This review will be somewhat different from the ones I’ve done lately. Instead of analyzing a movie or an entire season of a series, I’ll be focusing on one specific episode. So I’ll try to be as direct as possible, since my intention is for this post to serve as a continuation of my previous review of the first five episodes of Lanterns LANTERNS | EPISODES 1–5 (If you haven’t watched the series, I recommend doing so before reading this review, as it will contain spoilers.)

Review

On Sunday, September 20, the sixth episode, titled “Bad Optics,” premiered. The story continues with a time jump to the present, showing us how John Stewart carried on with his life after declining to become Earth’s new Green Lantern. Ten years after the disaster caused by the Manhunters in the town of Rushville, John became a successful architect, while Hal Jordan was arrested and apparently expelled from the Green Lantern Corps, being replaced by the already-famous Guy Gardner.

I’m glad to finally see Guy make his appearance. Ever since the film "Superman" (2025), he has been a recurring character in this new DC Universe, and we now know that he is indeed Hal Jordan’s replacement as the protector of Sector 2814. If there is a second season, I think Guy Gardner would make a good co-star, since he shares certain similarities with John Stewart: apparently, they both knew Hal and were deeply disappointed by him. However, we still need an explanation of what makes him worthy of wielding the ring, since, from my point of view, he is far too stupid to be a competent Green Lantern.

Continuing the plot, John Stewart travels back to Rushville to meet Hal Jordan again after Hal is released from prison. Following an argument in which John punches Hal in the nose, John leaves the scene. However, a few hours later, he receives a call from the sheriff, who informs him that Hal Jordan’s body has been found in the bleachers of a football field.

This is undoubtedly the mystery that has drawn many viewers to the series and, of course, has become the subject of controversy and debate. Hal Jordan is, after all, the most famous Green Lantern in DC Comics, having starred in countless cosmic adventures in the comics. He is practically the icon of the DC franchise. Killing him off just like that, without showing us in depth who he was as a superhero, seems like an appealing proposition for this new cinematic universe.

It was only natural to expect them to eventually announce origin movies for all their major characters, just as Marvel Studios did. But DC Studios seems to have something different in mind, and if their plans are bold enough to sacrifice their flagship Green Lantern, it appears that James Gunn and Peter Safran are willing to take risks in order to show us something promising.

This episode focuses on John Stewart, out of respect for Green Lantern, organizing the funeral arrangements for the late Hal Jordan… Or so it seems. After performing an autopsy on the body, they determine that Hal was shot in the head at close range and that there were no signs of resistance. Among his belongings, they find a key to a warehouse, so John and the sheriff go there to see what is inside. They discover a kind of high-tech alien cube that serves as a security system. Whatever it contains can only be opened using Hal Jordan’s physical voice. Since he is dead, they leave the place. That is when John gets the idea of holding Hal’s funeral.

He contacts Guy Gardner and asks him to go to Oa and bring Hal’s ring—the ring the Guardians are keeping in a vault—so that Hal can be buried wearing his Green Lantern uniform.

I have to say that the episode feels drawn out because it focuses so much on the funeral arrangements, especially since we eventually discover that they were unnecessary.

In the end, we learn that John’s real objective was to retrieve Hal’s ring. Some may think this represents a setback in his character development, since he rejected becoming a Green Lantern in the previous episode. However, I think there is a logical explanation: John Stewart knew about this backup copy of Hal Jordan projected by his ring, so I don’t think it is a coincidence that he came up with the idea of holding the funeral after learning that he needed a physical voice sample from Hal Jordan.

If I’m right, it would be an incredibly convoluted plan just to obtain Hal’s ring. I mean, was it really necessary to exhume the coffin? Why not simply take it from the body during the ceremony? Only three people attended. Or why not just ask Guy Gardner to hand it over? That is what I mean when I say the entire episode feels drawn out.

In any case, there are two episodes left to complete the season, and I think the focus will now shift to solving the mystery behind Hal Jordan’s death. There are no clues as to who his killer might be, but whoever it is will surely continue causing trouble in Rushville.

Episode Trivia

• At one point, Guy Gardner mentions that Sinestro—the former Green Lantern and Hal Jordan’s mentor—recently escaped from a space prison. This could mean that we will see the beginnings of the Sinestro Corps. However, Hal Jordan is supposedly already an experienced Green Lantern, so it would be strange if he had never faced Sinestro as the leader of the Sinestro Corps, wielding the powers of the yellow rings.

