Locke & Key (Season One) |OT| King of the Hill (Open Spoilers)

[StrangerDanger]

If she keeps drinking... she can finally remember what's going on.
That is what her daughter said to the brother. Seriously the writing and the characters themselves are dumb. There are just so many ways for the characters to say things to one another to example everything, but they all act mysterious to one another and let themselves get in some trouble to understand.

High school drama is also wack. Netflix's Sabrina did a better job on that aspect. Hell they nailed the whole gothic/dark atmosphere while making it light enough for viewers. Should have went down that path rather than this. On Episode 8 atm however, but i don't find myself craving to binge this

 

[Deception]

It's been nearly a month so open spoilers yet or?

 

[Dalek]

It's been nearly a month so open spoilers yet or?

Click to shrink...

Sure why not

 

[pargonta]

If she keeps drinking... she can finally remember what's going on.
That is what her daughter said to the brother. Seriously the writing and the characters themselves are dumb.

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I came here to rail on this exact plot device. Terrible writing alcoholism in a positive light like that, even if fleeting. Stuck out like a sore thumb.

it's like a C- show, but I enjoy this type of shlock so it's fine. enjoy the inception ideas and would like more of that

 

[Deception]

Episode 7 is such an annoying episode because the entire situation could have been solved by Kinsey using the music box to tell Sam what to do.
I've read that in the comics that they haven't found the key for the music box yet but clearly in the show they already have it. Some very bad writing on their part.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

Episode 7 is such an annoying episode because the entire situation could have been solved by Kinsey using the music box to tell Sam what to do.
I've read that in the comics that they haven't found the key for the music box yet but clearly in the show they already have it. Some very bad writing on their part.

Click to shrink...

That particular story in the books comes VERY early.

Spoiler

It's actually stopping Sam's rampage that initially convinces Bode to let Dodge out of the well house, and Dodge helps him by grabbing Sam and throwing him through the Ghost Door before slamming it shut.

I'm not sure why they changed that moment. I guess they wanted to spend more time humanizing Sam?

 

[Deception]

That particular story in the books comes VERY early.

Spoiler

It's actually stopping Sam's rampage that initially convinces Bode to let Dodge out of the well house, and Dodge helps him by grabbing Sam and throwing him through the Ghost Door before slamming it shut.

I'm not sure why they changed that moment. I guess they wanted to spend more time humanizing Sam?

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Even so, all they had to do was make it so that Tyler had the key to the music box and then boom, plot hole would have been fixed.
Kinsey and Bode literally have a key that they can use to make anyone do exactly what they want and they decide "nope, not going to use it".

 

[PlanetSmasher]

Even so, all they had to do was make it so that Tyler had the key to the music box and then boom, plot hole would have been fixed.
Kinsey and Bode literally have a key that they can use to make anyone do exactly what they want and they decide "nope, not going to use it".

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Didn't Tyler take it from her after the Eden thing at school or did he give it back? I can't remember.

 

[Deception]

Didn't Tyler take it from her after the Eden thing at school or did he give it back? I can't remember.

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But didn't Tyler give her back all of the keys after that? The fact that the music box isn't mentioned makes me think the writers didn't even consider it.

 

[LakeEarth]

Even so, all they had to do was make it so that Tyler had the key to the music box and then boom, plot hole would have been fixed.
Kinsey and Bode literally have a key that they can use to make anyone do exactly what they want and they decide "nope, not going to use it".

Click to shrink...

Yeah this shows is full of moments that could of been resolved with elements introduced earlier in the show, but then they just ... forget about them.

 

[Deleted member 21709]

When did this come out? Seems early for an open spoiler thread. But.. damn that mirror scene in the first episode was unexpectedly freaky.

 

[Ramala]

It got *really* dumb towards the end. Just stupefyingly stupid character decisions clearly made because plot needed to get from A-Z in like two scenes.

But I enjoyed the characters, the performances, the imagination, the world. I'll watch S2 if it happens.

 

[WhySoDevious]

So, apparently Locke & Key takes place in the Sandman universe.



And, there's a Sandman series in the works at Netflix.

So what are the odds that they'll also do this crossover in a couple of years?

 

[PlanetSmasher]

So, apparently Locke & Key takes place in the Sandman universe.



And, there's a Sandman series in the works at Netflix.

So what are the odds that they'll also do this crossover in a couple of years?

Click to shrink...

That's REALLY confusing, because it's already been confirmed that Locke and Key takes place in Stephen King's greater universe.

 

[Professor Lich]

Just finished the season and I enjoyed it, but I was wondering about something.

Spoiler: Last Episode spoilers

Is the twist at the end just to try to push more seasons? Did a quick look up of the original series and it seems like it 'ends' before the reveal. Not that I'd complain, just felt really off.

Might check out the graphic novel now though.

 

[Kschreck]

Just finished the season and I enjoyed it, but I was wondering about something.

Spoiler: Last Episode spoilers

Is the twist at the end just to try to push more seasons? Did a quick look up of the original series and it seems like it 'ends' before the reveal. Not that I'd complain, just felt really off.

Might check out the graphic novel now though.

Click to shrink...

I'm not familiar with the graphic novel but the show felt like something designed for many seasons. Still a lot of mysteries yet to be had. At any rate, I hope there is more to come but with Netflix's track record of canceling so many good shows, I'm trying not to get my hopes up.

 

[Teenage Fansub]

So, apparently Locke & Key takes place in the Sandman universe.

Click to shrink...

That's REALLY confusing, because it's already been confirmed that Locke and Key takes place in Stephen King's greater universe.

Click to shrink...

It's crossing over with the Sandman Universe comics (presumably the L+C characters are travelling through a gateway to the Dreaming, or it's getting mixed up in their world. Probably both.)
Nobody's gonna make L+C retroactively take place in the DCU.

 

[PaulloDEC]

Just finished the season and I enjoyed it, but I was wondering about something.

Spoiler: Last Episode spoilers

Is the twist at the end just to try to push more seasons? Did a quick look up of the original series and it seems like it 'ends' before the reveal. Not that I'd complain, just felt really off.

Might check out the graphic novel now though.

Click to shrink...

The major twists at the end of the series (Gabe being Dodge, Eden being infected, Ellie being accidentally thrown through the black door) are all unique to the series. None of those things happen in the comics.

The series is more a remix of the comics than an adaptation, so a whole bunch of stuff has been changed/moved around.

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

Episode 7 is such an annoying episode because the entire situation could have been solved by Kinsey using the music box to tell Sam what to do.
I've read that in the comics that they haven't found the key for the music box yet but clearly in the show they already have it. Some very bad writing on their part.

Click to shrink...

I came in this thread specifically to bitch about this point as I literally just finished ep7.
the minute they found out dude's name, I thought their next move was to use the music box and end the whole affair.
since they were just having so much fun toying with the girl at school just an episode or earlier, it really should've been the first thing that came to mind.

and then to not be out done in the stupid beyond that, the ridiculous plan to sneak up behind dude and get in his head (which against all odds actually worked), and then to not immediately take all the keys back, the gun and anything else of threat away from him, only to allow him to undo the head key and then have all the keys in his possession.....
Dodge comes in, and now it's time to rely on the power of our heartfelt connection moments ago that dumbass won't just hand her all the keys.... instead, I don't know, maybe physically inject yourself into the situation and take them back.

now Dodge has all the found keys except the ghost key, which appears to be practically useless unless you live in the Key house.

I hope it rebounds after that end sequence. I was really into this show until that series of stupid events.
I can only guess what series of stupid events eventually leads to them getting all the lost keys back.

edit: I know the main characters are kids, but come on....
After the stroll down memory lane in Ellie's head, they not only don't bother to grab the head key, but they find and show the Key of Shadows to Ellie, and let her take it with her to go retrieve the Crown of Shadows that's hidden back at her place where Lucas is staying.

Considering how scared Ellie was you'd figure, with her being the adult in the room, she may not want to take the key with her to retrieve the crown it goes with that creates a powerful shadow army and deliver both items directly to the hands of the very person they wanted to keep it from. smdh. but onward I go.

