Lanterns follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.
- Daevid VincentAugust 17, 2026I love this pilot episode so much. It's gritty and raw and funny and a hint of darkness. Chandler is a great actor for this character and Pierre supports him well. I can't wait for the next episode. My favorite line isn't "Are you afraid?"; it's "Are you beeping?" 😆
- PeteSore1d agoAn Outstanding Series Undermined by Unnecessary Racial Politics. Lanterns is exceptional television, and I finished the season immediately wanting more. The ending wasn't particularly surprising, but it was satisfying, earned, and entirely consistent with the characters the writers had developed. What impressed me most was the decision to explore the humanity behind the superhero mythology. Rather than relying on cosmic spectacle and elaborate ring constructs, the series examines what it means to be chosen, what shapes someone into a hero, and what happens to those who aren't chosen. The grounded, True Detective-style mystery, atmosphere, and worldbuilding were outstanding. John Stewart is the heart of this series. His development is nearly flawless. He is a product of his upbringing and experiences, but ultimately defined by his honor and choices. Hal Jordan, by contrast, is pompous, arrogant, and often difficult to like. That contrast makes their relationship compelling and believable. Kelly Macdonald is excellent, and I particularly wish we'd had more time with Garret Dillahunt's William Macon Sr. My substantial criticism is the show's unnecessary racial messaging. There is an important distinction between acknowledging racism and treating race as the defining explanation for fear, opportunity, morality, or human experience. The series occasionally crosses that line, particularly in its framing of fear toward white people. I reject the implication that racial identity should serve as a shorthand for whether someone is threatening, privileged, virtuous, or culpable. I've lived in a community where I was the minority. I've experienced fear and uncertainty without assigning collective responsibility to the race of those around me. Racism is real, but reducing human experiences to racial categories risks perpetuating precisely the prejudices we ought to be overcoming. A story this committed to moral complexity should recognize that individuals are more than representatives of their demographic groups. When the writing substitutes political messaging for that complexity, it feels artificial, divisive, and entirely unnecessary. Those moments repeatedly pulled me out of an otherwise immersive story. Fortunately, the series' strengths substantially outweigh that frustration. John's concluding decisions felt right, even when they weren't necessarily what I wanted for him. I'm eager to see how he handles the extraordinary power and morally complicated responsibilities ahead of him. I want the writers to continue telling the gritty, imperfect story of an honorable man navigating a world where doing the right thing doesn't guarantee victory. This is how I want superhero stories told: through character, consequence, moral choices, and believable humanity. I'd recommend Lanterns to virtually any adult viewer, whether they're familiar with Green Lantern mythology or not. Four stars. Remove the unnecessary racial politics, and this would have been an easy five.
- Marko TavaresAugust 16, 2026Lanterns is a fantastic surprise. It brings the Green Lantern universe down to Earth with a darker, more grounded mystery that often feels like True Detective with a DC twist. Great atmosphere, compelling characters and enough superhero elements to satisfy fans without overpowering the story. Solid 5 stars and highly recommended!
- Hipster ZOMBIEOctober 4, 2026There are two genuinely great things about HBO Max’s Lanterns: Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart. The casting is damn near perfect. Chandler has the weary, seasoned swagger you want from Hal Jordan, while Pierre has the presence, intensity, and physicality to make John Stewart feel like someone who could carry the weight of the Green Lantern Corps on his shoulders. Unfortunately, that is pretty much where my praise for Lanterns ends. Because somewhere between the casting table and the writers’ room, someone apparently looked at one of DC Comics’ most colorful, hopeful, cosmic superhero franchises and said: “You know what this needs? Depression. Murder. Family trauma. A mystery box. And absolutely no fun.” Welcome to Lanterns. James Gunn’s new DC Universe has already had a rocky launch. Superman proved polarizing, and what should have felt like the beginning of an exciting new interconnected universe increasingly feels like a franchise still trying to figure out what the hell it actually wants to be. And Lanterns might be the clearest example yet. The biggest problem with Gunn’s DCU isn’t necessarily the characters. It’s the creative direction surrounding them. Lanterns takes one of DC’s most inherently cinematic concepts and strips away much of the imagination, adventure, optimism, and larger-than-life superhero mythology that makes Green Lantern special. Instead, we’re given a grim, grimy detective story desperately trying to convince us that putting Green Lanterns in a True Detective-style murder mystery automatically makes them sophisticated. It doesn’t. It just makes them Green Lanterns who aren’t having any fun being Green Lanterns. And then we get the characterization. Hal Jordan is introduced as an angry, bitter veteran who appears more interested in killing his own trainee than mentoring him. This is supposed to be one of the legendary heroes of the DC Universe? John Stewart isn’t much better. Rather than presenting Stewart as the inspiring, principled hero audiences have known for decades, the show piles on so much family dysfunction, betrayal, questionable decision-making, and morally murky