Rating: 70/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.

Cover image edited in canva; the image was taken from the following source

Rating: 100/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.

Green Lantern has always been a very important superhero in the fictional universe of DC Comics, as he belongs to a space defense force called the “Green Lantern Corps,” which dispenses justice throughout the universe. However, adapting his elements into live action has not been easy.

Many people probably know the character from that critically panned 2011 film starring Ryan Reynolds. (That movie was how I first discovered the superhero.) Thanks to that production, I was able to realize just how vast Green Lantern’s story is. But I also became aware of certain obstacles involved in adapting it as an entertainment product.

The story of an Air Force pilot who encounters an alien that gives him a magical ring, allowing him to create and do anything he can imagine, works very well in an animated format. However, it is not something that translates easily to live action because it is so fantastical—and that places heavy demands on visual resources such as CGI.

But "Lanterns" is not the origin story of the Green Lantern most people know, Hal Jordan. Instead, Hal already has 30 years of experience as a superhero and serves as a mentor to his apprentice and perhaps his future replacement, John Stewart.

DC Studios seems to have understood something fundamental: not every comic-book character needs to be adapted exactly or follow the structure of a traditional superhero movie. The series’ first five episodes focus on a small-town police mystery involving an extraterrestrial-related conspiracy. This is the storyline that will be used to introduce Green Lantern into the new DC Universe. Although I have only watched half of the first season, I can already see that it is an interesting production, especially in the way it builds characters who constantly demonstrate their superpowers.

If I had to describe what works about this grounded approach, I would say it is the effort to show what it means to be a “Green Lantern” from another perspective: that of an ordinary person who, through hard work, manages to leave fear far behind. That virtue is what defines John Stewart’s character.

The series draws on recognizable elements of the police procedural genre, but combines them with Green Lantern’s cosmic mythology. I believe the Green Lantern universe will gradually be revealed until it becomes part of both the protagonist’s and the viewer’s world. For now, there have only been explanations about Oa, the Guardians, and the power rings, but the script prefers to limit and regulate the information in order to preserve the mystery surrounding Hal Jordan.

The writing of Hal Jordan and John Stewart has particularly caught my attention because they are the protagonist and co-protagonist. Their relationship is not built simply as that of a mentor and apprentice. There is constant friction between their personalities, and that is because they both know a hidden truth but do not share it with each other due to their mutual distrust.

Kyle Chandler portrays Hal Jordan as a veteran who has lived through countless adventures across the universe—so many that he has developed severe emotional exhaustion, blurring his image as a hero. Meanwhile, Aaron Pierre gives John Stewart considerable complexity by portraying him as someone who was literally raised to overcome fear. The episode centered on John’s past demonstrates that the series is made for him, explaining who he is before turning him into the superhero from the comics.

Visually, "Lanterns" has a modern aesthetic that is already very different from the 2011 film—and that is something to be grateful for. It distances itself from the look many people might expect from a Green Lantern production.

In fact, that is what makes it so surprising: this aesthetic gives the moments connected to the cosmic universe a greater impact. Whenever something appears that reminds viewers they are watching a science-fiction story set in the DC Universe, it feels like fan service. There is humor, but it generally comes from the characters’ personalities rather than from jokes inserted forcibly.

"Lanterns" takes its time, and I think these five episodes could have made up a complete season on their own. It has action and comedic scenes, but it is a series driven by conversations and carefully chosen moments of action. The show requires us to get to know its characters in depth, so this long preamble before entering the final stretch creates anticipation for what comes next—that is, the three episodes still left in the season.

I had intended to watch the entire season once it concluded, as I usually do, but I decided to take advantage of this opportunity. I think I came in at a good time: the story has reached its highest point of intrigue and tension, so I am eager to see what happens next.

"Lanterns" is especially promising for the new DC Universe. For the moment, the series seems disconnected from it. There are elements such as the sheriff being from Gotham City, but little else. The connections are there, though I assume the creators do not want the series to depend on references. (Even so, I hope we get a mention of or an appearance by Guy Gardner.) It is good to see DC expanding the universe considerably without turning the series into a cameo festival.

After five episodes, the impression is clear: Lanterns does not intend to be simply “the Green Lantern series.” It is an enriched story that uses Green Lantern mythology as a driving force to bear witness to something much larger. If it maintains this balance throughout the final episodes, it could become one of the best series in the new DCU.

Rating: 97/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.

Rating: 90/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.

