Season 1 – Lanterns

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Season 1 – Lanterns

Next Ep Sep 6

Drama

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

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92%

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111 Reviews

80%

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1,000+ Ratings

Based on the DC comic "Green Lantern," drama series "Lanterns" follows new recruit John Stewart and "Lantern" legend Hal Jordan. These two intergalactic cops are drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland. In association with Warner Bros. Television and DC Studios, the HBO series provides a fresh live action take on the popular universe and its characters. Emmy nominee Chris Mundy serves as showrunner and executive producer for this original detective story.

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Critics Consensus

Lanterns lights the way to a controlled and fantastical escape, in which Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre bring audiences into their world of wonder through fearless performances, grounded writing, and charismatic chemistry.

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Audience Says

Tempering superhero spectacle with prestige drama, Lanterns is a well-written mystery that shines thanks to the magnetic alchemy between Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre.

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Melanie McFarland

Salon.com

Aug 25

The world of “Lanterns” prefers to be bracingly honest about our false assumptions about heroism and whether the people we deem to be noble really are... That is what makes a Lantern a hero, and this adaptation one of the best of its kind in a long time.

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Peter Travers

The Travers Take

Aug 21

3/4

Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre go way beyond the call of comic-book duty to bring humanity to the usual alien mashup. Much appreciated.

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J. Kelly Nestruck

Globe and Mail

Aug 21

The Green Lantern mythos is too goofy to be grounded no matter how much swearing or sex is added in. I’d rather HBO had hired co-creator Damon Lindelof to make another season of Watchmen instead.

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Jeanine T. Abraham

VisAbleBlackwoman (Medium)

5/5

DC Comics' Lanterns episode three, written by Vanessa Baden (Animal Kingdom, writing credit), is some of the best writing I’ve experienced on a TV series this year.

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André Didyme-Dôme

Rolling Stone en Español

The series stumbles over exposition, loses momentum, and sometimes mistakes solemnity for slowness. But Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre sustain their conflict with a humanity that no glowing construct could replace. [Full review in Spanish]

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Sean O'Connell

CBR

9/10

A mature, dark mystery that’s carried by two impeccably cast leads that packs numerous surprises in every episode.

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Andre C

@Jebas 17h

Absolutely love this take on the characters and the show. My wife who didn't know anything about GLs loves the show also. Really hope it gets multiple seasons

Hrachia S

@MasterH26 19h

Lanterns starts with potential before completely unraveling into heavy handed social commentary. The writing reduces Hal Jordan from a fearless test pilot to an abrasive, drunken punchline whose legacy is framed entirely through unearned privilege. This actively ruins the core Green Lantern mythos, which was always built on courage, willpower, and individual merit. The dynamic with John Stewart is dragged down with it. Instead of an earned partnership between two great heroes, the show defaults to tired archetypes that strip both men of genuine depth. Tearing down an iconic character just to score narrative points completely alienates longtime fans. You cannot deconstruct a legend when you show zero respect for the source material.

Rafael V

@DumplingSensei 20h

Can we just scratch episode 3? no one will notice. and can we let everyone know what Hal Jordan did in fact know fear and surpassed it which is why the ring chose him anyway? and can we not make John's family all racist? I'm a hispanic kid and John Stewart's Green Lantern was my favorite Superhero as a kid.. and it had NOTHING to do with his race. He was just a bad ass green lantern. So dumb

Eugene B

@Eblagmond 21h

This very film noir approach is great fit stylistically and plot wise. Excellent performances throughout so far. Really looking forward to the future.

Erick E

@RT26243148 22h

Imagine taking one of DC’s greatest cosmic mythologies and turning it into a generic True Detective clone. Hal Jordan is completely butchered and bitter, the ring lost the magic of choosing its own wielder, and the universe feels tiny without the Corps' alien diversity—and when they do show up, they seem too afraid to reveal their true forms. They even changed Hal’s military background. There's just no defending this.

Saundra P

@Saundra454 23h

No surprise the backstory episode got the downvotes but Lindelof always comes through, definitely recommend.

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Aaron Pierre

John Stewart

Kyle Chandler

Hal Jordan

Nathan Fillion

Guy Gardner

Kelly Macdonald

Kerry

Laura Linney

Actor

Garret Dillahunt

William Macon

Episode 1

Aired Aug 16, 2026

Pilot

After a fatal shooting, Green Lantern Hal Jordan and new recruit John Stewart set out to prove it was an extraterrestrial event.

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Episode 2

Aired Aug 23, 2026

Trust Fall

Green Lantern Hal Jordan and new recruit John Stewart investigate a deadly shooting to prove an alien force was involved.

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Episode 3

Aired Aug 30, 2026

OutKast

John's parents train him to become the perfect candidate for the next Green Lantern. However, as John trains under Hal, he is disillusioned by Hal's teachings.

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Episode 4

Airs Sep 6