Netflix viewers are impressed by “Lockwood & Co”
Based on the lesser-known book series by Jonathan Stroud, “Lockwood & Co” is taking Netflix by storm during this rainy season. Like many viewers, I had not read the series beforehand yet I was completely taken aback by excitement and surprise while watching the series.
Set in present-day London, the show begins with an eerie tone as soon as the viewer clicks episode one. When I was introduced to the apocalyptic world of “Lockwood and Co,” I found myself entranced by the idea that teenagers could be the only salvation to a worldwide crisis. The show’s characters live in an era referred to as ‘The Problem’ where ghosts roam and rule the streets after the dead begin to come back to life, seeking vengeance. With innocent bystanders terrified to walk outside, having the fear of being killed by the lethal undead, teenagers also began to develop psychic powers that enable them to sense the ghosts before they strike. With the discovery of these abilities, teens who fight against ghosts quickly become the largest livelihood, influencing the creation of ghost-hunting organizations; one being Lockwood and Co.
The first episode focuses on the introduction of the protagonist Lucy Carlyle, played by Ruby Stokes, who viewers such as myself are quick to sympathize with, due to her difficult upbringing as a gifted ghost hunter. I found myself immediately rooting for Lucy as we are put into the perspective of a young girl who is made to believe that her only purpose in life is to fix a problem that she had no role in starting. From the beginning of Lucy’s childhood, her mother noticed that her daughter possessed powers more potent than most teenagers; and instead of nurturing and supporting Lucy, she decided to exploit her, as many others in the show are. After an accident that resulted in the near-death experience of Lucy’s best friend, Lucy decides to start a new life in London where she finds an ad for an agency run by a boy her age called Lockwood and Co.
Though the cast is not as star-studded as most Netflix shows, I was impressed by the acting skills portrayed by the main and even side characters. Anthony Lockwood, for example, played by Cameron Chapman, conveyed the most surprising and intriguing character for an actor with no previous acting experience. The music also played a key role for my high regard of the show in which the depressing yet passionate tone of the show was perfectly conveyed through eerie songs, such as “A55” by English Teacher. The development of friendship and trust however, was the main selling point for me. I felt that I could relate to so many aspects of the characters and I found myself rooting for a cause that was purely fictional. Wracking up an overall audience score of 92%, the show keeps moving up on the charts; for viewers looking for a new show to binge and inevitably get invested in, Lockwood & Co is the way to go.
