Episode Guide
The premiere of The Premiere was met with mixed reviews. Reviewers found the show to be entertaining but flawed. The Head and the Heart received better reviews, with reviewers finding the show to be heartfelt and well-made. Small World was also met with mixed reviews, but reviewers found it to be charming and well-made. Forget Me Not received good reviews, with reviewers finding the show to be well-acted and touching. Past is Prologue received good reviews, with reviewers finding it to be well-written and interesting. The Maze received mixed reviews, but reviewers found it to be entertaining and well-made. Best Laid Plans was met with mixed reviews, but reviewers found it to be interesting and well-acted. Irons in the Fire was met with mixed reviews, but reviewers found it to be action-packed and exciting. Alpha & Omega received good reviews, with reviewers finding the show to be well-acted and touching. Cliffhanger received good ratings from critics; however some felt that its ending left them wanting more. ..
Locke and Key is a strange show in many ways. The first season wasn’t particularly memorable, but the bites of horror, surreal fantasy, and character drama managed to blend together to strike a chord with a lot of people. Adapted from the Joe Hill graphic novels (which I have not read), the show was at its strongest when it focused on the fantasy elements and exploring Keyhouse. ..
Season 2 of “The Witcher” has had some good and bad aspects. On the good side, the show has improved its writing and story telling. However, there are still some problems that need to be fixed. For example, the show often feels like it is juggling multiple keys with fetch quests and romantic subplots that don’t add a lot to the story. So does season 2 rectify that? Well, yes and no.
The first season of Locke and Key was a great start to the show’s second season. The lore was expanded, and the show showed some neat flashbacks that revealed the origin of the keys. However, through all of that, the show became formulaic and tired. The new keys introduced in this season were good, but they also relied on contrivances and deus ex machina. Overall, I found Season 2 to be worse than the first season.
Gabe and Eden are working together to find a new key to an unknown mission. The mission is slowly revealed over time, and Gabe is determined to find it.
Locke and Key is a new series that is in its first few episodes. The show has been teasing teenage love triangles (Kinsey, Scot and Gabe) while introducing a new romantic love interest for Nina in Josh. ..
Josh is an interesting character and for much of the season you’re never quite sure what his purpose is. No spoilers here but he’s ultimately reduced to a walking, talking narrative device. This entire subplot goes nowhere by the time the season ends, and although it does lead nicely to the next season, it also feels like wasted screen-time. ..
As the story nears its climax, the focus shifts to Duncan as he struggles to keep up with Gabe and Nina. With their memories back and their plan in place, the race is on to stop Gabe before it’s too late.
This season of Locke and Key feels like a typical cat and mouse chase. Both center around a group of angsty teens, both involve a mystical portal, and both introduce faces from the past. However, Locke and Key is not afraid to pull the trigger when it comes to character deaths. There are also a main cast member that leaves too, but ultimately this all feels like a stop-gap for the third season to come.
Locke and Key is a difficult show to review. It’s a show that’s somehow worse than it was the first time around but also does enough to answer big questions from season 1 to leave satisfied by the time the final credits roll. It’s just a pity that Locke and Key takes so long to get to the point.
Netflix’s decision to release season 2 of “House of Cards” with only average ratings is a mystery, but the company seems content with swimming the waters of mediocrity.
