Lanterns: HBO's Time-Travel Green Lantern Drama Focuses on People as Much as Power

HBO's Lanterns, from Damon Lindelof with Chris Mundy and Tom King, is a time-jumping Green Lantern mystery that pairs Hal Jordan and John Stewart in a grounded, character-driven exploration of heroism, race, and power; set across 1996, 2016, and 2026, it follows a Nebraska shooting case that draws interstellar players to Rushville, with Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre delivering the show's emotional core as rivals on a shared quest, supported by a strong supporting cast; while some explanations feel heavy-handed, the premiere shows promise as an ambitious, unpredictable entry in the DC Universe, with seven episodes screened and a debut on August 16.