RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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TV is no stranger to odd-couple investigators. Scully and Mulder from The X Files . Cohle and Hart from True Detective . Any iteration of Holmes and Watson. Now, HBO's Lanterns adds its own twist to this tried-and-true formula, asking, "what if these investigators... were space cops?"
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The space cops in question are Green Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and his trainee John Stewart ( Aaron Pierre ). Like the rest of the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps, they're able to manifest glowing green constructs with the help of a Power Ring. However, Lanterns takes a more minimalist approach to these abilities, molding the sci-fi elements of Green Lantern into an earthbound mystery with an irresistible duo at its heart.
Lanterns is a thoughtful mystery by way of DC.
Aaron Pierre in "Lanterns."
Credit: HBO Max
Created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, Lanterns charts the growing pains in the mentor-mentee relationship between Hal and John. Smart-mouthed Hal constantly belittles John, calling him "junior" and often failing to loop him in on key Lantern information. A former Marine, John does his best to stay stoic and not snap at Hal, but by the time the show picks up, the cracks in his resolve are starting to show. Yet as his father (J. Alphonse Nicholson) reminds him over the phone in Lanterns ' premiere, as a Black man, John doesn't get the luxury of acting out. He's going to have to work twice as hard to be Green Lantern, and once he has the position, he's going to be held to a different, tougher standard than his white predecessor.
Lindelof brought racism to the forefront of his 2019 "remix" of Watchmen , which centered the 1921 Tulsa race massacre , police brutality , and the pervasiveness of white supremacy today. He, Mundy, and King similarly make race a focal point in Lanterns , albeit to a far lesser extent. Here, the focus is less on America's history of racial violence and more on the impossible benchmarks John and his family know he must hit in order to succeed as a Lantern, the pressures of which Lanterns explores in its most compelling hour.
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Issues of race also linger as Hal and John make their way to the small town of Rushville, Nebraska to investigate possible alien involvement in a shooting. During their snooping, they get to know local bigwig William Macon (Garret Dillahunt), whose anti-alien anxieties echo anti-immigrant talking points. Oh, and he has a personal militia, because of course he does.
Lanterns complicates our perception of Rushville and its inhabitants as its central mystery unravels. (It hits great on rewatch.) It also packs in several key Green Lantern elements, from constructs to aliens. However, the show does reshape them in order to fit its grittier, more grounded mystery tone. Aliens in Lanterns are almost always disguised as humans, while constructs are often limited to shields. While the lack of more flashy sci-fi visuals can feel a bit removed from the intergalactic shenanigans of Green Lantern, it does make the moments when the show truly lets loose feel more monumental.
Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre have impeccable chemistry in Lanterns .
Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler in "Lanterns."
Credit: John Johnson / HBO Max
Carrying us through this mystery is the dynamic duo of Chandler and Pierre, whose performances mesh perfectly, even if their characters don't.
Chandler's Hal is as grating as he is charming. He waltzes into rooms knowing he pushes everyone's buttons, and more importantly, knowing exactly which ones will get what he wants. But while his cockiness could risk being constantly infuriating, Chandler tempers it with an affable sweetness that gives Hal an endearing quality. He'll still piss you off, along with everyone in Rushville, but you'll have a fun time with it.
Where Hal is all smooth talking and impulsive schemes, Pierre's John is a brick wall of restraint. He's buttoned-up, but Pierre masterfully lets that facade of control slip to highlight John's frustration with his so-called mentor. His annoyance at Hal results in some of the show's funniest moments, yet it's all tinged with the thorny reminder of his rigorous journey to become a Green Lantern. Pierre has already proven himself to be a star, especially in 2024's Rebel Ridge , and he continues to prove that here with his commanding sense of gravitas.
Pierre and Chandler's performances are perfect foils, with each scene feeling like a sparring match, usually capped off with the verbal equivalent of a big brother noogie from Hal. Between their chemistry, an intriguing puzzle box, and its ever-relevant themes, Lanterns bursts onto the scene as a thrilling new entry to the DC Universe.
Lanterns premieres Sunday, Aug. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.
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