Comic Con has descended once again upon New York and while it only has been a couple of months since the famous San Diego Con, there are some new announcements that will definitely get people excited. Amongst those is the new Fox TV series titled Locke & Key which has already been ordered by Fox for a full season.

It is written by Joe Hill, son of the great Stephen King and centers on a family of 5, the father named Rendell Locke (Mark Pellegrino) you will recognize from many character spots, most recently his stint on the CW's Supernatural as Lucifer. His wife Nina is played by Miranda Otto, they have 3 children named Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode, and are played by Jesse McCartney, Sarah Bolger, Skylar Gaertner. The pilot was screened at one of the many panel rooms within the Javitz Center.

It opens on a picturesque scene in which the family is enjoying a nice quiet Saturday at their home, the children are down on the dock while the parents are having some quiet time together. A truck pulls up driven by a high school student named Sam Lesser (Harrison Thomas). He is one Rendell's cases at school as he is the guidance counselor there. It is clear something is up with Sam as his behavior is off kilter. The last thing we see is Sam entering the house and a shot of the gun he is carrying in his waist.

Flash forward to 3 months later and the family, minus the father who was clearly the victim in a shooting, are headed to New England where Rendell's brother Duncan (Nick Stahl) is awaiting them at the Locke family estate. Apparently Rendell was heir to a mansion which he turned his back on years ago in an attempt to live a normal life. Everyone, except for Tyler, seems to be doing their best at attempting to reach some sense of normalcy in their lives. After arriving at the estate everyone sets out exploring and it is Bode who makes the discovery of a key attached to a sword hilt. A search of the house leads him to a door in the rear of the house which faces the back lot.

When he attempts to step out he is knocked down and shockingly his spirit leaves his body. After returning, he makes a second attempt which yields the same result. This leads to a fun "ride" around the house which lets him sneak peeks at his sibling's comings and goings. Once back he tries to tell his family about it but of course they are too wrapped up in their own drama to listen. Tyler and Kinsey make their return to school the next day and it is at lunch where we get a glimpse of what transpired the day his father was killed. As the episode plays out we see more flashbacks which give us more answers to Tyler's current behavior.

At the same time Sam, who is imprisoned for his crimes, is receiving messages from a mysterious woman. That same woman is also discovered by our intrepid adventurer Bode, when he enters a small building enclosing an old well. This woman is living at the bottom of it and for some reason possesses knowledge of his father. The woman, who takes the name of Echo, is attempting to release Sam from prison so he can locate certain keys for her which will release her from her imprisonment within the well.

To continue any further would spoil the fun and tension that the show does a good job of setting up. The performances in the pilot are well done, especially those of Jesse McCartney and Skylar Gaertner. Skylar's portrayal of a young boy who still sees wonder and excitement in the world is refreshing and enjoyable to watch. McCartney also does well with evoking the right amount of shame and guilt over his father's death. You have to see the show to find out why. The rest of the performances are good, though no one has the chance to shine just yet, but once more shows air it is certain that each actor will be given that chance. What the show also brings is a vibe akin to Lost though this time focusing more on magic rather than science. Clearly there are a lot of secrets within the house and over time those secrets will be discovered.

With all the new supernatural shows out there it can be a little much for a viewer when there is yet another coming to the airwaves. Thankfully Locke & Key deliver a fun, sharp, smart, tense, scary drama which feels fresh to an audience. So keep your eyes and ears peeled to Fox in the next coming months for the premiere of Locke & Key, you will not be disappointed. 

Filed Under: lock & key, comic con

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