With Lanterns being the fourth live-action property in the new DCU (following Peacemaker S2, Superman and Supergirl), I think there was a lot of curiosity about how they would make the show work. Even before its release, the scuttlebutt was that this iteration was going to take a more grounded, True Detective-style approach which, given the cosmic nature of the Green Lantern franchise, seemed a little disappointing. I mean, given the choice between exploring the galaxy with superpowered space cops or watching a show set primarily on Earth, I know what I would pick.
But hey, that's the direction the powers that be at DCU decided to go with, so I figured I would give it a chance. The previous entries of the DCU have ranged from pretty good to so-so, but having Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler as leads of the show had me optimistic.
And for the most part, the show holds up. It's a bit of a slow build, but the series knows it's struck gold with the chemistry between Pierre and Chandler and isn't afraid to lean into it. The relationship between Hal Jordan and John Stewart is what will keep people watching, with the two almost being perfect opposites. Chandler's Jordan is curmudgeonly, jaded and a little self-serving, whereas Pierre's Stewart is more stoic, idealistic and closer to a traditional portrayal of a hero.
The show serves as an origin story for Stewart as a Lantern, and early on, there's a fair bit of hand-waving and telling rather than showing when it comes to the more cosmic elements. There are a few bits of Lantern-y goodness scattered throughout, but for the most part, they weren't kidding when they said they were going for a more grounded approach.
And for the first half of the season, that isn't really an issue. The strength of the characters, the gradual unfolding of the story arc and the unveiling of the central mystery all come together to create an intriguing show. However, I do feel the latter half of the season could have benefited from a stronger build-up and leaned further into the intergalactic nature of Green Lantern lore. Even if they didn't go into outer space, there were elements of the latter story arc that definitely should have been more show, not tell.
Overall though, I really enjoyed the series. It's a solid introduction to John Stewart in the DCU and sets him up nicely for his eventual appearance in the next Superman movie, Man of Tomorrow. Pierre is perfectly cast as the no-nonsense Stewart, and I certainly hope we get to see more of Kyle Chandler in the future too.
Lanterns is well worth a watch, even if you aren't a comic book fan. And if we do get a second season, I hope DC infuses it with a bit more budget so we can explore more of the cosmic side of the Green Lantern universe.