‘Locke & Key’ Recap: ‘Welcome to Matheson’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

When we lose a loved one, one that is genuinely near and dear to us, our lives change in so many ways. For we have to adjust to the fact that said person is now out of our lives and never coming back, and we have to figure out how to pick up the pieces and forge ahead without them or their love and support. Which is a difficult prospect when all is said and done since they were our rock, and to complicate matters further, the home we shared with them serves as a fine reminder of everything we’ve lost. Which is why a great many people have no qualms with moving as far away from that familiarity as possible, in order to escape the memories and the pain and start over fresh and it is this particular notion of hitting the reset button, that just so happens to be the focal point of the new Netflix series, Locke & Key.
 
For in this particular tale, we are introduced to the Locke family and they are… a broken clan. Because not that long ago, their father Rendell Locke, was brutally murdered in his own home over the supposed mysteries of his childhood home, a place he kept his family from. But with him gone and the pain of his death hanging heavy over his wife and three children, they trek cross country to Matheson, Massachusetts, to live in that very home. It is a place known as Key House, and they have come here in the hopes of starting over fresh while keeping their father’s memory alive and that premise makes ‘Welcome to Matheson’ one supremely fascinating pilot episode. Because this opening chapter to this adaptation of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez’s brilliant comic book series is filled to the brim with both juicy plot lines and powerful themes involving grief and it is that latter element that instantly draws you into this tale.
 
Because you immediately feel for the Locke family once you learn how their father died and how much he was the lynchpin to this family’s well-being. And it really is heartbreaking to see all them adrift without him in their lives and how they are barely clinging onto the notion of family as is. Yet what’s impressive about this particular tale is that it dives deep into such matters by way of the two elder children of the family, Tyler and Kinsey. For they carry with them a touch of survivor’s remorse in regard to their father’s passing. For Tyler believes he could have done more to keep his father from being shot, and Kinsey’s attempts to keep her baby brother Bode alive by staying silent when her father’s murderer roamed their house makes her believe that she is a coward, and it is just so rare to see that kind of character arc on display in a television show and it should allow for some incredible growth to take place.
 
However, while that is fascinating in its own right, we would be remiss to not talk about the incredible plot line brewing in the background of this pilot episode. Because the Key House truly is something special, and it’s obvious early on that Rendell and Duncan Locke’s family were involved in something magical and mysterious, to the point where the entire town paid them tribute and it becomes quite clear as the hour rolls along, as to why dear old dad wanted his family away from this place. For the magic that resides in this house is quite dangerous, since it can trap and kill people as evidenced by the key that nearly robs the Locke children of their mother. And of course, that fact that a young and mysterious woman is living in the well of this estate and is happy to manipulate Bode to get her hands on a key that can take you anywhere sets the stage in all the right ways. Simply because, we don’t know if she is friend or foe.
 
But what we do know at this point, is that this house is filled to the brim with incredible power, the kind that is going to change this family in ways they never thought imaginable and by giving us just enough plot wise, the story immediately reels you in and motivates you to continue to journey in order to discover the truth about Key House and all the power that resides within its walls. Yet the wonder of this pilot doesn’t end with its plot and powerful themes, the characters are colorful and the acting is solid and it does its best to appeal to its core audience with the awesome introduction of ‘The Savini Squad’ since let’s be honest, it’s horror fans tuning in with Joe Hill’s name attached to this. In the end, this pilot did a phenomenal job of preparing us for a grandiose adventure, one that will undoubtedly take us on one hell of a ride as we unlock the secrets of Key House, alongside the Locke family. Until next time.   

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