Cover image edited in canva; the image was taken from the following source

Rating: 100/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.

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Lanterns Episode 3, OutKast is the episode where John Stewart finally shows something more than following everybody orders, follow his mom, Hal Jordan, the Guardians, the guy had not attitude, because his problem with the Guardians is not the usual young Lantern doubting his elders. It goes back to how he was raised. John finds out his father was considered for the ring before Hal Jordan, admitted he was afraid and lost the chance. A Guardian later becomes part of the family decision about John, and after that his parent's raise him to become a Green Lantern and they didnt have much idea what is like to be one, but all they care is no fear at all cost, even though the kid lost a lot of a regular childhood, the show doesnt explain it that way but come on, a kid that stay still while his father takes a shot at the apple on top of his head, John didnt even flinch. John did not grow up just wanting this job, his parent's built his whole childhood around being ready for it, even knowing he might end up hating them for it, and that is way more interesting to me than the usual hero origin where somebody dreams about the ring for years and finally earns it. Getting close to it does not feel like a win by itself when you have been pushed toward the same destination your whole life. His parent's make more sense once you know what happened to his father, but that does not make their choices easy to accept, they want John achieve what his father couldnt and even though his father might not be around for the entire series at least during this episodes you can tell the guy carry the weight of knowing one scared answer cost him everything. John does not need too much explaining to be told why he has a problem with the Guardians, his childhood already does that for him.

• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26545992/
• Platform: PRIME VIDEO

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John Stewart's Childhood Feels More Like Programming

I also think the childhood stuff is fine for now at least because it explains why John Stewart is so controlled by almost everyone who have contact with him through Lanterns, even Macon's wife. His parent's kept him away from anything normal, restricted what he could listen to, limited who he hung out with, and ran him through training meant to kill his fear. The part that gets me most is he spent eighteen years in the same house as his family and still felt like he missed them, that says a lot about what this plan cost him rather than his character been complaining the entire time or having some kind of hate relationship with his parents. His brother's get normal lives while John gets treated like an assignment, so he has all kind of memories that are not normal for a kid but for him it was. The bird detail is small but I like it, his mother tells him birds are connected to the Guardians watching him, so something ordinary ends up tied to the idea that he is always being watched and judged, and later when a bird matters to how John uses his Lantern power it does not feel random anymore and connects after they unfold the entire bird story, it comes from something planted in his head as a kid. This also make the Guardians character a bit creepy to me even when they are not doing anything cruel to him directly but who the hell offers a monther a big ass diamond in exchange of raising his child as he is a marine with still the risk that John might not be the one they would pick after many years of them watching him before he actually work for them because thats another truth and why Hal at this point feel working for or with the Guardians is not worth for a Lantern.

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Hal Jordan and John Stewart Were Built to Clash

There is that contrast and friction between Hal Jordan and John Stewart that makes things always interesting even though when there is nothing going on and this is brilliant writing, its the fact that this two guys dont like each other but want to work together sometimes and the series knows it but sometimes its just too obvious, boring time lets turn on the love hate switch between this too, but still works, its all based that John spend his life training to be Hal's replacement. Consider John spends nine months on a military operation involving Gray Wolf, only for Hal to show up, interfere and leave a mess behind that gets John the consequences and a dishonorable discharge, and that alone gives John a reason to dislike Hal before the two of them are even competing over the ring. Hal shows up, does whatever he decides in the moment, leaves almost immediately, and still keeps being the Green Lantern while John loses the career he worked for. John was trained to follow a path with discipline, Hal trusts his own judgment way more than any rule written a book, and its clear that in their own way it works, both approaches have problems, John follows orders so easily that I wonder how much room he leaves for his own judgment, and Hal trusts himself so much that other people pay for what he does. That is also what makes John going to art school afterward hit harder for me, art is something he wanted before and was never really allowed to chase, so turning to it once his career falls apart is one of the only times he gets close to choosing something for himself, think about it for a min, that alone says how much this guy has been controlled, he had to wait not only be a grown man and a marine discharged, to then do ONE of the things he most love in life, art.