behavior that you start wondering whether somebody accidentally handed the writers a villain’s character arc. John is supposed to be the hero we’re emotionally investing in. Yet he’s lying. He’s scheming. He’s participating in a plan involving Hal’s ring. And, because apparently the writers decided subtlety was for cowards, there’s even a bizarre romantic subplot involving an older woman who ultimately turns out to be connected to the villainous side of the story. It’s not edgy. It’s not groundbreaking. It’s just weird. And that’s the problem with Lanterns from beginning to end. The show constantly mistakes being cynical for being mature. There is nothing inherently wrong with giving superheroes flaws. In fact, great superhero stories are built around flaws. The problem is that these flaws are supposed to lead somewhere. That’s called a hero’s journey. You give a character weaknesses, temptations, failures, and moral conflicts, and then you watch them overcome those things. Lanterns seems much more interested in watching its characters drown in them. Then there’s Hal. When Hal finally does what a Green Lantern should actually do and chooses to save an entire town, the story somehow manages to frame him as the problem. The guy shows up and prevents innocent people from being slaughtered, and the reward is basically: Congratulations, Hal. You’re under arrest. And then John takes the ring. Hal is left behind. And eventually the show delivers the ultimate “Are you freaking kidding me?” moment: Hal Jordan is murdered. Because naturally. Why develop one of DC’s most recognizable superheroes when you can kill him off and turn his death into another giant mystery box? And that’s where the Damon Lindelof influence becomes impossible to ignore. The show seems less interested in telling a great Green Lantern story than in making you ask: “Who killed Hal Jordan?” Then: “Why did they kill Hal Jordan?” Then: “What does this have to do with the Guardians?” Then: “What’s really going on?” Then, eventually, probably: “Does any of this actually matter?” Mystery-box storytelling can work brilliantly when the mystery exists to serve the characters. But when the characters exist primarily to serve the mystery, you get exactly what Lanterns feels like: A very expensive question with a superhero logo attached to it. And that is especially frustrating because Green Lantern has enormous potential. This franchise could be DC’s answer to Star Wars. Think about it. Aliens. Intergalactic civilizations. Space battles. Ancient cosmic mythology. The Guardians. The emotional spectrum. Sinestro. Oa. The Corps. Thousands of Lanterns from across the universe. A gigantic mythology built around one incredibly simple concept: Anyone can become a hero if they can overcome fear. That’s an incredible foundation for a television universe. Instead, Lanterns looks at all of that and says: “What if we made it True Detective, but everybody has glowing jewelry?” And somehow, it doesn’t even manage to reach the best seasons of True Detective. The tragedy is that Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre are good enough to make you desperately wish the material around them were better. Chandler brings the right kind of weathered charisma to Hal. Pierre has the screen presence necessary to make John Stewart feel like a major DC icon. These two actors deserved a story that understood why people love these characters. Instead, they are trapped inside a series that seems embarrassed by the superhero mythology it’s supposed to be celebrating. And that’s perhaps the most frustrating thing about the new DCU. Where is the inspiration? Where are the heroes? Where is the sense that these characters are supposed to make us want to be better? You don’t need every superhero movie or television show to be sunshine and rainbows. Give me darkness. Give me tragedy. Give me flawed heroes. But eventually, let the damn heroes be heroes. Hell, at this point, I genuinely believe Marshall from PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie has a more convincing hero’s journey than some of the characters in James Gunn’s current DC Universe. And that’s not a compliment to PAW Patrol. That’s an emergency flare. Lanterns isn’t merely a disappointing Green Lantern adaptation. It’s a frustrating example of what happens when a potentially enormous superhero mythology gets buried underneath cynicism, trauma, mystery-box storytelling, and the desperate need to make comic-book material feel “prestigious.” Give me Kyle Chandler. Give me Aaron Pierre. Give me the costumes. Give me Oa. Give me the Corps. Give me aliens, constructs, space battles, impossible worlds, giant cosmic threats and a hero who actually believes something. Give me Green Lantern. Because what Lanterns gives us is a bleak detective drama wearing a Green Lantern costume and hoping nobody notices. And honestly? I’d take Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern over this. At least that movie understood that Green Lantern was supposed to be fun.
- Louis WhiteAugust 26, 2026I think the show is exceptionally amazing for a grounded Green Lantern show! But I understand why some people don't like the show, but I hope it'll be promising.
- UsablePain2d agoI enjoyed the show but for some reason I expected more.
- j7kfm3d ago A fantastic start to what would likely be very entertaining series. 
- BrandiAugust 18, 2026I'm not a big superhero fan, although I do love anything to do with Spider-Man Superman or Batman. Ever since Superman 3 was filmed in my city and I was a teenager and got to see some cool stuff involved, and of course Christopher Reeve. But I haven't watched much in the last 20 years or so and I saw this pop up and the first thing I noticed was Kyle Chandler. He's such a great actor and I love seeing everything he's involved in so here I am. The first episode hasn't disappointed so let's see where this goes.
