Parent reviews for Locke & Key

Honestly, don't let your kids watch this unless you're willing to walk them through sexual violence. There's a scene where a woman asks to be choked during sex, then turns around to choke her sexual partner (who looks like a teenage boy, btw). He says no and stop. She continues to choke him until he dies. They are both in their underwear. Between this and the first episode where the teenage boy of the family is told that because he was traumatized he'll get a lot of sex, and then he DOES get offered sex; this is just a messed up thing to expose your kids to. The fact that it is rated for 14 + astounds me. Having 14 year olds watch this will just add to our society's messed up sexual expectations. Kids are more likely to be watching porn and engaging in sexual experiences at a young age. 12 year olds are dealing with sexting. Don't show this to 14 year olds as entertainment unless you are able to walk them through sexual violence and consent. Also, the writing is sub par. Just go watch something else, this isn't worth it.

As an adult I enjoyed this show ... HOWEVER, I'm not sure why it's been missed in the content review, but there is basically a snuff film in the first episode. Dodge the main baddy gets released and goes on her crime spree (Steeling cloths and money, killing kids...). The review mentioned that she is in a bra asking a man to choke her, but leaves out the fact that they are clearly having sex at the time. Worse is that the review leaves out the rest of the seen where Dodge reverses positions so she is actively riding the man and says "my turn". At which point she proceeds to strangle him to death while he helplessly fights to get free. All while she rides him to a climax when he dies. There is no reason ANY child should be watching someone murdering a person while having sex with them, and clealy getting off by it. How this got a TV -14 rating with that in it is beyond me. You should NOT let your child watch this show.

This is the first time Common Sense Media has guided me wrong. I wish I had taken the time to carefully read other parents' reviews. The first episode features graphic violence and is horrifyingly creepy. I gather subsequent episodes only get worse from there. Steer away from this series.

I can't tell if it's written for children or teens, and even if I knew, it's crap writing. Characters don't do things that make sense, and when dealing with magic, my disbelief is unable to be suspended for any part. And a woman is shown seducing a young man, asking him to choke her, then chokes him to death after he says it's too much. In another episode, a young boy is shoved onto subway tracks and immediately hit by a train. It's gross to violence happen anytime. It's even more repulsive when it happens to children.

The plot is engaging, but the tone is a bit dark for younger viewers. The characters are poorly written. The youngest child is an annoying caricature of a child. The young female characters are way too sexualized and stereotyped. Poor Kinsey does not have one female friend, and has more chemistry with her older brother than any of her love interests. Overall, it feels like it was written in the 1980s/early 1990s and hasn’t aged well.

This is a dark story. Horrible things happens. But it is also a story about being a family, grieving and love. It is intelligenttly told and the art is top notch. I would place it within the gothic tradition. The story takes its time. Anytime with patience enough to read it is also mature enough to understand it. My highest recommendations to teenagers and grown ups.

This is a very clever, even compelling show, with fabulous art style and rich and complex characters. I would like to reccomend it for teenagers and most of the content is appropriate ... except there are a few parts that are seriously inappropriate for young children. Without spoling too much for adults (but still spoiler warning!!) there is a scene in the second episode where someone is strangled during sex. The sex is not graphic, but come-on! And this is recommended 13 and up by Netflix. I think someone should upgrade the certificate. To be clear, I think for mature late teens this is probably a really good show but it has a few moments I would seriously consider before letting your young children / teens near.

Sexual content, scantly clad lady, encourages teen drinking and sex, very visual choking sex kink scene. I liked it as an adult but I was in awe that my son had seen this before me and I was disgusted

I understand that shows adapted from comic books/novels/other media platforms are going to have to change. I usually come in with an open mind of that sort of thing, but this show is a far cry from the source. It took some of the most beautiful and emotional things about the comic and ruined it. I’m speaking, of course, primarily of the relationship and sacrifice of Jackie and Tyler. It simply fails to pull me in. That as well as the PG-13 rating really just take away from the story as a whole