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The Guardians Want John to Replace Hal

Then there are this cheeky Guardians of the Universe who do not suddenly look better once John actually gets to them and start plotting against Hal, they dont want to kill him but they do want John to take the ring from him. During the interview he is told he is being considered to replace Hal without Hal knowing about it, and John reacts like somebody who spent his whole life learning that orders matter more than comfort. That should feel like a big moment for him, but it throws me off because any other guy would say "you are the boss, lets go", he finally reaches the people his parent's spent his life preparing him to serve, and one of their first expectations is that he go along with a secret plan involving the man already wearing the ring, thats a big no no for him and he knows it deep inside, thats not him. Even though they pushing John towards exactly what he was raised to want while giving him every reason to be suspicious of the people offering it. I like the Guardian in this scene because she does not need to act threatening, her calm confusion over the difference between raising somebody and programming somebody says enough a lot. John insists humans are raised, not programmed, but the episode already showed how thin that line gets when a kid has one future pushed on him for years. He is not a machine without real choices, he likes art, he has complicated feelings about his family, he can resent Hal, he can admit what he lost, and that proves his parents did not build the exact adult they wanted. Still, the Guardians manipulate him in a way and benefit from all of it anyway, a disciplined candidate who has thought about their standards since childhood and is ready to follow an order just because it is an order, but betraying his not so loved "partner and teacher" hhhmmm thats a tuff order to follow even for John.

John Stewart Needs to Choose What Kind of Lantern He Becomes

From the very first episode its clear Hal is not going to give up the ring period until he is dead, this time Hal tells John straight up that he does not need a partner and that John gets the ring over his dead body, and I like how ugly that makes the competition feel. John spent his life being groomed for this and probably expect a very welcoming teacher who wouldnt give him the ring right away but Hal position is never unless he stops breathing so never while he is alive. Hal reacts like losing the ring would cost him the one thing he cannot let go of, and neither one is treating this like a normal job while the Guardians sit behind both making decisions probably based on a bigger game than this two are trying to play. That is why Lanterns Episode 3, OutKast, leaves me way more interested in John Stewart than I was at the begining, his problem is not just whether he becomes Green Lantern anymore, I care more about what happens once he starts deciding which parts of the life built around him he actually wants to keep, at some point he will bail on the Guardians and decides I will wait for Hal to die? anyways with how wreckless he is I bet John will out live him with or without the ring, but the episode gives him enough reason to want the ring that walking away would not feel freeing, and enough reason to distrust the Guardians that going along with everything they say would feel wrong too. I also like that his anger at Hal has actual history now, Hal wrecked his military career, showed up at his family home before John could share his own news and treated him like a threat the second he got close to the position. John has every reason to resent him, but I do not want that to be the only direction this show goes for a very long time or for the entire season, the best version of John is the one who can still want the ring without letting his parents, Hal, or the Guardians decide what kind of Lantern he ends up being.

Rating: 75/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.

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Trust Fall Opens Up Lanterns' Cosmic Side Without Losing Rushville

There is already the opinion on the internet that Lanterns is the best ever tv series made by DC and it seems that as it goes it just gets better, because Episode 2 Trust Fall cracks open the cosmic Green Lantern side of the show without turning Rushville into an afterthought, specially with Hal just going to space and back, its not like Superman where first they develop his story and then down the road you get the space stuff. Initially I worried this town would become a backdrop for lore once the show leaned into Corps history and alien factions that is ultimately the biggest plot of Lanterns, but gladly that does not happen since the town itself as most small town stories becomes a character along with the rest of the citizens. On Trust Fall we got multiple angles to the story as Hal spends the episode figuring out why a town this small has access to technology nobody else on this planet should have, John is still trying to understand what a power ring can actually do, and neither one connects those two puzzles yet, and that gap between what they each know carried the episode because its not only them but gets you to start trying to figure out who is behind all this, even though I think its very obvious. When Hal figures out the football stadium metal detectors were secretly built to flag aliens, it flips his whole investigation, because now there is a real question about how Macon's crew even knew to look for that. He already senses this tech is way past anything a small town should have, so his obsession with Macon stops looking like a stubborn hunch, as he commonly says he trust his guts, and now starts looking like solid ground, although not facts yet. Macon has somebody funding him secretly, and his daughter the sheriff is holding back more than she lets Hal know, and that near an empty hospital gives Hal one more reason to think the town is rotten underneath, there are many things that are not normal. None of it gets solved yet to keep the mistery so Hal have to go and do his own investigation, space police job, and that feels like the right call because it gives motives and character to the entire situation instead of falling into a pure action series, it keeps every clue working instead of getting spent right away.

• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26545992/
• Platform: PRIME VIDEO

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John Stewart Keeps Breaking Hal's Ring Rules

I bet right now John Stewart is everyones favorite character for now but I bet down the line there will be some questionable actions taken from him, for his screwups tell you more about him but they really pushing with the flashbacks. Take the flying lesson when Hal hands him the ring assuming it will click the same way it did for him decades ago, but John cannot get off the ground and instead a small green bird pops out of nowhere. Hal warns it will vanish the second John stops concentrating on it, except the bird breaks the rules, it keeps flying long after John hands the ring back and it survives the entire time John spends in Coast City with no ring on his finger at all. Even John fails the actual task Hal gave him but stumbles into something Hal himself though would be nearly impossible because first its not normal behaviour and second it should be imposible. Hal has decades of muscle memory telling him how a ring should behave and John keeps breaking those assumptions without even trying, which keeps Hal watching him too closely and hating how much it gets under his skin how a rookie can start doing things he have never been able without any type of expirience, add to that their relationship is still messy and full of friction, but over time it will start shifting little by little. I liked the small detail of Hal's ring running low, which sends John back to Coast City for a battery while Hal digs around Rushville alone. Before flying back John grabs Hal's old uniform out of the closet even though Hal told him to leave it alone, and John still treats the suit like it means something while Hal treats it like a compromise or obligation that he barely tolerates anymore, somehow I guess there is something about been a Lantern that he just doesnt tolerate anymore.

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The Manhunter Mystery Pulls in the Guardians

The Manhunter thread start to become the main topic and I like how John is not even close to get some action but then he gets kidnap, temporarly by aliens who grab him off the road, they tell him a Manhunter wiped out their entire species, that they think one survived and is hiding in Rushville and they give John 48 hours to help find it before they start blowing things up themselves. That Manhunter scene makes the situation a lot more dangerous without a stop to explain much about it and it forces John into a real decision about whether he trusts Hal. He is told to keep his mouth shut, and John tells Hal anyway, since John has every reason to keep Hal at a distance because Hal withholds information constantly and John still believes the Coast City assignment was Hal finding a way to get him out of his way but in a sense it was and wasnt, so staying quiet would have been the easier move, and choosing telling him shows how much John sees Hal as a leader and not just and obstacle to get the ring. The idea of a Manhunter doesnt alarm Hal right away or gets him paranoic, but its the fact the Guardians were hiding a Manhunter is what really disturb him once he connects it to Abin Sur and his distrust of the Guardians finally has a real target instead of a vague old grudge. At this point the plot is getting very center focus on the Manhunter, Hal and the Guardians, while John training or becoming Hal succesor is been put aside for now, and on top of all this we havent seen Hal or John doing anything amazing with the ring so far.

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Hal Jordan's Gut Keeps Getting Him in Trouble

Hal Jordan sometimes gets too excited to the point he basically becomes usless, you know like that type of people who are so impatient that when they looking up something on a document scroll up and down hundred of times and get all stress out, well thats Hal right now. He is still impatient, stubborn, and convinced he knows better than everyone else and keeps saying "his guts" know better, but at least he is usually noticing things other people miss. He is the first one to realize something is wrong with the technology in Rushville and I like that the sheriff is not just standing around waiting for him to figure everything out either. She already knew those stadium detectors were not normal and clearly has her own reasons for wanting answers, its like she knows who put them there but dont know the real reason or at least knew this were Alien detectors before Hal. Then Hal been the stubborn he is, walks straight onto Macon's property and gets himself shot because apparently slowing down for five minutes is impossible for this guy, lets keep in mind he is still a human and the ring just a tool. The hospital scene is where we get more context as Hal and the sheriff finally admit they have both been getting in each other's way. I am glad the show moves that relationship forward instead of having them argue about the same stuff again. Hal still sees that something is seriously wrong with this town, but by the end he also has to accept that he cannot do everything himself. John gets the battery and suit he needs, and the sheriff gives Hal information he never would have found on his own and by now its very clear Hal just hates depending on people, but this case is already proving he is going to have to.

Sinestro Expands the Cosmic Side Without Taking Over

The Sinestro scene at the end also worked very well because its those scenes that give the Green Lantern space plot more wings and start to expand instead of feeling like they stuck on this small town. Hal is the reason Sinestro is locked up, so the fact that he goes to see him at all tells you how badly he needs answers. Hal wants information about the Manhunter, but Sinestro quickly turns the conversation toward John Stewart, which I liked because it keeps the ending focused on Hal and John instead of just throwing Sinestro in there for a big surprise cameo and also tells me we going to keep seen Sinestro over the next episodes at some point. That is what I want from the bigger Green Lantern stuff in this show. Use it to make Hal and John's situation more complicated, not to take over the whole story. Trust Fall, is an episodes that you can tell tries to keep the balance of the story and not fall into one side too quick, not much action, more investigation tasks, keep the friction between Hal and John, well between Hal and everybody in town got to say, plus Rushville still feels shady, the Manhunter makes everything a lot more dangerous, and there are already a ton of different things happening at once. The speed of the story still worries me a little because the show is piling things on pretty fast, but Hal and John are working well enough together that I am still very interested in seeing where all of this goes.

