Review: Lanterns is a truly unique twist on the superhero genre

Story text

Size

Small

Standard

Large

Width

*

Standard

Wide

Links

Standard

Orange

* Subscribers only

Thetrailersfor HBO’s DC Universe seriesLanternsteased a show that eschewed the usual superhero hijinks in favor of a gritty realism more in the vein ofTrue DetectivesorSlow Horses. Personally,I likedthe change. My verdict: Ignore thereview bombing; it’s wonderful. The season wrapped with an emotionally charged, almost elegaic finale that fully delivered on that initial promise. I’ve found the rebooted DC Universe films released thus far to be enjoyable but rather forgettable, even whenthe positivesoutweighthe negatives. ButLanternsis a shining beacon of what is possible when someone is allowed to get really creative within the genre.

(Spoilers below, but no major reveals.)

There are two primary storylines. The first takes place in 2016 with a mass shooting at a local football game in Rushville, Nebraska. Current Green Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and his new trainee, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), get involved in the investigation, to the annoyance of Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald), who initially doesn’t think the case has any extraterrestrial connection. She is soon proved wrong when the suspect (an alien) self-detonates. Hal’s power ring controls the damage, but the mystery remains.

Hal and John soon discover that the suspect was one of a group of aliens who survived a genocide on their home planet committed by so-calledManhunters: a race of extraterrestrial beings created by the Guardians of the Universe as a forerunner to the Lantern Corps. The Manhunters rebelled against the Guardians, and most were killed; the sole survivor is hiding out in Rushville disguised as a human. The alien leader, Antaan (Paul Ben-Victor), gives Hal and John 48 hours to locate the Manhunter and hand them over, or they will destroy the town.

The second storyline takes place in 2026 and concerns the murder of none other than Hal Jordan, who returned to Rushville as a social pariah after the terrible events that transpired 10 years before. That mystery becomes the focus of the second half of the series, as Stewart teams up with the sheriff to solve Hal’s murder.

Green Lantern’s light

Current Green Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and his rookie trainee, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) investigate mysterious deaths in Rushville, Nebraska.

HBO

Current Green Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and his rookie trainee, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) investigate mysterious deaths in Rushville, Nebraska.

HBO

Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Mcdonald) reluctantly admits that aliens might be involved.

HBO

Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Mcdonald) reluctantly admits that aliens might be involved.

HBO

Local bigwig Will Macon (Garret Dillahunt) is less friendly than he initially appears.

HBO

Local bigwig Will Macon (Garret Dillahunt) is less friendly than he initially appears.

HBO

Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Mcdonald) reluctantly admits that aliens might be involved.

HBO

Local bigwig Will Macon (Garret Dillahunt) is less friendly than he initially appears.

HBO

Macon’s wife, Zoe (Poorna Jagannathan), is drawn to Stewart.

Lianna (Laura Linney) is Stewart’s Guardian contact.

HBO

A young John Stewart learns to be fearless.

HBO

A young Hal Jordan shares a bonding moment with his father.

Disgraced former Green Lantern Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen) is languishing in a space prison.

HBO

Nathan Fillion reprises his role as 2026 Green Lantern Guy Gardner.

HBO

Hal and John have a combative relationship marked by moments of truce.

The entire cast brings their A game to their portrayals, and you couldn’t ask for better leads than Chandler and Pierre, both of whom have plenty of meaty, substantial material to work with. Showrunner Chris Mundy has said that one of the major themes of the show is deciding when it’s time for one person to step aside and let a replacement take over, embodied in the push and pull of Hal and John’s relationship. The two men are very different personalities: Hal is cocky, arrogant, and trusts his gut instincts; John is controlled, disciplined, logical, and methodical. Hal has no intention of giving up the power ring; John questions whether Hal really deserves it. Naturally they’re going to clash, and given the stakes, that conflict has severe consequences, both for them and the town.

But there is so much more to these characters than their surface personalities. Both have daddy issues, for instance: Hal because he lost his father at a young age, John because his father was passed over to be a Green Lantern and made John’s entire childhood about making up for his failure. John has been groomed by his parents—under the watchful eye of the Guardians—to eventually replace the rule-defying and frequently reckless Hal, who lost both parents. It’s to the writers’ credit that exploring these issues doesn’t come off like a cliché therapy session, instead adding depth and emotional resonance.

Lanternsworks so well in part because it was conceived as a standalone complete story, albeit one with ramifications for future DCU projects, thereby freeing up the writers to create something truly unique, with no forced, awkward tie-ins. Even Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, aka Green Lantern 2026, fits seamlessly into the plot. Nor do you need to be a fan of the Green Lantern comics and associated lore to follow along, although there are plenty of Easter eggs embedded throughout.

That said, this is a densely plotted series with lots of characters. Fortunately, the show maintains a leisurely but never sluggish pace to ensure one can follow all the twists and turns, and savor the richly layered characters with their complex interrelationships, quite well. And the two parallel mysteries will keep you guessing right to the very end. BetweenPeacemakerandLanterns, HBO has done right by the DCU, with the Jimmy Olsen (Skylar Gisondo) seriesThe People v. Gorilla Grodd—described as a “mockumentary crime comedy superhero series”—coming next year. Maybe we should just let HBO take it from here.

All episodes ofLanternsare now streaming on HBO Max.

Senior Writer

Senior Writer

Jennifer is a senior writer at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series. Jennifer lives in Baltimore with her spouse, physicist Sean M. Carroll, and their two cats, Ariel and Caliban.

1. 1.Tesla turns to 50-year-old stunt technology as it tries to Roadster again
2. 2.Why BioWare's Neverwinter Nights still has thousands of active players
3. 3.US Rep proposes bill to give video game buyers "ownership," not "a license"
4. 4.Anthropic gives outside AI watchdog “employee-like” access
5. 5.Bug turns one of the biggest fears about Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses into reality