Review: Locke and Key season 3 needs to call a locksmith

The third and final season of the Netflix original series Locke and Key drops on the streaming platform August 10. I was able to get early access to the episodes. Does this final season end the series on a high note? Let’s get into it.

For those jumping into the series blind, here’s a brief synopsis: Locke and Key follows the Locke family — siblings Kinsey, Tyler, and Bode and their mother Nina — who have access to magic keys they find scattered throughout the family house. At the start of this season, a pair of sisters imprisoned within a snow globe within the Locke house escape, and soon after resurrect a British Red Coat Captain who plots against the Locke family.

What’s to blame for Locke and Key season 3: the acting or the directing?

So, to start off with the positives, I’ll give this show one thing: it has great production values. The sets are eye-catching and aesthetically pleasing, particularly the Locke house’s expansive interior. It definitely fits the bill for a whimsical fantasy country house you find in storybooks.

Moving on to the negatives, I have to tell you I had a very hard time getting into this show due to the acting. Most of it fell flat. The story also failed to grab me, in part because of the actors selling it.

We can lay most of blame at the feet of the directors, though. Let’s look at the mother character, Nina, for instance. Her character seems to default to having this placid, constant smile whenever she’s reacting to anything, a smile that expresses very little. You’d think the director would see that and offer some guidance, something to bring out more diverse and vibrant expression. As it is, she and a lot of the other characters stayed just that: characters. They never once crossed the border into becoming believable human beings I wanted to go on an adventure with.

Locke and Key season 3 is dull

On the writing side of thing, I think the events make sense when laid out in outline form. However, when we get into the scenes themselves, I more often than not found the written dialog bland and tasteless, although again, you could blame the actors for not selling it. The material they are asked to work with is rather bare-bones, and you can’t make a stew with just bones.

I don’t have much else to say about Locke and Key. It’s not “bad in a fun way” like some other shows, where my anger at least keeps me engaged. Truth is, I found it boring, and I think most people, adults or kids, would feel the same. Neither the acting nor writing stir any emotional connection, and the fantasy element isn’t that captivating either. Personally, I say keep this door locked.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels