“My name’s Lockwood. And you need a ladder.”

As out of context as this quote might seem, the compelling British accent and arrogant smirk that accompanied it immediately drew me into the video I was watching. This was the first of many TikToks featuring scenes from the new Netflix series Lockwood & Co that appeared on my For-You-Page after the show was released on Jan. 27.

This single thirty-second video had me watching the show immediately, and I was just as quickly drawn into the dark world of Anthony Lockwood.

Based on a book, Lockwood & Co follows Lucy Carlyle, a teenage girl with the power to sense ghosts through sound, as she moves to London to start a new life after a catastrophe in her hometown. It is set in a world just like our own, with one slight twist: “the problem.” The problem refers to the sudden proliferation of ghosts that occurred about one hundred years ago. These ghosts can kill with just a single touch and haunt the sites of their tragic deaths.

Since the beginning of the problem, agencies have been formed to combat these ghosts, made up of adolescents who have “talent.” They can sense ghosts, either through sight or sound, like Lucy. The catalyst of the plotline is Lucy’s induction into the Lockwood & Co. agency, owned by Anthony Lockwood.

I was breaking my own rule by watching an adaptation before reading the book, but it was well worth it. This show had elements of found family, intrigue, suspense, detectives, and even a heist. It was the perfect cozy show.

Each actor portrays their character perfectly, capturing each nuance of their personality. None of the acting seems forced or fake, and the chemistry between the characters is impeccable. The conversations fluctuate in tone with the group that was speaking, and the acting creates insight into the minds of each character, especially between Ruby Stokes, Cameron Chapman, and Ali Hadji-Heshmati, who portray the protagonists. 

The found family between these three members of Lockwood & Co.—Anthony Lockwood, Lucy Carlyle, and George Karim, the third member and researcher of their team—is not only heartwarming but also believable.

Oftentimes in media, groups of people such as this, who are forced together, immediately form a family-like bond. In Lockwood & Co; however, there is tension between all three of these characters at the start of the story, including between Lockwood and George, who had been working together before the narrative began.

Only after the harrowing events of the series do the three completely secure their bond although many more arguments are sure to come (when the show gets renewed…).

Furthermore, the plot itself is incredible. The high-stakes competition between Lockwood & Co. and the Fittes Agency, their strongest competitor, adds to the fast-paced, suspenseful plotline rife with ghosts, graves, and an incredibly powerful (and opinionated) talking skull.

I am not usually one for horror, but this show perfectly bridges the gap between paranormal and mystery, creating several scenes that had my pulse rising with the characters.

The soundtrack of Lockwood & Co is also exceptional. Though this is not normally an aspect of television that I focus on, it blew me away in this series. The choices are impeccable; each song perfectly complements the scene that it accompanied. All of the songs are genuinely good as well. The lyrics and melodies are interesting and often a bit spooky, just like the show itself.

Whether or not you have read the book series, Lockwood & Co is a perfect watch for lovers of horror, lovers of ghosts, lovers of competition, or—like me—just lovers of arrogant, power-hungry boys with British accents.