The band of siblings lag behind their mother, who is trudging up the snowy driveway to a large, beautiful, old house welcoming them to their new home, which ends up being an important start to the series.

“Locke & Key,” a supernatural horror and drama Netflix original series, introduces the audience to a mother and three kids whose father just died; they must go to their father’s old home, where they find mysterious keys that hold different powersーalong with a creepy lady at the bottom of a well who will do anything to get the keys. Each episode runs about 50 minutes and there is currently one season with 10 episodes.

This show, based on a comic by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez, brings something to the table for everyone, whether that’s the chills that come from a horror film, the beautiful cinematography, the enchanting scenery, the emotional acting or the relatable characters. 

Awe was a familiar emotion in the series. The director set the scene with many stylistic choices emphasizing important pieces of the story or showcasing the beauty of nature in Massachusetts, such as: focusing on a photograph and blurring out everything else or taking a shot from above a bright green forest covered in snow.

The whispers the youngest brother hears gives the show part of its creepy vibes. Reminiscent of the snake’s whispers in “Harry Potter: The Chamber of Secrets,” the murmurs fill the audience’s ears and give goosebumps. 

Audiences that stray from anything scary, creepy or anything of the supernatural or horror genre may feel this is a con of the show. However, even though this is a thrilling show with mystery and horror, romance, humor and the topic of finding oneself also hold a significant place in the series, which provides a balance between scary and fun.

The acting quality shows how much effort the actors put into knowing their roles and becoming their character and “Locke & Key” has a talented cast who brings the characters to life. This makes it effortless for the audience to become immersed in the story and feel the emotions of each character. 

All of the characters have their own special charm, but there are a few to look out for. A fun character to look forward to is Scot, an English guy who immediately seeks to befriend Kinsey and is outgoing and believes in complexities of the universe. A more suspicious character to help the audience bring up questions is Ellie Whedon, a neighbor of the Locke family and an old friend of the late father who seems to know more than she lets on.

Overall, the plot—involving: magic, keys, murder, and mystery—easily captures the interest of the audience. If jump-scare horror isn’t the idea of a good time, there’s nothing to worry about since the scariness comes from suspense and the possible outcomes. “Locke & Key” is definitely worthwhile and a show that might just tempt people to start binging.

This show rates a five out of five keys.