Lockwood and Co: Episode 1 REVIEW

Lockwood and Co was a loved but short-lived British paranormal detective series, which aired on Netflix. GEMMA JOHNSON says its worth taking a look back at this quality show

Lockwood and Co arrived with a bang onto Netflix in January 2023.  It quickly became incredibly popular with viewers of all ages. Based on the Lockwood and Co book series by Jonathan Stroud, it sought to explore the unusual, the paranormal and the strange through the eyes of a cast of young talent.  Sadly, Netflix cancelled the show after just one series.

We reviewed Episode 1:  This Will Be Us, which aired on Netflix from 27 January 2023.

We meet Lucy who was training with Jacobs but found herself needing to leave after a difficult encounter with a spirit that left her friend with ghost-lock.  The accident was the fault of Jacobs, but they didn’t want to accept any responsibility and so Lucy finds herself fleeing from home and seeking solace in London where she interviews for a position with Lockwood and Co.

Fast forward and Lucy has settled in, we join Lockwood and Co as they investigate the house of Mrs Hope who is experiencing hauntings.  First things first though, Lucy and Anthony will only start an investigation once they have had a cup of tea and a biscuit – just like us when we arrive at a location.

As they begin to investigate, they encounter the presence of Mrs Hope’s husband who had passed away fairly recently. But he is not the only spirit within the house as Lucy and Anthony quickly find out. The sad, lonely presence of a female spirit emerges but all is not as it seems because the spirit is not as innocent as first thought. 

A violent and aggressive confrontation occurs which results in Lucy using a bomb to deter the spirit which then causes a catastrophic house fire.  But before Lucy flees, she takes a ring from the body of the female spirit, a decision which literally comes back to haunt her in later episodes. 

Our thoughts about Lockwood and Co

Aubrey (Gemma’s Daughter):  I loved how dramatic this episode was, it shows that women can be brave and strong paranormal investigators too because we mainly see men on television shows. After I started watching the series, I got the books there are different twists and turns within the books and so it would be a good idea to also read them if you like the show. 

When I found out that the show had been cancelled by Netflix, I was really disappointed because it ended on a cliff-hanger, and I wanted to find out what happened next. If I was to give Lucy one piece of advice, as a junior paranormal investigator, it would be to never take something away from a location. 

Gemma: As a founder of Junior Paranormal Events, it is part of our core value to have juniors represented within the wider paranormal community and this show allowed those discussions to start. Juniors are vastly underrepresented because there is an incorrect notion that you have to be 18 in order to be involved in the paranormal.

However, one of the issues with paranormal shows is that they feed into the narrative of demons and negative spirits which can give juniors the wrong idea as to what the paranormal is. 

We are not saying that there aren’t any negative spirits but in the three years that we have been operating Junior Paranormal Events, and the many years that I have had experiences from early childhood, we have not encountered anything negative.  

Lockwood and Co is a genuinely good show, it gives you the opportunity to be emerged in their world for a few hours.  It is a great shame that it was cancelled by Netflix, we really do hope that someone steps up to take it over because it is much needed.

What do you think of Lockwood and Co? Tell us your memories in the comments section below!

Watch Lockwood and Co Trailer