Locke and Key season 3 review: Although in no way perfect, the Lockes’ get the satisfying farewell they deserve

Although the star cast consistently put up quality performances, the writing has its fair share of pitfalls that become the farewell season’s undoing.

Locke & Key

Story:

After Jackie’s tragic death, Tyler Locke(Connor Jessup) takes up a construction job in Montana, barely communicating with the rest of the Lockes. Although racked by their brother’s absence, Kinsey(Emilia Jones) and Bode (Jackson Robert Scott) make the best of their time with the keys. Nina (Darby Stanchfield) too finds herself slowly starting to move on from her husband’s death, her relationship with Josh starting to blossom. But unknown to the Lockes, one of their biggest threats lies in patient wait, in the form of Frederick Gideon(Kevin Durand).

Review:

After battling armies of demons and losing their loved ones, the Lockes come face to face with one final challenge in the third and final season of Locke and Key. Season 3 is in no way perfect, with more than a few hitches plaguing its execution. But despite the flaws, the last season manages to wrap up the Lockes’ awe-inspiring tale in a way that gives the family some much needed closure.

The third season sees the Lockes finally getting a break from the numerous evils they had to deal with since the beginning of the show. Gone are Dodge and her army of demons, and Kinsey and Bode finally get the chance to make use of the keys to do what they love. After using the memory key on herself, Nina finally gets the chance to share in her children’s struggles and triumphs, and her relationship with Josh starts to blossom. The trio also have Duncan’s wedding to look forward to. Tyler seems to be the only one among the Lockes who is still haunted by the memories of what happened, ironically even after he decides against using the memory key to restore his memories related to magic after turning 18.

The Locke’s are blissfully unaware of one final threat lurking in their midst, in the form of Frederick Gideon, who, after being possessed by a powerful demon, returns to the mortal world as an echo after being summoned by Eden. But Keyhouse is not done with the Lockes just yet, with more magic keys waiting to be discovered by the Keepers.

After its stellar debut season, Locke and Key seems to have forgotten how to get back its momentum, with the third season too failing to reach the excellence that was achieved by the first. Although the story does have its fair share of compelling moments, the writing wavers at times, and even Keyhouse seems to lack the key to make the storytelling consistently smooth and engaging. When it comes to story, the new season has some fantastic sequences indeed when it comes to the magic of the keys. The emergence of a new powerful key brings in some new challenges for the Lockes, and as always, the moments where the Lockes put the keys to use are as engaging as ever.

The season also finally gives the Lockes some much needed moments of lightness, and they offer a delightful respite from the row of tragedies the family have found themselves in since the show’s start. The show has never shied away from showing the ups and downs of the relationship between the Lockes, and season 3 also has its fair share of emotionally charged moments. The way the family works through their issues is excellently done, and the way the show handles themes of grief, redemption and moving on are powerful.

The star cast also do a great job at carrying their characters consistently well. The surprise this season seems to come in the form of Jackson Robert Scott’s Bode. As the youngest Locke finds himself in the midst of new challenges, Scott is given numerous opportunities to display his acting prowess in full strength, which the young actor does.

Inconsistency in the writing flares up in some of the most pivotal and climactic moments of the show, especially when it comes to the Lockes’ showdown with Gideon. By far one of the weakest and uninspired villains on the show, when the antagonist makes his foray, things start to snowball into predictability, for the most part.

One of the best things about the final season is the way the Lockes’ story ends. The ending does not leave room for ambiguity and seems to wrap up their journey in the best of ways, although it definitely sways onto predictable and cliched territory.

Verdict:

Locke and Key’s farewell season does have its fair share of inconsistencies and insipidness when it comes to its writing at times. But with strong characterisation, incredible performances and a satisfying ending, the series manages to give the Locke’s a decent farewell.

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