Review: Locke & Key Season 3

Last week Netflix has released Season 3 of Locke & Key, and I'm sad to say it seems the series has come to an end. 

Darling Hubby and I binge-watched the new season this past weekend, and it was a respectable end to a fabulous series. (So many series end poorly so it's nice to find one that does it well.)

If you haven't heard about Locke & Key, it's a Netflix original series that deuted in 2020. It's based on an American graphic novel series written by Joe Hill, illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez, and published by IDW Publishing.

Currently, Locke & Key Volume 1 is a Prime Membership free read or you can buy it for 99¢.

I don't read many graphic novels, but this is one I couldn't pass up. The art shown at left is actually the cover art for Volume 1.

If you haven't seen the previous seasons, go back and start with Season 1 because the imaginative story shifts back and forth from current reality to memories of the past.

The Premise

A guidance counselor is murdered by a studient. Trying to move forward and leave the past behind, his widow moves their three children from Seattle back to Massachusetts where her husband grew up.

To their surprise, Keyhouse, the family home, is a Victorian mansion with as many secrets as there are rooms. Magic lives in Keyhouse, but the children—2 teens and a pre-teen—are the only ones who realize it. Adults can't see the magic. In fact, their conscious minds rationalize every odd occurence.

From that jumping off point, the story expands wtih dramatic highs and lows, scary horror, and magical events. As with anything "special" like the magic the keys can work, there's a price to pay, and the kids learn the price can be high.

Throw in a portal to another dimension, a psychopathic killer, demon possession, teen love and angst, and those in the know recognize that the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Locks and keys abound in this series. You may find yourself wishing you had some of these magical keys, or maybe not when you see the harm some cause.

Spoiler Alert

Check out the list of all of the keys and what they do on the Locke & Key Wiki

This Wiki is actually about the graphic novel series, but many of the keys listed are used in the Netflix series.

The Cast

Connor Jessup as Tyler Locke, the oldest of the 3 kids.

Emilia Jones as Kinsey Locke, the daughter who's the middle child.

Jackson Robert Scott as Bode Locke, the precocious youngest child who seems smarter and more intuitive than anyone else in the series.

Darby Stanchfield as Nina Locke, the long-suffering mother who hasn't a clue.Laysla de Oliveira as Dodge whose beauty hides her evil heart.

Griffin Gluck as Gabe, one of the boys who falls for Kinsey.

You'll recognize many of the other members of the cast, and they're all excellent in their respective roles.

My Review

Like the previous 2 seasons, Season 3 features imaginative storytelling with a compelling premise. 
The characters are likable even though sometimes you want to scream at them, "Run, you idiots."

There's so much unexplored mystery and unresolved aspects to this mythical world that you may be like me and want to read the graphic novels to learn more. 

The series has the usual teen conflict fueled by hormones and emotions, but you'll see how the characters grow which is what fiction is all about.

Each episode builds upon the previous ones, and the cliffhangers at the end of each season will make you immediately click for the next episode of the new season.

Takeaway Truth

If you're looking for a compelling storytelling with great visual imagery, imaginative premises, believable characters, great special effects, and a narrative that makes you beg for more, Locke and Key is what you want to watch.


No comments:

Post a Comment