Locke & Key loses some of its magic in Season 2

The Verge

"Netflix’s show about teens fighting demons with magical keys is back, but Locke & Key’s second season makes some big changes," says Andrew Webster. "The pace is faster, the tone is darker, and with that, it loses some of the magic that made the show so interesting in the first place. Things don’t start out so dark, though. At the outset of Locke & Key’s second season, things are going well for the Locke family. After dealing with the death of their father and surviving a fight with a demon in season 1, they’re able to spend the summer relaxing with friends and their keys. It’s one of the rare times in the series we see magic used for having fun; Kinsey (Emilia Jones) is relaxing inside her own head (literally), and younger brother Bodie (Jackson Robert Scott) is using a new super-strength key to rearrange old furniture. It’s playful and surreal — but it doesn’t last for long. Eventually, the demon makes its return, and the rest of the season feels like a race as the Locke kids try to defeat it. The new season is certainly darker than its predecessor, and it delves a little more into the history of magic in this world. But it also moves too fast for its own good. Whereas season 1 was about introducing mystery, the sophomore effort is more like a drawn-out superhero battle."