- acgregg7583d agoI can't be the only one tired of shows and movies about racism in America and hero deconstrucition. Right? Boring af.
- Ed_Teach775d agoA bit slow to start, but it gained momentum toward the end. The last episode was fantastic.
- OdinTheRavenKing6d ago## Synopsis After years with Hal Jordan being Green Lantern, the Guardians have given him a protogee, John Stewart, who he doesn't want or care for. They find out that a world destroying creature is on the planet and has been for years. ## Review This show has so many ups and downs, but man do those ups feel like the DC comics universe could unseat Breaking Bad as one of the best shows if it keeps it up. I am just blown away by this show at certain points, but some episodes were a drag. I think it is important to note that it is rumored that the show release order was rearranged and while it makes sense to the story, I think that is where the main pacing issues come from. There is a midseason episode that is huge and is an outstanding episode. It is quickly followed by a very boring episode. This episode is important to setting up the finale and next season, but it just crushing after that big episode. The episode that feels like it should have been the second-to-last episode of the season. Kyle Chandler and Kelly MacDonald are beyond fantastic. Honestly, Kelly was my favorite character of the whole show. Just a regular person trying to make their way through. She is one of the best grounding characters you'll ever watch on TV. While Aaron Pierre does a great job, I cannot forgive him for [[Rebel Ridge]]. I guess that isn't his fault, but the fault of the writers, but still I can't forgive him for that. He is good through, I'm just being difficult. ## [My Rating] This is what an show should be. If [[Supergirl]] had been this grounded, it could have been incredible. If this is what we will get in the DCU, then movie goers and TV enjoyers will feast. This is the [[Andor]] of the DCU. A show that is just surprisingly better than anything we have gotten in a while. I wasn't really interested in watching it originally, but I can't wait for the next season. It is a 9. ## [Parental Rating] There is a metric ton of language and it fits. It is heavy, but it fits. That isn't enough for my parents to like it. There are scenes of sex and a naked drawing done live in the show. So real quick, they are out, but I am so disappointed they won't watch it. Rejected by both.
- Paul VisagieAugust 23, 2026Really a different spin on thw Green Lantern...highly entertaining. Can wait for next episode.
- Carter7d agoLanterns might have just saved the DCU! Positives: - The series visually looks good with all of the space stuff whenever we get it - I like the small town setting - The performances are great - Kyle Chandler is an all timer as Hal Jordan - The characters are great and fully fleshed out with character development - The mystery is intriguing and keeps you guessing until it’s revealed - The twists and turns are pretty shocking and clever. I didn’t see any of them coming - The origin story for John Stewart is done pretty well here - The finale is pretty controversial but for me it works. I think it’s a satisfying finale - The action sequences are intense - The comedy is pretty funny Mixed: I hope they bring back Hal for the next season Negatives: - Some of the flying scenes look a little weird - I wish we got more locations explored in the DCU - Some of the later episodes are a little bit slower and aren’t as interesting as the first 5 episodes Overall I loved Lanterns and I can’t wait for our next DCU project. If you love comic book projects or mysteries I recommend this to you.
- NM Ahmed7d agoenough to make a grown man cry.
- Ty Leet7d agoGood plot, great cast, decent action - overall a good superhero show that leaned into the mystery.
- solidem17d agoOne of the best shows I've ever seen and may ever see. Layers of story, enmeshed within the backdrop of 2026 and a desire to showcase the dark, inimitable power of America. An American power that makes its would-be wielders fight tooth and fucking nail against shitty, unfair odds within the fire of a crucible of impossibility until no one, not even and especially those who are losing said power, can deny the right and duty to wield it.
- Jules7d agoA bastardization of the Green Lantern comics written by incompetent children who never learned how the world really works. A show that confuses misplaced empathy with heroism. It demonizes the shows heroes (Hal) while glorifying the shows villains (The Manhunters). It turns John Stewart (who's typically a noble military man) into a thief, a liar, and a villain. I mean they even go as far as to change the goddamn oath? FUCK OFF! Half a star for Kyle Chandler who plays a great Hal Jordan but is wasted by pathetic losers like Tom King and James Gunn.
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Lanterns has 1 season.
Lanterns has 8 episodes.
The key characters in Lanterns are Hal Jordan / Halogram (Kyle Chandler), John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald).
Lanterns was directed by Geeta Patel, Alik Sakharov, Stephen Williams, James Hawes.
Lanterns was produced by Breannah Gibson, Kiegan Downs.
Lanterns follows new recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan, two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.
Lanterns is rated TV-MA.
Lanterns is a Mystery, Action, Crime show.
Lanterns has an audience rating of 6.9 out of 10.
Lanterns episodes are 60m long.
There is no information yet from the studio on if there will be another season.