Rating: 75/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.

Okay, episode 4 of Lanterns… now we're getting somewhere interesting. After three episodes of slowly building this mystery around Hal Jordan, John Stewart and the Manhunter, Episode 4 finally decides to give us some answers Episode 4, “The Weenie,” is basically where the detective story, the Green Lantern mythology and the relationship between Hal and John finally start crashing into each other. Hal and John are still investigating the Manhunter, but at this point, they don't exactly trust each other either and at this point I don’t know if the show is about Hal or John primarily.

One of pinpoint thing about this episode is the way Hal and John are slowly becoming a team while simultaneously trying to undermine each other, at least at the beginning and middle of the episode 😂 John is being pressured by Guardian Lianna to take Hal's ring, while Hal is getting information from Sinestro that makes him question whether John can actually be trusted. So you've got two Green Lanterns working together while both of them are secretly wondering whether the other guy needs to go and speaking of Sinestro… FINALLY.

Then we get to the biggest reveal of the episode, Zoe, I genuinely didn't expect the Manhunter reveal to go in that direction. I had to rewind the episode and watch it again and again. The show spends so much time pointing us toward other suspects, especially Macon and the mysterious figure behind him, only to reveal that Zoe is actually the Manhunter and what makes it even more interesting is that Zoe doesn't feel like a traditional villain. Her relationship with John suddenly takes on an entirely different meaning because we're forced to reconsider everything we've seen from her. That's what I like about the show. It isn't rushing to give us massive Green Lantern battles every twenty minutes. It's a slow build up and I appreciate that. But I will say this Hal is becoming increasingly difficult to understand. 😂 The man has information, keeps secrets, manipulates John and then, by the end of the episode, literally leaves him in a terrible situation. Whatever Hal thinks he's doing, this partnership is getting dangerously close to falling apart. John? I'm starting to like him more and more. Aaron Pierre is doing a great job because John doesn't feel like some perfect superhero, even though he has been raised to be such. He's stubborn, intelligent, emotionally guarded and clearly carrying a lot beneath the surface that he hides really well Episode 3 gave us his backstory, and Episode 4 actually starts showing us how that history affects the way he handles Hal and the Lantern Corps. The biggest problem I have with the episode is that Lanterns still feels like it's moving slower than it needs to. I know I said I appreciate the slow build up but still. At some point, the mystery needs to start becoming bigger than just “Who is the Manhunter?” Thankfully, Episode 4 finally feels like we're getting there. For the ending, Yeah, that relationship between Hal and John is officially a mess.

Rating: 80/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.

Cover image edited in canva; the image was taken from the following source

Rating: 100/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.

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Lanterns from DC a series I was eskeptical at first mostly because there has never been a good representation on movies or life action tv but this one is getting better as it goes. The series unfolds the life of Hal Jordan and his replacement who he is not all for it, the only way he is getting the ring is over his dead body, this trainee is John Stewart, after such phrase makes me think is no different from a cops show but this one is based on intergalactic cop. This episode take place in a small Nebraska town with Hal and John working a case that at first is very messy and if you are like me who dont know much about the lore is going to be very insteresting, reminds me a lot of my expirience watching Peacemaker. For me the most impresive moment is that the scene of John dad shooting to an apple that is on John's head but before the shut John only says I'm not afraid, that attitude of zero fucks let us know what is John attitude and how it will be important for his training although as an adult he still kinda hidding it, its almost like that kind of child who is so small yet that have never learn what fear is but this time its on purpose so he can be choose by the Guardians. Unfortunately Hal is careless about John, he just arrived late when they supposed to met, never treat him with respect, let John knows that he is the actual Green Lantern and that will continue in that way until his dead. I really saw a person that is a hero but at the same a normal human that has episodes where he really take a most serious attitude as his job demands and at the same time is a total ass with John because feels that his days as heroes soon being over. Truth is that they both very different one from each other, the way they were picked by the Guardians and you can fell there is something there, the case of John is different at Hal, the ring didn't chose John, he was selected, the Green Lantern community just decided that John is the perfect person. During the episode Hal will put John in situations to intimidate him probably for stop training but John is not there to be Hal's cheerleader, he is a real person that will go until end to accomplish his goals and is something that the episode is obviously shows, specially the very moment were Hal give the ring to John, Hal was driving, passed the ring to John and let him fall from a cliff to save himself, in that moment John has never wore the ring and doesn't know how to use but even though he manage to make it work and save his life, after that traumatic moment John called his dad to told him everything he is passing through but his dad only says, you were choose, you wanted this, just fight for it, I really love that scene of this episode because let me know that the backup Green Lantern is a human that care about his dad making John, in my opinion a way bigger Green Lantern than the average although having a family at the same time have such power is always a weakness too because you care, for a future hero.

• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26545992/
• Platform: PRIME VIDEO

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Hal Jordan Doesn't Want John Stewart Replacing Him

This first episode shows the relationship between Hal and John. Hal is older, tired and not excited about training the guy who is supposed to replace him, just imagine that you are on your duty for so long, your destiny is to be the hero in your planet, you are doing a great job but you also know that you are getting older and with John is a constant reminder that your days as the super hero will end, but he is not that old, mostly I think he is just getting lost and the Guardians are noticing this even though they dont interfer that much. Hal is not a bad person but is not making the things easy for John, a dream job for John since he was a kid, not only for him but for his entire family, that also means accepting that bad attitude and that pushed himself to the limit of patience to stay focus on his future duty. There's many scenes that you going to pick up were Hal is just a total asshole with John but in general is not doing what he supposed, guide John to be the future Green Lantern just because he doesn't accept that things are changing. Even though that it seems that they hate each other but over time when John starts to proove Hal they both start to grow respect for each other, John can't deny that Hal is a great hero, he trusts in his experience and Hal probably also respect John's tenacity. Aaron Pierre plays John and Kyle Chandler is Hal, each create the characters on his own good, Aaron as John plays that restraint well without making him feel empty and Kyle Chandler makes Hal annoying without making me want him off screen, they are really a great cast.

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The Rushville Case Exposes John's Lack of Experience

The episode shows now why Nebraska is important specially for that small town enviroment that is very tight where not everyone is willing to speak and tell what they have seen or heard, its when a case appear, in the most common place of the town at the football field, there's dead bodies that not seem to have anyone looking for them, with his experience Hal notice that it is odd, why everyone is leaving the field but not a single family member of the dead person is coming in, since that moment Hal knew that this wasn't a normal case, there's something not human involve and he is a guy that takes justice and action by his hands, the moment the police doesnt pay much attention to him is like "ok at least I told you", then he proceed as he see fit. Hal wanted to manage this by his own but John like to follow the rules and the law so he decided to look for the sheriff and tell her what is happening but in that moment the guy who turns as the main suspect noticed that and started to run. My thoughts when I saw that was that in fact John almost screw everything and the suspect could scape but it happens because Hal hasn't taught nothing valuable to John, yeah John have all those no fear quality but zero expirience at the space cop job, he has training and discipline as he was a marien but not Hal experience yet. I think the script make it too easy for them and thats when they capture the suspect and at the beginning of the interrogation didn't say a word, here I feel that was a good idea that the suspect never revealed everything, he just leave he door open to let us imagine how much of a big menace is coming and as expected the suspect know who Hal is, knows that he running out of powers and know for who he works, knows him very well, so just give him a hint for be prepared for what is coming.

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William Macon and Zoe Make Rushville Even Stranger

I need to mention that the things in town after that dead started to get a little bit twisted, specially when sheriff asked Hal and John to please stay away from her case and it was a fair request because the dead man appeared in a football camp in her little town. Something strange was the appearance of William Macon, it is a subordinate of a very important man and Hal and John received an invitation to visited him, apparently this person knows about the aliens, that information let's people know that this character is more connected with things that happen on Earth and outside of it, is going to be really interesting see the face of that person and confirm if it is an allied or a threat for Hal. An very very unexpected event that again remind me of Peacemaker, this time S02E01 with the orgy scene, its is this solo moment of John, he met a woman named Zoe in a bar and they ended having sex in his car, probably for many people in real life that is so natural but in this case Im not so sure if it was necessary, doesnt go at all with his character to be hones, its like the show has created a very controlled John, with all his senses connected and in alert and for that reason at first I though well this is unnecessary but then I understand that the show is constantly remembering that no matter who is Green Lantern is, still being human and the fact that John decided to be with that woman placed in a more real situation, I like that.

