Locke & Key

After their father is murdered, Nina Locke moves her three children from Boston to the sprawling Locke family estate, hoping a change of scenery will help them heal. The house holds an array of mysterious, antique keys that unlock literal doors, pockets of memory, and strange abilities, and the siblings quickly learn those objects carry risks as well as power. As Kinsey, Tyler, and the youngest, Bode, test the keys, they piece together fragments of their father's past and the estate's dark history. The show balances the kids growing up and coping with grief against a slow-building supernatural threat, with secrets in every room and new dangers arriving as the family tries to protect one another.

Adapted from the Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez comic series, the Netflix show premiered in 2020, developed for television by Meredith Averill, Aron Eli Coleite, and Carlton Cuse, and produced across multiple seasons with a serialized approach.

The series didn't sweep major industry awards, and it wasn't a big awards-season presence, yet it did find recognition among genre fans and critics, earning nominations and praise in more specialized outlets rather than mainstream ceremonies.

Imagery from the series, especially the ornate keys and the Locke house itself, became signature elements for fans, spawning fan art, cosplay, and discussion threads. Moments and props from the show turned into frequent subjects for social media speculation, and the core mystery format made it a favorite for theory crafting online.

Critical reception leaned positive, reflected in roughly a 7.8 average user rating, with reviewers highlighting the show’s blend of family drama and supernatural mystery. Major themes include grief, sibling bonds, and the ethics of power, and the show often mixes coming-of-age beats with horror and mystery elements to keep the tone varied and suspenseful.