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Locke and Key: Horror Fantasy in Safe Mode


Locke and Key


Locke and Key is a story about a murder. A grieving family, running from their memories, moves to a small town to live in an old family house. In this house, they find a group of magic keys with all sorts of powers.

I had a good time watching Locke and Key. It is interesting, mysterious, and entertaining. Yet, there isn’t much more to take from the show. In many points, it is shallow.

After checking some reviews, I realized there isn’t any consensus on this one at all. There are those who loved it and those who hated it. Some people think the actors were amazing; others believe they were terrible. Well, the show is fun, and the actors have an average quality. I can’t see the reason for such a fuss. 

Horror(ish)


It is a horror story, but it lacks something to be considered that way. They were very safe in their choices and decisions, and it wasn’t as creepy as it should have been. Entering someone’s mind? Flying around dead in the garden? They manage to make it all look like a children’s play. 

When they found the first keys and started playing with them, you’ll always expect something to go seriously wrong. After a while, you don’t think that anymore. It lacks some suspense.

The main story, especially ignoring the magic keys and what each one of them does, is about loss. The family is grieving, and the show explores the way each one of them finds to overcome their loss.

On the horror side, you lack a good villain. Dodge (Laysla De Oliveira), the spectrum in the house, obsessed with the keys, is not convincing. Sam Lesser (Thomas Mitchell Barnet), the murderer of Mr. Locke, a much better villain than Dodge, is not explored as thoroughly as he should be by the story. He becomes a simple tool for Dodge.

The Keyhouse


The old family house has a name, the Keyhouse. Every good old haunted house deserves one, right? It makes sense for us once we know the keys. Yet, the other characters, not aware of the magic, don’t seem especially curious about the name of the house…

When the family moves, everyone in town already seems to know they are coming. It is kind of creepy, but again, not very well explored. When you finish watching the show, you have a few loose ends, not that necessary for the story, but kind of annoying.

The keys are obviously the protagonist. It is exciting to uncover the mystery of each one of them, no doubt. Yet I couldn’t help but feel that only children would think to try every key without concern. Clearly, many of them can be quite dangerous. 

The world of the magic keys is not open to adults. Even if they try a key, they will forget everything that happens. So convenient. Nonetheless, Mr. Locke’s friend, Ellie (Sherri Saum), remembers, and we never have an explanation for that. The best we get is, “we found a way to remember.” Can’t you share it with the class?

Nina


Nina Locke (Darby Stanchfield) is an interesting character who, like many others, wasn’t very well explored. Her husband was killed, and she moved with the kids, trying to give them a normal life. That’s it. We have a few glimpses of who she is, a couple of minutes in a couple of episodes, but no more. 

While her kids deal with grief in different ways, facing - or avoiding - the fateful day, she… is around. She never seems to contribute much to the story's development. Yet she has an interesting one of herself.

She struggles with sobriety, the loss of her husband, and the fact that her life became abruptly upside down. This is a lot. The focus is on the kids and the keys, I get it, but Nina could bring more depth to the show.

Predictable


The end of the show was predictable. It was evident that someone would be hit by whatever those things were. Not necessarily the girl, though. I, personally, thought it would be Scot (Petrice Jones). 

Despite being fun to watch, Locke and Key lacks something. The whole story seems to be written by convenience - what was more convenient to happen now? Sometimes, you feel that the writers don’t have a plan. There are many unexplained facts. Some of them seemed to be the way they are because it was convenient to get the story going.

Locke and Key has more potential than it showed.

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