Hal Jordan's Death Leaves the Ring Missing

The ending of this episode was really a shocker because I dont know if Hal is that stubborn that even after his death he wont let John take the ring, or it got stolen, second one I doubt. Many years has passed in the little town of Rushville, a more mature John has returned and was received by the sheriff who apparently has a long relationship with him, because decided that he should be the first one in seen the crime scene and that scene was shocking, we see a Hal sitting at the same field with a wound in his head and no ring. For me this is the point, the episode doesn't give any clue of who could be the responsible of killing Hal, also never mention if John is ready to take his place as the new Green Lantern, in addition the ring is lost but it is lost because some took it or because Hal hide it, there's so many question and that is great, because it tells that the show is going to take its time to give the audience the answer, not in a rush and can also make us work and create our own answer. I really want to continue watching this tv show, I need to know what really happen with Hal, why if he was presented a someone so difficult, capable, funny and sometimes weird, why he ended like that, I also need to know if John will be capable to find and wild the ring and become the new Green Lantern, how long is going to take John find all he answers, if this is going to be the entire season 1 as a trainee and towards the end we get to this very same point or will this be a season 2 scene, awesome show so far, I gave this episode 7/10.

Rating: 70/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.

Rating: 75/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.

Cover image edited in canva; the image was taken from the following source

Rating: 90/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.

I honestly didn't know what to expect from Lanterns, It was first recommended by a friend but I quickly realized that this wasn't going to be the typical superhero story filled with nonstop explosions and predictable battles. What caught my attention was how much the story leaned into mystery, suspense and character development.

The series followed John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), a former Marine whose life took an unexpected turn when he became involved with the Green Lantern Corps. He was paired with the much more experienced Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), and their relationship became one of the most interesting parts of the story.

These two were completely different. John was younger, determined and still trying to understand what he had gotten himself into, while Hal had years of experience behind him and carried himself like someone who had already seen too much. Their differences naturally created tension, but it also made their partnership feel believable.

The real story began when the two were pulled into the investigation of a mysterious death in rural America. What initially looked like an ordinary case gradually became something far more disturbing. The deeper John and Hal went, the more secrets they uncovered, and it became clear that there was something much bigger hiding behind the investigation.

I particularly enjoyed the slower approach. Instead of immediately throwing Green Lantern powers and massive battles at us, Lanterns took its time building the mystery. There were moments when it felt more like a crime thriller than a superhero series, and surprisingly, that worked really well.

John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) was one of the standout characters for me. Aaron brought a quiet intensity to John, making him feel determined without making him unnecessarily arrogant. You could see that he was still trying to find his place, and that made his journey more interesting.

Then there was Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), who brought a completely different energy to the story. His Hal felt experienced, confident and slightly worn out. He wasn't simply the perfect mentor; he had his own problems and baggage, which made his character much more layered.

We also had Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald), whose presence added another interesting layer to the investigation, and William Macon (Garret Dillahunt), who brought even more suspicion and uncertainty into the story.

One thing I appreciated was that the series didn't feel like it was desperately trying to impress viewers with endless references to the larger DC universe. It allowed the characters and mystery to take center stage, which made the story easier to get invested in.

That said, Lanterns wasn't flawless. There were moments when the pacing felt a little slow, and some of the mystery became complicated enough to leave me with more questions than answers. I also expected a little more superhero action at certain points.

Still, the atmosphere, performances and central mystery kept me interested. The chemistry between John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) was especially strong, and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop from an uneasy partnership into something much more meaningful.

What I liked most about this movie was that it didn't feel like just another superhero show. It mixed crime, mystery, science fiction and superhero elements into one story, giving it a darker and more mature feel.

By the time the story really started revealing what was happening, I was already invested and wanted to know where everything was heading.

Overall, it felt like a refreshing direction for the Green Lantern story. It traded some of the usual superhero spectacle for suspense, character development and mystery—and for me, that gamble paid off.

My Rating: 85/100

If you enjoy crime mysteries, slow-burn thrillers and superhero stories with a darker edge, Lanterns is definitely one to put on your watchlist.

Rating: 85/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.

Cover image edited in canva; the image was taken from the following source

Rating: 100/100

Originally posted through scrobble.life/tv.