 

[Deception]

I came in this thread specifically to bitch about this point as I literally just finished ep7.
the minute they found out dude's name, I thought their next move was to use the music box and end the whole affair.
since they were just having so much fun toying with the girl at school just an episode or earlier, it really should've been the first thing that came to mind.

and then to not be out done in the stupid beyond that, the ridiculous plan to sneak up behind dude and get in his head (which against all odds actually worked), and then to not immediately take all the keys back, the gun and anything else of threat away from him, only to allow him to undo the head key and then have all the keys in his possession.....
Dodge comes in, and now it's time to rely on the power of our heartfelt connection moments ago that dumbass won't just hand her all the keys.... instead, I don't know, maybe physically inject yourself into the situation and take them back.

now Dodge has all the found keys except the ghost key, which appears to be practically useless unless you live in the Key house.

I hope it rebounds after that end sequence. I was really into this show until that series of stupid events.
I can only guess what series of stupid events eventually leads to them getting all the lost keys back.

edit: I know the main characters are kids, but come on....
After the stroll down memory lane in Ellie's head, they not only don't bother to grab the head key, but they find and show the Key of Shadows to Ellie, and let her take it with her to go retrieve the Crown of Shadows that's hidden back at her place where Lucas is staying.

Considering how scared Ellie was you'd figure, with her being the adult in the room, she may not want to take the key with her to retrieve the crown it goes with that creates a powerful shadow army and deliver both items directly to the hands of the very person they wanted to keep it from. smdh. but onward I go.

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The crown key thing was literally one of the dumbest things I've ever seen. The whole episode was "let's keep this key away from Dodge at all cost" "oh here Ellie take this key with you and get the crown by yourself when you really should have just brought it when you brought the damn keys in the first place"

Some really bad writing in this overall that I hope improves for season 2.

 

[Goodlifr]

Had it recommend to me by Netflix, having never heard of the comics or the books, so went in blind.

First episode had me interested... The well and mirror scenes were done well and gave me hope this was going to be suitability dark.... But it never lived up to that initial promise sadly (although fear Kinsey showing up in that window... Scared the shit out of me!!)

Thought the idea good, but sadly the keys were never really used too much after their initial discovery (head key excluded).. Expected the final couple of episodes to bring them all together to help fight the end bosses, but nope, just kind of forgotten about.

The amount of bad decisions made just made the thing barely watchable towards the end, no logic for some of those decisions.

 

[Kschreck]

I enjoyed the season but felt the setup for season 2 was rather boring looking.

 

[Zippedpinhead]

That's REALLY confusing, because it's already been confirmed that Locke and Key takes place in Stephen King's greater universe.

Click to shrink...

you know that makes so much sense...

seriously on so many levels. even without knowing who Hill's dad is.

EDIT: I finished Locke and Key with the wife, and we both loved it. I decided to go into October Faction afterwards but I feel its too much of "next verse same as the first verse except with more F-bombs". I wonder why Netflix decided to release these titles so close together.

 

[MilkBeard]

I've watched about 6 episodes now. The show has some really interesting ideas. There are a few melodramatic conversations and actions from the teens from time to time that are a bit cringy, but the show makes up for it for the cool ideas that take place.

 

[Deleted member 29249]

Didn't care for this show much at all. In a world of magic keys that the heroes know all about they don't take seconds to think about their actions at the end.

 

[SirMossyBloke]

I've watched about 6 episodes now. The show has some really interesting ideas. There are a few melodramatic conversations and actions from the teens from time to time that are a bit cringy, but the show makes up for it for the cool ideas that take place.

Click to shrink...

Basically how I feel. It could lose the crappy high school melodrama, but the rest is great. Liked the ending even though me and the wife pretty much saw it coming. Looking forward to a new season.

 

[Messofanego]

The high school stuff and character writing is Riverdale levels of bad and faux wokeness, very much feels like middle aged folks writing millennials.

 

[PlanetSmasher]

The high school stuff and character writing is Riverdale levels of bad and faux wokeness, very much feels like middle aged folks writing millennials.

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These characters wouldn't be millennials though, they're way too young for that.

 

[Messofanego]

These characters wouldn't be millennials though, they're way too young for that.

