Locke & Key

:

Season 1
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Feb 7, 2020
Season #: 3, 2, 1
User Score
6.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 92 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 92
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 92
  3. Negative: 20 out of 92

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User Reviews

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  1. entitet
    Feb 13, 2020
    3
    The adult graphic novel is a gritty, gruesome and violent horror/fantasy. If the show would've followed the novel, it could've been something unique and special. Instead they removed the horror, twisted the story, made it dumb and turned it into a mediocre teen drama fantasy show ...like we really needed another one of those. Greatly missed opportunity.
  2. MattWicked
    Feb 8, 2020
    3
    A tween drama series packaged as a mystery show, which doesn't exactly show a lot of mystery. It dumps expository monologues on viewers in order to move on to highschool love stories as soon as possible and those drag on for far too long. Changes to source material are expected, but aren't good. First season has a lot more supporting characters than the comic does, but they're allA tween drama series packaged as a mystery show, which doesn't exactly show a lot of mystery. It dumps expository monologues on viewers in order to move on to highschool love stories as soon as possible and those drag on for far too long. Changes to source material are expected, but aren't good. First season has a lot more supporting characters than the comic does, but they're all incredibly dull and one-dimensional. Pretty white girl is a **** British black dude is a manic pixie dream guy, fat nerdy guy is just that, and so forth. None of them are allowed to be anything more than a background and rails, of sorts, for main characters. While Locke siblings are well cast, their motivations are muddy at best and their actions rarely seem logical even within created universe, which is even more annoying when coupled with in-series inconsistencies. Original soundtrack and main theme, however, are pretty great, although when it comes to licensed songs, well... They're on par with Riverdale in terms of dark heartbroken tween-ness.

    If you're interested in a concept of a mystery house or felt let down by this show, read the original comics, they're bread and don't pull any punches.    … Expand
  3. gilbertofp16
    Feb 9, 2020
    1
    Bad acting, bad history, I mean the people in this series are like no stoping and thinking why the crazy stuff is happening, it is like normal to them, like wow this stuff happen let's go to school yeahhh, wtf why the characters can not have balls and think and do something
  4. otavio98
    Feb 11, 2020
    4
    Could've been only 5-6 episodes. Too much set-up for a dumb "plot twist" that is cliche. Creative, but too overconfident of its story, which it is not that impressive...
  5. Lufe
    Feb 8, 2020
    7
    There was no reason for them to abandon the horror and suspense of the HQs for the series, because there are series like Stranger Things, which is watched by many of all ages. But it's an ok series.

    There are holes that scream in your face, apart from key upgrades that don't make sense, that's why in the second season I expect an improvement in the script - Poh, the series is produced    There was no reason for them to abandon the horror and suspense of the HQs for the series, because there are series like Stranger Things, which is watched by many of all ages. But it's an ok series.

    There are holes that scream in your face, apart from key upgrades that don't make sense, that's why in the second season I expect an improvement in the script - Poh, the series is produced by Joe Hill himself - and even if it's 10% of horror that the comic book series has. For the rest I was satisfied, for the kinsey, Nina, Tyller ... and of course the Bode, but mainly the Dodge.

