Locke & Key - Season 1

Sometimes Netflix is willing to take risks, but that was something we already knew. This is also the case with one of their latest titles. Locke & Key, which was released in February 2020, actually has a rather revealing title. Everything revolves around locks and keys, and also the Locke family. When this family moves to Matheson, their lives are forever changed. In a quest to find answers about the past of their husband and father, they end up in a dangerous struggle. What kind of secrets are hidden away in the mansion they move into, and can they finish what their father started?

For nearly ten years, the creators of this show have tried to create Locke & Key.

Rendell Locke (Bill Heck, Taxi Brooklyn) is brutally murdered in front of his own family. His wife Nina (Darby Stanchfield, Scandal) decides to leave her house in Seattle in order to move to Keyhouse, the Locke family mansion. Keyhouse is notorious. A lot of stories have been told about this place and with its immense size, it does, in fact, have a lot of secrets. The intention is simple: to restore the house and build a new life in the meanwhile. In reality, it isn't that simple at all.

Locke & Key uses a lot of special effects. Though these differ in quality, they are usually a rather good addition to the series. The darkness builds up. In the beginning, it doesn't really feel like a horror series. In the end, this starts to become more apparent. Despite this build-up, the story manages to generate curiosity. You're sucked in and before you know it, you've seen even more episodes.



The children Bode (Jackson Robert Scott, Fear the Walking Dead), Kinsey (Emilia Jones, Utopia) and Tyler (Connor Jessup, Falling Skies) are the main characters. As they struggle with the traumatic loss of their father, the moving and their new house, they find the keys. All of these keys have a different shape and a corresponding magical task. These tasks are a great addition to daily life but are also a curse. Finding these keys and taking care of them is connected to the house. But why did their father never mention anything to them about this important task?

For nearly ten years, the creators of this show have tried to create Locke & Key. After both FOX and Hulu rejected the pilot, and the announced movie never seemed to get off the ground, it appeared as if it would never happen. Netflix was brave enough and decided to give the series a green light in 2018. The soundtrack was rather interesting. Even though I never pay any particular attention to this, I thought most of the songs fit the scenes quite well.

Complex storylines are (too) briefly handled, as a result of which details are forgotten.

At their new school Tyler and Kinsey try to make new friends. Fitting in isn't that easy if everyone already knows your name and has certain ideas about that name. After a while, they manage to find friends and step by step Tyler and Kinsey involve them in their supernatural adventures. Locke & Key is a fantasy series which brings a - mainly in the beginning - fairy tale-like image. Nonetheless, the ending is a lot more mature than most would expect at first.

Laysla de Oliveira has the questionable honour to portray the big bad, but it turns out she is quite good at it. Even though most of the actors aren't all that well known, they all do quite well. The acting of the cast - young and old - is of quite a high level. Besides the trailer, I knew nothing about the story of the series. By now, I know that it is based on a comic book series. Even though I didn't know anything about it, I felt like I didn't miss any background information. The series feels like a mix between Charmed and Stranger Things and seems to appeal to a now quite popular genre.

Even though I am rather positive, I do think it's a pity that some plot holes aren't explained all that well. Complex storylines are - too - briefly handled, as a result of which details are forgotten. The series has an open ending, but I doubt that a second season would provide all the answers. Netflix has already revealed that a second season is on the way. Locke & Key ends with a bunch of big cliff-hangers, so there is more than enough story left for the next season. I do think that the creators should pay more attention to detail, but I am mostly very enthusiastic about Locke & Key. I can't wait for the second season and thus I deem this series to be a true recommendation for those who love this particular genre!