YouTube Originals Premieres Next Installment of Teen Mystery Series “Lockdown” With 6 New Episodes

Today YouTube Originals debuted six new episodes of “Lockdown” – the award-winning scripted Kids & Families series produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment that follows a group of six friends as they work together to solve a mystery in their neighborhood during the social distancing era. The six additional episodes titled “Lockdown: Who is Question Mark Face?” explore timely issues of racial injustice, activism and life’s frustrations during a pandemic. All 16 episodes of this free-to-stream social media mystery are available today only on the YouTube Originals for Kids & Family channel.

Shot entirely via webcam and smartphone, “Lockdown” is a suspenseful look at how young people stay in touch while having to stay away, as well as how change happens when inaction becomes activism. “Lockdown: Who is Question Mark Face?” continues against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, but reflects the “re-opening” of certain aspects in society and focuses on topical themes for young adults – from police brutality and Black Lives Matter to the LGBTQ+ experience and racism.

In the first 10 episodes, “Lockdown: The Scream Next Door,” Nira and her friends Emi, Sam, Aiden, Chris and Luke team up in the early days of the pandemic to uncover the truth of what happened to their neighbor – a mystery which ultimately places them all in danger. The group’s crime-solving continues in “Lockdown: Who Is Question Mark Face?” against the backdrop of a growing racial justice movement. After Sam organizes a local Black Lives Matter march, she and her friends must scramble to unmask a creepy hooded figure menacing the community.

Watch “Lockdown: Who is Question Mark Face?” HERE

The returning cast of “Lockdown” includes Arista Arhin (Odd Squad, Star Trek Discovery) as Sam, Saara Chaudry (Dino Dana, Holly Hobbie, Max & Shred) as Nira, Amanda Cheung as Emi, Dorian Giordano as Aiden, Edison Grant (Endlings) as Luke, and Tomaso Sanelli (Star Falls, Titans, Detention Adventure) as Chris. Joining the cast as potential ‘Question Mark Face’ suspects are Sean Patrick Dolan (The Hardy Boys) as Jeremy, Katie Griffin (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs) as Mary Lewis, Kiki Hamill (Self Made) as Asha, Andrew Jackson (Christmas in Paris) as Bernard and Lex Mayson as Harley.

“Lockdown” was created by J.J. Johnson and produced by Toronto-based Sinking Ship Entertainment (Dino Dana, Endlings, Odd Squad). These new episodes feature a diverse roster of writing and directing talent led by showrunners Aaron Bala and Lisa Codrington with guidance from educational advisors and activism experts. Overseeing the project for YouTube are Nadine Zylstra, Head of Family Entertainment and Learning, and Daniel Haack on the kids development team.

After winning the Special Achievement Award for excellence in COVID-19 programming from Prix Jeunesse International earlier this summer, “Lockdown” has also been nominated for Content Innovation Awards’ Innovation & Ingenuity Award for Kids Programming and a MIPCOM Diversify TV Excellence Award for Representation of Diversity in Kids Programming. Additionally, Arista Arhin (Sam) and Amanda Cheung (Emi) have been nominated for Best Actress in a Web Series (12-15 Years) at the Joey Awards.

The series is part of YouTube Originals slate of projects aimed to support, entertain and educate viewers around the world amidst COVID-19 #WithMe initiatives, which encourages the world to stay home and save lives, and the additional episodes are part of YouTube’s global slate of new and returning projects focused on racial justice, amplifying Black voices and elevating Black culture.

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.