Lockwood & Co.

The first thing you need to know is that this is a Netflix "YA" (Young Adult) release, and that is not a bad thing at all. In fact, the Brits seem to be able to handle "ensemble" YA action series better than most, and have been doing them for decades. Secondly, even though the backstory (a parallel world where evil ghosts roam freely, but can only be dealt with by youngsters) seems at first like something from a Japanese Manga, it is in fact based on a very popular YA novel series. Third, the show was created by Joe Cornish, a producer with an excellent track record that includes, among others, the cult favorite ATTACK THE BLOCK 2011 -- coincidentally, another story where a group of idiosyncratic young people have to save the world. In other words, not his first rodeo. Recommended. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Came in blind to this show. I only knew it was some sort of supernatural mystery thriller with ghosts.

For a YA show, the characters here aren't as "annoying"? Well they still feel like teenagers to me with their "End justifies the means" way of taking action. Just enough recklessness that you question what the f they are doing. Especially from Lockwood. But somehow it's not overbearing? They still do the "Not talking to each other until the plot requires it" trope but I feel it was addressed and utilized in the show quite well. The characters do have some backstory to them not extensive but you can see different personalities pop up. Anthony reminded me of Five from Umbrella Academy, George reminded me of Simon from Shadow Hunters, and Lucy reminded me of Wednesday but without the love for morbidity.

For the World building... We don't get introduced into it like usual where in it's a montage of someone's monologue in the 1st episode. It's honestly sparse of that which I really like. We get some scenes here and there with terms they use in their world but not all of it is given any descriptive meaning but it was easy to immerse myself in it. From context clues it wasn't hard to match what they meant. It just felt natural.

For the plot delivery, I liked it. It had good action sequences. CGI is believable. The sets were creepy af paired with tense music. I was honestly expecting something more like a Hardy Boys-Nancy Drew-Scooby Doo type... they did give the vibe of it but it was more like Ghostbusters lol. The mystery solving isn't complex, it's not like Glass Onion with clues etc, fairly straight forward but it's still a good supernatural thriller so I think it's more like Wednesday but with a more serious tone?

Overall, I don't know how it is as an adaptation but I thought it was fun and a good series to watch. Ending is sort of a cliffhanger as they did finish the "major plot line of the current season" but ended with an opening to another plotline. I really liked the bantering of the trio as they felt natural though it felt a bit rushed with how chummy they were already by ep 2. Bonus points because there's no unnecessary sex scenes in it like some YA shows... I'm looking forward to watching the plot unravel more. Here's to hoping for a 2nd season.

This show surprised me. It was familiar and unique at the same time. There were times where I tried predicting what would happen or how the characters would act and was pleasantly proved wrong in some instances. Also, this was the right way to implement a strong female lead. Even though we know her potential exceeds the rest of the characters, she isn't the "saviour with plot armor" who's strong for no reason that seems to be the trend with these recent shows. I appreciate how each character fits into their roles and aren't sidelined by the lead. My only complaint is that some of the effects seemed out of place like the sword trails, but that's it. The setting? Brilliant. The alternate version of the U. K. is too cool. Overall, excellent job by everyone.

Having no knowledge of the source novels, I enjoyed that the world building was steadily paced and not spoon fed like so many adaptations. The.directing is inspired. This ghostly alternate London is moody and eerie, full of human and ex-human intrigue. The principal cast perhaps build up to chemistry rather than instantly fizz, yet you still get the sense of their personalities amongst the whiplash adventures. I disagree with claims that this is kids' drama. They may be young, but their abilities weigh them down with harsh responsibilities. I hope this show gets backing to develop over a number of seasons so we can really get to know these characters and the world they inhabit.

Because this show was fab! Fun, witty, entertaining and addictive to watch! I was excited for the adventures to continue in season 2. And yet, Netflix just announced no renewal for season 2. Tsk tsk tsk. Shame on you Netflix. Every time you make a great show like this; you cancel it and renew something that takes less than 10 functioning brain cells to watch. I mean seriously. Why is it that every great sci-fi or fantasy show you come out with, that gets great viewer reviews, you cancel? I don't understand it. At all. And now I'm just typing to get the amount of words needed to make this review postable. Sorry it's more of a rant at Netflix than a review. Do watch the show. It's worth it. Even if there is a disappointment in the knowledge it won't be continuing. Just like so many other great shows that had soo much binge worthy potential.