Locke & Key season 3 review: Slightly rushed and ordinary end to the series

The third and final season of Locke & Key focuses on the Locke family and the newest threat they face that forces them to make a difficult choice regarding their magic keys. The season is now streaming on Netflix.

Story

It’s been 2 months since the events at the end of the second season and the Locke family finally has some peace in their lives. Tyler has moved away to deal with his grief and chose to forget magic as he turns 18.

Captain Frederick Gideon was brought back by Eden and he’s possessed by a demon. He kills Eden and slowly learns where he is and the power behind the keys. He enlists the help of his former cadets to reopen the doorway permanently.

Tyler eventually decides to regain his memories and stand by his family’s side as they try to ward off the impending threat of Gideon and his cronies.

There are new keys with intriguing powers and a return and momentary alliance with one of their older foes as Gideon come close to bringing down the barrier between the two worlds.

They must make some difficult decisions if they want to defeat this reborn demon and make sure that something like this never bothers them again.

Performances

The cast of Locke & Key performs admirably throughout the third season with one or two great performances but as a collective, they are let down with the quality of the writing.

Jackson Robert Scott shows great maturity in his role as Bode, especially when he is possessed by Dodge. He is allowed to explore a wide range of emotions and he excels in it.

Kevin Durand is menacing as the main antagonist of the series, Frederick Gideon. The distinct timbre of his voice coupled with his delivery makes him a worthy villain to face up against.

Darby Stanchfield, Connor Jessup and Emilia Jones round out the main attractions of the season and they each have individual moments of vulnerability where they truly shine.

Positives

The special effects on display in Locke & Key, whenever magic is used, are of the highest quality. It makes the series a visual spectacle to be enjoyed.

Despite the compact nature of the season, the writers attempted to explore some serious issues concerning some characters like Nina facing her alcoholic past or Bode coming to terms with the fact that everyone else is moving on from his father.

Negatives

Despite being announced as the final season much in advance, the story felt incomplete and squeezed together in a hurry.

The Wheeler sisters barely get an introduction before they are cast off into the mirror world to be never mentioned again. Even the aforementioned issue of Nina and her alcoholism is remedied in very short order.

The creators had multiple ideas that they wanted to fit into the story and the season feels overstuffed at times because of it. The sudden introduction of Gordie Shaw as a key element only for that entire situation to be resolved in the span of an episode felt unnecessary.

Even Sam makes a key contribution before a seemingly emotional death and then he’s given extra credit within the series to signify forgiveness. It is completely underwhelming.

Locke & Key ends on a dampener with no major battle with Gideon. After a minor scuffle, he is thrown to his demise followed by the decision to destroy the keys altogether.

Verdict

Locke & Key is a fantasy series that started with great promise but ends on a whimper. It’s satisfactory for a casual watch by any fans of the series but new viewers will be in for a gradual reduction in quality by the end.

Locke & Key season 3
Locke & Key season 3 review: Slightly rushed and ordinary end to the series 1

Director: Guy Ferland, Ed Ornelas, Marisol Adler, Jeremy Webb

Date Created: 2022-08-10 22:30

Editor's Rating:
2

Also Read: Locke & Key season 3 ending explained: What happens to the keys?

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