    An ok series for those who read the comics and a great one for those who haven't read it yet.    … Expand
  6. cvanaver
    Feb 9, 2020
    9
    Perhaps a bit more juvenile than I'd like, but when compared to other comic-driven Netflix shows, this one is excellent in acting, character, story and dialogue. As good, if not better than Stranger Things, this may be the new crown in the Netflix fantasy genre.
  7. Csirus
    Feb 10, 2020
    9
    I will be up front and say, that if you came from the comic, and are expecting a direct port, you are going to be dissapointed. Coming into it with a fresh mind, and thinking of it as the first successful show to be created on this, it is great. They turned the mature content of the comic down from 100 to about 30...but I think they still do a great job of showing the Locke family, andI will be up front and say, that if you came from the comic, and are expecting a direct port, you are going to be dissapointed. Coming into it with a fresh mind, and thinking of it as the first successful show to be created on this, it is great. They turned the mature content of the comic down from 100 to about 30...but I think they still do a great job of showing the Locke family, and the impact the different keys have on them. I would definitely recommend watching.… Expand
  8. kush02
    Feb 11, 2020
    9
    A really good story with a lot of mysteries and good characters.
    Comic based - fantasy - teen drama - solid back story - Binge worthy.
    A must watch!
  9. Psy_pmP
    Feb 8, 2020
    4
    The stupidest series, with the stupidest characters. Every time they do something stupid just to move the story. Everyone on this show is a complete idiots.
  10. tuwalua
    Feb 8, 2020
    7
    Good adaptation but lacking the darkness of the comics. It is a family friendly fantasy/mystery show which is well made. But it is more satisfying to watch when they find and learn about the keys than the final conclusion. Its a good fun show to watch, Netflix did nothing wrong there. If you like magic and mystery with a little bit of harry potter vibes its a show for you! But i wished itGood adaptation but lacking the darkness of the comics. It is a family friendly fantasy/mystery show which is well made. But it is more satisfying to watch when they find and learn about the keys than the final conclusion. Its a good fun show to watch, Netflix did nothing wrong there. If you like magic and mystery with a little bit of harry potter vibes its a show for you! But i wished it was a little bit more horror and darker!… Expand
  11. alharbimm
    Feb 12, 2020
    9
    great series i wish next season will be like this season thanks Netflix...
  12. hillglazier
    Feb 9, 2020
    5
    The plot turned out to be quite interesting and the dialogues caught my attention, unfortunately once that the PC references start to pop up I knew the writers and producers were trying to appease to different minorities. It's really a shame that people in the industry can't simply produce a series without pandering to certaing sectors.
  13. Lucio81
    Feb 9, 2020
    7
    If you enjoyed Stranger Things, you should enjoy it too, even if in my opinion it is not as good.
  14. HealingToolbox
    Apr 22, 2023
    7
    TV series need a different rating system than films. We expect 90 minute films to be be more coherent and have more originality. We need only expect TV to be watchable and not make us feel too stupid.
    If L&K was a film, Id give first season 5/10. As watchable TV while I go thru my before-bed routines, I give it 8/10.
    Definitely in the vein of Stranger Things and Wednesday. What    TV series need a different rating system than films. We expect 90 minute films to be be more coherent and have more originality. We need only expect TV to be watchable and not make us feel too stupid.
    If L&K was a film, Id give first season 5/10. As watchable TV while I go thru my before-bed routines, I give it 8/10.
    Definitely in the vein of Stranger Things and Wednesday.
    What makes it watchable? Passages of terrific, tight plotting, engaging characters possible to care for, committed actors, not-actively terrible or better CGI. Locke & Key has all these.
    I credit Carlton Cuse (LOST) with at least some of this successful synthesis of watchable factors.    … Expand
  15. ViniLdC
    Feb 14, 2020
    4
    The slather of dumb decisions made by the characters and the stupid teenage drama makes this show unbearable to watch. I didn't watch the last episode because the one before it had such a dumb decision, that I couldn't suspend my disbelief. Yes, suspension of disbelief for magical monsters, demons, magic keys... totally fine. But for dumbness, that's new to me! You have to assume everyThe slather of dumb decisions made by the characters and the stupid teenage drama makes this show unbearable to watch. I didn't watch the last episode because the one before it had such a dumb decision, that I couldn't suspend my disbelief. Yes, suspension of disbelief for magical monsters, demons, magic keys... totally fine. But for dumbness, that's new to me! You have to assume every character, except the villain, is really really dumb to fully enjoy this show.… Expand
  16. corremn
    Feb 19, 2020
    5
    Lets just dwell on what lets this show down, the script, period. The background story and actors are quite good, however the script is juvenile, filled with plot holes and over dramatisation, characters do and say things that just does not stand up to any form of scrutiny. Leave you brain at the door, and pray that season 2 brings fixes to these really obvious shortcomings.
  17. RicardoManson
    Feb 18, 2020
    4
    Roteiro é uma porcaria. Personagens são muito burros. Não recomendo essa série, você chega a passar raiva.
  18. DylanJaimes12
    Mar 21, 2020
    10
    ES LA MEJOR SERIE, desde el primer momento te atrapa, me la vi sin ver ni un tráiler, y aún así consideró que es BUENISIMA
  19. redross16
    Mar 20, 2020
    3
    The show doesn't capture the themes of a child's innocence lost because of violence and fear that were so effective in the comics. The characters have also lost the charm that they had in the graphic novel ( Bode and the mom being good examples, Bode is now just an annoying child with no depth, whereas in the comic he was just as annoying but entertainingly so and he was clever, figuredThe show doesn't capture the themes of a child's innocence lost because of violence and fear that were so effective in the comics. The characters have also lost the charm that they had in the graphic novel ( Bode and the mom being good examples, Bode is now just an annoying child with no depth, whereas in the comic he was just as annoying but entertainingly so and he was clever, figured things out on his own and didn't have to be told to do something that will advance the plot, and the mom is now boring, as she loses the vices that she had in the comics, therefor removing her character arc). Couldn't even get past the first 3 episodes.… Expand
  20. Kryssyd
    Apr 4, 2020
    8
