There’s often a degree of frustration when Netflix announces the end of an original series. The streamer has a penchant for canceling shows while they’re still finding their feet, often leading to unresolved storylines and an outpouring of anger from dedicated viewers. However, in this case, it seems that Netflix and the show’s creators are in agreement.
Deadline reports that supernatural thriller series Locke & Key will be ending after its third season hits Netflix later this year. Fear not, this isn’t some out-of-the-blue cancelation that has taken the show’s creative team by surprise. Netflix and the creators actually settled on a three-season run in the wake of the breakout success of Locke & Key’s first season.
Showrunners Carlton Cuse and Meredith Averill aren’t being forced to cut their planned story short, but instead have always known how much runway was in front of them. In theory, this should result in a final season of Locke & Key that wraps up any remaining plot points and gives each character a satisfying ending — assuming Cuse and Averill are able to stick the landing.
The co-showrunners released a statement in reaction to this confirmation that Locke & Key is ending after an eight-episode third season: “Once we began working on the series, we felt three seasons was the ideal length to bring the story of the Locke family and their Keyhouse adventures to a satisfying conclusion. As storytellers, we are grateful that we had the opportunity to tell our version of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s incredible story exactly the way we wanted.”
It’s genuinely refreshing to see a Netflix original series conclude on its own terms, without the creators being forced to abandon planned arcs and storylines. All too often this isn’t the case when it comes to Netflix original shows. Just ask the team behind the well-received horror series Archive 81 which was unceremoniously canceled earlier this year even though its first season ended on a dramatic cliffhanger.
Locke & Key originally hit Netflix in February 2020 and was quickly renewed for two more seasons after attracting plenty of subscriber interest. The show follows the Locke siblings who move into their ancestral home in the wake of their father’s death. They quickly discover the mansion is hiding supernatural secrets, magical keys with unique powers and also a sinister demon hellbent on obtaining these keys.
Analysis: Don’t call it a Netflix cancelation
Locke & Key ending after its third season feels like a win for all involved. Netflix gets to move on to other projects, the creative team finishes telling their story as planned and viewers get a (hopefully satisfying) conclusion to the series. For once, a Netflix show is ending and there’s seemingly no reason for anybody to be annoyed.
Netflix has developed a reputation for rashly canceling shows, but in this case, we’ve got to give the streamer some credit for working with the creators to map out a long-term plan for the series and sticking to it. Dedicated fans of Locke & Key may be disappointed there are only eight episodes left to enjoy, but with Netflix, that’s a luxury that plenty of original shows don’t get.
In other streaming news, James Bond movies are coming to Prime Video — but only in one region. Plus, get details on MLB 2022 live streams, including the Astros vs Angels live stream on Friday Night Baseball — which is actually free!
