Developed by Carlton Cuse, Meredith Averill and Aron Eli Coleite, ‘Locke & Key’ is a live-action adaptation of a comic series by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez that revolves around the Locke family.
After the brutal murder of their father Rendell Locke (Bill Heck) by his student Sam (Thomas Mitchell Barnet), the Locke children Tyler (Connor Jessup), Kinsey (Emilia Jones) and Bode (Jackson Robert Scott) along with their mother Nina (Darby Stanchfield) move to their father’s ancestral home called the Keyhouse in Matheson, Massachusetts, which is home to magical keys. Feeling connected to their father in their new house, the children confront the mysterious happenings and secrets of the Keyhouse that leads them to face an evil entity Dodge (Laysla de Oliveria) from their father’s past who is trying to get the keys for all nefarious purposes.
By the end of Season 1, the children are at peace as they send Dodge back from where she came, The Black Door, a portal that holds back a dimension full of demons. Little did they know that Dodge is impersonating as high school boy Gabe (Griffin Gluck), who is also Kinsey’s boyfriend, using the Identity Key. She uses the same key to change Ellie (Sherri Michelle Saum) into her lookalike and the children by mistake throw their gym teacher across The Black Door. Dodge tricks them into opening The Black Door with the Omega Key, the most important key of all.
Season 2 picks up three months after the end of the previous season where Dodge and Gabe are now one person. Unaware about this fact, the children are enjoying their summer relaxing with friends and playing with the magical keys. After some chaotic experiences with Sam, Nina is also trying to move on and sparks a possible romance with newcomer Josh (Brendan Hines).
Amidst all this, Gabe is conspiring with Eden (Hallea Jones) who is now his counterpart after she was hit by the Iron Whisper in the previous season. Gabe is trying to create an army of demons and get the Omega Key from the Lockes while the Lockes fear growing up as they would forget the magic once they turn 18. While Gabe and Eden are a threat, the real danger lies behind The Black Door.
A round of applause to the makers for casting such a perfect ensemble as they all put their best foot forward. Since the heart of the series lies in the Locke sibling dynamic, the overall work relies upon them. Tyler struggles with impending adulthood while Kinsey seems a bit confused between her boyfriend Gabe and filmmaker friend Scot (Petrice Jones) but Bode continues to shine bright as an important member of the Locke family. The way Tyler and Kinsey keep Bode away in some violence scenes, gives the season a new depth. Yet, the series is at its best when the trio is solving a mystery together.
Viewers were waiting for Nina’s character to up her game but she keeps to the side throughout and it feels like she is missing by the end. In a world full of teenagers, Ashmore as Uncle Duncan stands out as the only adult character who turns out to be a crucial member. He manages to navigate into his past and rekindle his memories that were stolen from him as a kid, resulting in the best subplot of the season.
Oliveira as Dodge, an impeccably dressed monster, is terrifying, ruthless and menacing that no one wants to mess with. However, her male counterpart Gabe lacks the sinister aura Dodge has as he is less intimidating and not scary at all. Much better is Eden who is vicious with a sly smile any good villain needs to have.
‘Locke & Key’ is a compelling, adventurous and at times even emotional show about a family that faces challenges of growing up, family bonds and carrying a legacy that they did not choose. Though this season feels a bit darker than its predecessor, the pace is much faster making it lose some of the magic and getting away from the deep dark secrets that make the show an interesting watch in the first place.
There are some interesting additions to the season with the story delving into the keys’ origin as to how they are made and who can make them using frequent flashbacks. The keys and the Keyhouse itself are the main highlights of the season with impressive visual effects. It smartly explores the past of Matheson and the Keyhouse which is important even for the future series to come.
‘Locke & Key’ is thrilling and captivating as a whole, making the show worth watching yet it is still unclear what Dodge is looking to gain from the keys. Viewers will be in for yet another treat as Season 2 ends with the same twist at the end as Season 1, hinting at a possible third instalment of the series. Hopefully, Season 3 brings some more secrets along the ride with another sinister being to fight. 
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