reader, if you're looking for a cheery, uplifting interview about Netflix's A Series of Unfortunate Events, perhaps it's best to look elsewhere. Just kidding. As we draw ever closer to the Jan. 13 release of the tragic new series, we've gotten a wealth of captivating pictures, a small handful of compelling trailers, and a look at the full series cast. But what, exactly, are we in for once the full first season drops? We hopped on the phone with Patrick Warburton, who plays Lemony Snicket himself, to get a few hints about what's on the horizon.

The series will dig much deeper than the 2004 film: "I think that this is the perfect format for these books. To be able to take a creator like Barry Sonnenfeld and give him the reins and say, 'Listen, we have all these stories, and we need to tell them fully.' Two almost one-hour episodes per book lets us be more comprehensive. Now, you actually feel like you're getting the whole book as you watch these. I think it's essentially like a two-hour movie per book." There are more stories ahead and a few secrets: "I believe there's a long-term plan to tell all the stories. Within them, there may be a surprise or two." All of those elaborate sets, from Count Olaf's mansion to the burned-down Baudelaire house to the underground tunnels, were very real: "Those were sets . . . Bo Welch is the greatest. The most fascinating set design work there is. He worked with Tim Burton on some of his iconic films and of course Barry Sonnenfeld on the Men in Black films. He's done so much, and he brings a lot of the realism. But then there's something sort of otherworldly or othertimely, a dimensionality that he can bring to his sets. It's just another element that is unique." Daniel Handler (the real name of the man who wrote the book series) seems pretty normal in real life: "He's fun! He's an interesting, cool dude. When I first met him . . . you're always curious to see the man behind the curtain. This inspiration of his, this creation, became quite profound with millions and millions and millions of readers worldwide. It's interesting when you find a writer who grabbed that lightning bolt. You wonder what it is that made this special, with so many other series and whatnot that didn't find what he found. What is it that made this so special? Was it the hand of God? Did it originate from sea of inspiration? How did these characters come about? These are all things you'll never find out sitting with Daniel at dinner and talking, but he's just a cool dude. It's been nice getting to know him a bit." Season two is reportedly in the works: "I know that there's talks and preproduction going on right now."