All articles tagged with #lanterns
Explores how the Manhunters—the Guardians' ancient, shape‑shifting android peacekeepers—could drive Lanterns' central conflict, revealing a history of corruption and a potential rogue infiltrator in Rushville. The piece ties their lore to key DC figures (Martian Manhunter, Sinestro) and hints that unresolved Guardian sins might reshape the Green Lantern mythos on HBO’s Lanterns.
Grant Morrison’s Lanterns review praises Kyle Chandler’s performance and Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart but argues Chandler’s Hal Jordan analogue reads as Star Trek’s Dr. McCoy; he critiques the premiere for heavy exposition and budget-limited costume/ring effects, contends the show should aim for bigger sci‑fi scope rather than a budget‑friendly approach, yet notes strong early critical and audience reception and mentions a forthcoming Morrison/Sharp Green Lantern omnibus.
Episode 2 of Lanterns introduces Antaan, who abducts John Stewart and reveals a mission against a hidden Manhunter in Rushville, Nebraska. The Manhunters are a robotic peacekeeping force created by the Guardians of the Universe, long since decommissioned after violent revolt, with some having escaped and blending into other worlds. Antaan's backstory hints at a parallel with Atrocitus, the Red Lantern leader, suggesting potential future ties to DC's Green/Red Lantern mythos, though the showrunner says the show grounds these elements in personal trauma. It's unclear if Atrocitus will appear, but the episode deepens the show's mythos and raises questions about vengeance and identity.
In Lanterns episode 2, Hal Jordan and John Stewart uncover a sly nod to DC lore when Hal’s vault is opened via voice key by saying “Mogo doesn’t socialize,” a line borrowed from Alan Moore’s Green Lantern tale about the planet-sized Mogo. The reference ties the show’s grounded detective premise to broader Green Lantern mythos while the Hal–John buddy dynamic continues to drive the story.
In Lanterns’ second episode, Hal Jordan mentors John Stewart as they investigate a mysterious alien presence in Rushville. A living green bird hints at new powers, Hal pursues clues while stubbornly contending with local authority, and John uncovers a larger threat: a Manhunter linked to past Green Lanterns. With a 48-hour countdown looming and Sinestro looming in the shadows, the season widens its conspiracy as both Hal and John confront who or what is really behind the danger to Earth.
Spoiler-filled take on Lanterns Episode 2, “Trust Fall,” where Hal and John chase a deadly Manhunter and uncover that the aliens behind the threat may be embedded in Rushville. The episode reveals Manhunters as synthetic shapeshifters predating the Green Lanterns, points toward Macon (and potentially his family) as key suspects, and ties in Antaan’s backstory about Abin Sur. John’s mysterious “pet” bird and Hal’s growing trust in John anchor the episode’s emotional arc, while Sheriff Kane’s Gotham past teases deeper intrigues. The town’s 48-hour ultimatum to turn over the Manhunter sets a high-stakes chase that blends cop drama with space-fantasy vibes, earning a solid B- for its heavy exposition but satisfying momentum.
Grant Morrison weighed in on Lanterns' series premiere via Xanaduum, praising Aaron Pierre's John Stewart and Kyle Chandler's Doctor McCoy, but criticizing the show for too much exposition and for lacking costumes and ring effects due to budget. Morrison questions why a Green Lantern series would adopt a low-fi approach and argues the franchise should aim for broader mainstream appeal. They end with cautious optimism, noting positive mainstream reviews and a willingness to see how the sci‑fi elements unfold.
TVLine hands Kyle Chandler its Performer of the Week for a standout turn as Hal Jordan in HBO’s Lanterns, pairing the actor’s Coach Taylor-led gravitas with a laid-back, witty edge. The pilot introduces Hal as a rugged, beer-friendly mentor who still dishes out hard truths, then ends with his character’s death—leaving viewers eager for more Hal in future episodes.
Lanterns, the DC Studios Green Lantern series, premiered on HBO and HBO Max to 9.3 million worldwide in its first three days (6.6 million in the U.S.), becoming the biggest DC Studios premiere on HBO Max and outpacing several recent HBO debuts; the show stars Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as Hal Jordan and John Stewart and is co-created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, with Mundy as showrunner and producers James Gunn and Peter Safran.
DC Studios’ Lanterns bowed on HBO Max to 9.3 million global viewers in its first three days (6.6 million in the U.S.), ranking among HBO Max’s top five premieres and outpacing several other debuts; the eight‑episode series stars Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, with new episodes dropping Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.
Lanterns debuted to 9.3 million global cross‑platform viewers and 6.6 million in the U.S. in its first three days on HBO/HBO Max, placing it among HBO Max’s top five premieres and outpacing several DC tentpoles; the series has also topped HBO Max’s daily Top 10 since launch. From creators Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King, Lanterns follows John Stewart and Hal Jordan as they investigate a murder with cosmic ties in the American heartland, with new episodes airing Sundays at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.
DC Studios’ Lanterns premiered on HBO and HBO Max to 9.3 million views in its first three days, marking the biggest DC title debut on the platform to date with 6.6 million U.S. viewers in that span; it trails The Penguin’s 11-day total of 10.4 million but outperforms recent hits like It: Welcome to Derry in its first three days (5.7 million).
Three TV reviews span Ted Lasso season 4’s focus on the Lady Greyhounds and women’s sports, the darker, human-centered approach of Lanterns with Hal Jordan and John Stewart, and Furious’s mordant, high-stakes crime drama, praising shows that push beyond formula with mentorship, trauma, and representation while noting Ted Lasso’s challenge of giving new female talent as much screen time as the established cast.
Reviewing Lanterns, Heidi MacDonald says HBO’s new Green Lantern series offers a grounded, True Detective–style take on Hal Jordan and John Stewart that outshines the 2011 Green Lantern movie; the cast—Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre—delivers strong chemistry, with sharp writing that nods to Lindelof and Tom King. Fan reactions are mixed but many see it as a fresh reinvention that focuses on character and mystery rather than galaxy-spanning spectacle.
Damon Lindelof says Lanterns on HBO Max will tell a self-contained story with a resolved relationship between its two leads, aiming to avoid the unraveling mystery trap of Lost; new episodes air Sundays on HBO Max.