A Series of Unfortunate Events

I just watched the Netflix series of "A Series of Unfortunate Events." 

It was really popular. I tried reading the first book back then, but I just couldn't get into it. I saw the movie, but that only covered the first part of their story. 

 

And yeah, the whole point of the series is that it's one awful thing after another. But why? Take three great kids, and have fun watching them get tortured over and over? 

But a lot of the plot just confuses me. I still don't understand why a bunch of people went evil and started trying to kill everyone. Because someone couldn't deliver a sugar bowl?

And something tells me that the Netflix series had a nicer ending than the books.