    I have no familiarity with the graphic novel so I found the show quite good, in fact I'm obsessed with it. The CGI, special effects, and cinematography is what brings this show up from a good show to the great one. I'm glad I had no knowledge prior because all I would've wanted to do was compare the two. Now, don't get me wrong, if it was a solid adoption and stayed almost completely trueI have no familiarity with the graphic novel so I found the show quite good, in fact I'm obsessed with it. The CGI, special effects, and cinematography is what brings this show up from a good show to the great one. I'm glad I had no knowledge prior because all I would've wanted to do was compare the two. Now, don't get me wrong, if it was a solid adoption and stayed almost completely true to the novel then if I liked the novel I shouldn't have had any complaints. However, what I hear is that the Netflix version is way more toned-down than the novel. So, I don't know if I would have been disappointed not to see everything that I saw in the novel had I had read it. On the other hand though, I believe most of the reviews that are negative are coming from people who have actually read the graphic novel. This is where we have to be careful though, I've been reading a lot online about how much fans wanted the novel to be adapted into a series and from what I hear it's been shopped around for about 10 years. Two different Pilots were shot, one for Fox one for Hulu and then finally landing at Netflix. Maybe it was so hard to get someone to pick it up because of the graphic content and when they presented it to Netflix although it still has the Sci-Fi spooky horror elements I really do feel like you can sit down and watch this with some of your younger family members. I feel like if they're 10 or older they should be mature enough but from what I'm reading about the graphic novel is that it is nowhere near as Tamed as the Netflix version. However, this could have been a possible genius idea on Netflix's part because a wider variety of audiences can watch it and take different things away from it and from what I understand it doesn't lose the plot of the story even though it's told a little bit differently. The kid who plays Bode is phenomenal his career is going to go very far. All the children did a good job acting but there's just something about Bode that keeps you wanting more. He's just so cute and you want to pick him up and hold them but obviously that would be weird. However, some of you may be familiar with him because he was in the movie It he played the younger brother that was playing with the paper boat and got kidnapped from Pennywise anyway that's irrelevant to this. I think I'm still going to stick with my formula of not reading things that I know are going to get adapted into movies or shows because now I have nothing to compare it to but if I go back now and read the graphic novel; I have the potential to like the show so much more because even if I like the novel more than the show, I've already falling in love with this show and there's nothing that can change that but you always take that chance if you read something that has not come out yet because your expectations would have been set too high and if they missed one of your favorite parts or part that you thought was important in the book that didn't translate on screen that may ruin your you ain't experience. We also have to keep in mind that this is only the first season and some of the stuff that you may have loved about the books maybe on my Horizon for a future season but as far as this season goes it's a win-win in my book. It's set the groundwork we know the key players we know the rules and they really can take this story anywhere now and possibly like I said incorporate more stuff from the novel into it or change something. Changes and always bad lastly, the few people who I have watched react to the show and have read the novel didn't seem to be too disappointed with the subject matter that we were presented with. Of course you know once you read something you visualize it in your head and if that's not the visual that you see on the screen then it kind of distorts what you thought initially. I just want everyone to give this show a chance so often some of my favorite shows get canceled because people didn't know about it in time to make an impact on viewing it or, it wasn't marketed right or even something as simple as no access to Netflix to even watch the show. BTW I find that hard to believe though even if you don't have Netflix you know someone who does. This show is also risky for Netflix too especially since they didn't adapt it all the way from the graphic novel because shows like this and The Witcher have a built-in very very strong fan base and those are the people who are likely to watch one or a couple of episodes and then don't end up following through because of the direction the show went in but we also have to remember it's an , just give it a chance. This is a show that deserves to be watch from beginning to end multiple times and that's just my opinion. If you are on the verge of deciding whether or not to watch the show I'd recommend watching the trailer and the pilot and then if you don't have any sense of to it or don't seem to be intrigued by it then don't watch it.… Expand
  21. Kaiizen3
    Jul 3, 2020
    9
    I will be up front and say, that if you came from the comic, and are expecting a direct port, you are going to be dissapointed. Coming into it with a fresh mind, and thinking of it as the first successful show to be created on this, it is great. They turned the mature content of the comic down from 100 to about 30...but I think they still do a great job of showing the Locke family, and theI will be up front and say, that if you came from the comic, and are expecting a direct port, you are going to be dissapointed. Coming into it with a fresh mind, and thinking of it as the first successful show to be created on this, it is great. They turned the mature content of the comic down from 100 to about 30...but I think they still do a great job of showing the Locke family, and the impact the different keys have on them. I would definitely recommend watchin… Expand
  22. geewah
    Jan 9, 2021
    5
    Dull.
    Over-styled and with a tedious script, not one of the better entries into what is becoming a crowded genre.
  23. Fixer84
    Mar 16, 2023
    7
    A normal series that has some twists, amuses and entertains. Even if, in my opinion, it does not contain the basis for continuing the narrative too much, with the risk that it then becomes repetitive, Locke & Key is a series, all in all, good and acceptable.

Awards & Rankings

24
#24 Most Discussed TV Season of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
61

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. The Playlist
    Reviewed by: Charles Barfield
    Oct 5, 2020
    42
    Sadly, “Locke & Key” is similar to the creepy old Key House, an old, outdated mansion filled with potentially fun mysteries and intrigue but lacking the strong bones and foundation that can sustain the structure for years to come.
    Read full review
  2. The Detroit News
    Reviewed by: Tom Long
    Aug 14, 2020
    58
    It knows it’s walking familiar ground — spooky but never scary, occasionally violent but never gory, magical but hardly wondrous. Watchable but nowhere near fascinating.
    Read full review
  3. Salon
    Reviewed by: Ashlie D. Stevens
    Feb 7, 2020
    60
    "Locke & Key" is worth it in the end if you can push past the parts that are uneven and a little messy.
    Read full review
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