What is ‘The Problem’ in ‘Lockwood & Co.’?
Lockwood & Co. has taken Netflix by storm since its debut. The show, which follows a trio of ghostbusters, debuted on January 27th and is already a hit with fans. The series has several exciting elements, but the biggest one is the Problem, which forms the show’s entire premise. But what is the Problem in Lockwood & Co.?
The world in ‘Lockwood & Co.’ is overrun by deadly ghosts
Lockwood & Co. takes place in an alternative modern Britain where ghosts have become an epidemic that can need eradication. To deal with these deadly paranormals, adult-run agencies employ young children to fight them.
Ghost hunting is a profitable business in Lockwood & Co., and the beneficiaries are, unfortunately, the adults who sit behind their desks while children risk their lives to keep everyone safe. The story revolves around Lucy Carlyle, who obtained the gift of “listening” to ghosts when she was only 12.
Her mother then sends Lucy to work, but things go wrong when she senses danger on a job and tries to warn her boss, who dismisses her. When the kids die, the matter is sent to court, which sides with the boss, and Lucy is disgraced.
Fed up with the power imbalance and unsafe working conditions, Lucy leaves for London, but no agency save for Lockwood & Co. can take her in without an ID. Lucy finds her home in Lockwood & Co., and together with Anthony Lockwood and George Cubbins, they work to establish themselves as serious ghost exterminators in a cruel world run by greedy corporations.
The ‘Problem’ in ‘Lockwood & Co.’
In Lockwood & Co., ghosts are not a myth told at night to scare children. They are as real as it gets, and there’s even a curfew meant to protect people when the sun goes down. The Problem refers to the name people have given to the rise of ghosts across the country, and while the world understands how everything works today, they don’t know how it all started.
However, they do know that 50 years ago, ghosts weren’t a thing, and even if they were, they never showed themselves. It’s almost as if there weren’t any, and then suddenly, the world was infested by them. However, no one truly knows what caused the Problem in the first place.
There have been several theories on how it may have begun, with many pointing back to the first ghostbusters, Marisa Fittes and Tom Rotwell. One of Lucy’s friends from training said they found it suspicious that Fittes and Rotwell magically had a solution around the time the issue began.
Other people believe that John Fairfax of Fairfax Iron, which makes chains for ghost protection, may have also had a hand in creating the Problem. Fairfax has made a lot of money from the ghost protection business and is one of the most powerful people in England.
Coincidentally, whenever the truth is about to come out, some mysterious people make it go away, meaning Fairfax may have a dark truth that he and those around him may not want the world to know.
Is there a second season of ‘Lockwood & Co.’?
The first season of Lockwood & Co. has been a success, having debuted in second place, just behind Season 2 of Ginny & Georgia. With a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the show appears to have the right ingredients for a second season.
However, Netflix has yet to announce plans for Season 2. Still, showrunner Joe Cornish remains hopeful that the streamer will bring back the show, as there’s plenty of material to make two more seasons.