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Is gen z the correct term?

 

[Khanimus]

This show was fucking sloppy.

The performances from the older brother and the sister were alright, but everyone else ranges from uneven to outright awful. Logic from scene-to-scene was all over the place. Characters would withhold important information for dramatic effect, or run off doing something fucking stupid for no good reason. The adults having to be idiots in the face of this stuff is so contrived and never used well. All Shawn Ashmore got to do was look at a jar and have a migraine.

It's not like there isn't cool imagery, or fun moments. It would totally be a show I'd enjoy if I was like 12. But it's just so wildly inconsistent in quality, or it introduces an idea and either doesn't follow it up or just doesn't explain it.

What a waste of a fun concept.


EDIT: Did they ever explain how the fuck Dodge put the photo back at the edge of the well?

 

[GrimGrinningGuy]

Enjoyed the show. I want to read the graphic novel
Now. Looking at amazon I have no idea what to get. Is there a big one with everything in it?

 

[PaulloDEC]

Enjoyed the show. I want to read the graphic novel
Now. Looking at amazon I have no idea what to get. Is there a big one with everything in it?

Click to shrink...

If you're chasing physical copies, the slipcase set is the one I went with. It's pretty pricey on Amazon, a little less so on Book Depository. There's also three hardcovers available that each include two volumes, but they might be even pricier.

If you don't mind reading digitally, you can get everything (including a bunch of one-off issues) on Comixology.

 

[GrimGrinningGuy]

If you're chasing physical copies, the slipcase set is the one I went with. It's pretty pricey on Amazon, a little less so on Book Depository. There's also three hardcovers available that each include two volumes, but they might be even pricier.

If you don't mind reading digitally, you can get everything (including a bunch of one-off issues) on Comixology.

Click to shrink...

Cool thanks for the info
I'll probably try to get them from the library. Do
I just try to get vol 1 2 3 etc or do these master editions have multiple volumes? Amazon is useless with info

 

[PaulloDEC]

Cool thanks for the info
I'll probably try to get them from the library. Do
I just try to get vol 1 2 3 etc or do these master editions have multiple volumes? Amazon is useless with info

Click to shrink...

The six standard volumes look like this:

Whereas the fancy hardbacks (of which there are three, each covering two of the six volumes) look like this:

 

[alstrike]

While I had some fun watching this there are a gazillion plot holes and some of the dumbest writing ever.

Duncan can't remember shit yet they don't think about putting all those memories in jars back in his head even though they still have the head key. Or why no one at school thought about that Gabe dude not being a student...

 

[GrimGrinningGuy]

The six standard volumes look like this:

Whereas the fancy hardbacks (of which there are three, each covering two of the six volumes) look like this:

Click to shrink...

Thanks!

 

[GrimGrinningGuy]

While I had some fun watching this there are a gazillion plot holes and some of the dumbest writing ever.

Duncan can't remember shit yet they don't think about putting all those memories in jars back in his head even though they still have the head key. Or why no one at school thought about that Gabe dude not being a student...

Click to shrink...

Speaking of Duncan, was the tree key just a...hiding spot key? Cause i
Assume you remove and replace memories with the head key, what was the point of the tree key in the graveyard?

 

[deimosmasque]

Just finished watching it at the same time as reading the graphic novel.

They both have there charm, I thought the graphic novel got a little too 90s edge but in the 2000s at times and the art in the first book was really rough. But I liked it a lot in the end.

The series I liked the low key violence over the more graphic stuff in the graphic novel. It allowed more tension to build. Looking forward to the second season.

 

[alstrike]

Speaking of Duncan, was the tree key just a...hiding spot key? Cause i
Assume you remove and replace memories with the head key, what was the point of the tree key in the graveyard?

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I guess it looked cool

 

[AliceAmber]

Finished the graphic novel and series yesterday as well. I liked both, but definetely preferred the comic. Like the other poster said, the show started promising an interesting dark imagery, but didn't really stick with it. Will definetely watch season 2.

 

[LycanXIII]

All Shawn Ashmore got to do was look at a jar and have a migraine.

Click to shrink...

Shawn Ashmore didn't even do that haha.

