After the death of her husband, Nina Locke and her children (Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode) move from Seattle to Matheson, Massachusetts. There, the family decides to live in the ancestral Locke home, Key House, in order to start a new life. Unbeknownst to the family, the trip back to their roots begins a sequence of events that leads the family into a hidden world of mystery and wonder. Unfortunately, the path is lined with an equal amount of danger as Bode, Kinsey, and Tyler begin to discover the secrets of Key House and their father’s past.
Based on the comic book created by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez for IDW Publishing, this is the first series coming out of IDW Entertainment for Netflix. And, if this series is any indication, they are off to an excellent start. IDW Publishing is known for its dark fantasy stories in the same vein as Vertigo when it was still around. Locke & Key is no exception.
The story revolves around magical keys discovered by the Locke siblings at the Key House. Each key grants the user a special power. Only the holder of the key can use the power and only Bode, Kinsey, and Tyler can find the keys. How many keys are there? Well, if you want spoilers, then you just have to read the graphic novel or visit the many fan sites for the comic book series. For now, there have been quite a few revealed, but I’d rather you watch the series to find out what each of them does.
Of course, the road to discovery is not easy as the siblings find out early on in the story. A mysterious character named Dodge, who has ties to their father’s past, has plans of her own for the keys. The reason is discovered by the Locke children in a plot twist that sets the stage for season two. Let there be no mistake, though: the series protagonists are the children with the adult characters playing a supporting role. With the way the children come together to fight a common threat, I am reminded of why ‘Stranger Things‘ caught my attention in the first place. The similarity ends there, though, as ‘Locke & Key’ is a series that can stand on its own merits.
The keys discovered in the series literally open new doors of adventure as Bode and his older siblings discover how to use them. Some of the keys are easy to figure out, while others take time to process. With each discovery, moral dilemmas are presented on whether or not such powers should be used and to what end. Regardless, the siblings conclude that it is their responsibility to protect these keys from abuse even though they fall into the temptation of using these powers to selfish ends. I think this is one very important theme of the show: how do people respond knowing they have powers to change their own destiny? The answers very depending on the character using a particular key’s power.
In effect, this is what makes the series relatable to people. The draw of wish fulfillment is a very alluring key to opening many intriguing doors. This is also the series’ strength as it provides layers and layers of possibilities. The lure of power and how one responds to it is a moral dilemma that many will be able to relate to.
In any case, ‘Locke & Key’ is a series worth your time and viewing pleasure. Open new doors with ‘Locke & Key’ now streaming on Netflix.
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