It was his twin, Aaron.

 

[Jims]

I am usually not that guy who criticizes "why didn't the character do that instead?" but oh my lord do the characters make stupid decisions in this show.

I just couldn't believe the end of Episode 9. Where Ellie goes back to her house to get the crown... And takes the corresponding key with her. And all the kids just sit there and let her do it!!! I couldn't believe it, just absolutely speechless.

Like, Ellie is obviously the most stupid character who has ever lived, but this is too much even for her. It's just agonizing watching them bungle step after step of this thing.

I liked some parts of this show but my god is it frustrating to watch sometimes.

 

[RiOrius]

Speaking of Duncan, was the tree key just a...hiding spot key? Cause i
Assume you remove and replace memories with the head key, what was the point of the tree key in the graveyard?

Click to shrink...

I believe the key allowed some kind of plant control? I think the movie scene they shot with Kinsey getting dragged away by a tentacle thing was using it and the tentacle was a tree root.

 

[Paganmoon]

ok, on Episode 4 and how come

Spoiler: not really spoilers

not a single person in the series has made a joke about the Locke's living in the Keyhouse? have I just missed it? total immersion breaker.

 

[FaceHugger]

Only on episode two, going on three. This is really good. Kind of glad I didn't read any of it now. I tried an audiobook version of it about a year ago but thought the audio quality was really amateurish and hard to hear, so glad I quit that within 45 minutes too.

 

[liquidtmd]

I'm four episodes in and decided to come and see what the consensus is on this show.

I'm getting through it, I'll finish it but man - there are many things wrong with this show that on the surface seem fixable.

Tone and writing get thrown around a lot as catch all terms in any show critique, but genuinely this time they are glaring problems. Whoever said they don't know who this show is for is bang on the money.

 

[Midramble]

Came to this thread to ask if this show gets better. I started it because the premise seemed interesting and I like a lot of the character's backgrounds and mystery setups, but I'm on episode 6 and the only growth the main characters seem to be having is more invulnerability. I figured in the beginning they'd be broken and dumb because it gives them a chance to have a character arc, but they keep making increasingly stupid decisions and becoming worse people. I want to keep going because the world, mechanics, and mystery are fun but it's becoming a slog to the point where I have to take breaks from some of these scenes.

 

[Naijaboy]

I had been meaning to read the series, so I settled for the show for now. Overall, I thought it was alright though the acting was shaky at parts.

 

[CatAssTrophy]

Finished the season last night.

3/10. Some of the cast is decent (guy from Falling Skies and a few others), but the kid that plays Bode is super awful. Even if he was given better lines he just overdoes things and is so far removed from the level the rest of the cast is on that it's incredibly distracting and annoying. The characters don't really line up with their comic counterparts either. In the comic the mother seemed hardened, traumatized, tough, but worn down by all she's been through and her burden to raise the kids. The show makes her just seem like this happy-go-lucky aloof soccer mom with a mental disorder. It was jarring. The show also feels like they couldn't decide what they wanted it to be. Super dark thriller? Fun harry potter "magic is real!" for kids? Tween school drama? Sure, some of those settings and themes are in the comic, but the comic KEPT things dark and tense. Even in the instances where there was some innocent fun, it never relented on the "shit could go south and real bad at any time" vibe. This show literally switched genres from episode to episode sometimes.

The reconfiguring of the events in the comics was really disappointing too. It felt like they were moving too fast like they wanted to hurry up and finish the story, yet.... they decided to set it up as an ongoing series now....? Why not take your time and move through the comic chain of events and build everything up? Why not just make it a one and done? You could spread it out over 2 seasons and it would have been great.

I can't wrap my head around how disappointed I am in the show. One of my favorite works of fiction and it falls flat right out of the gate. And the worst part is because of the changes they made and the reconfiguration, there's no saving it. The only way to save it in my eyes is to cancel it and start fresh on a new network with a different writer and producer. Whoever did Castle Rock could handle it.

/rant

 

[Spectromixer]

So I'm back on watching this since I'm catching up on shows. I loved the B-movie filming in episode two, that was fun. Now onto episode 3.