DC Comics’ Green Lantern superheroes are defined by the power of imagination. A sort of corps of space cops, they possess power rings that can be used to summon just about anything their wielder can dream of, from something as small as a screwdriver to as big as a giant robot. So, the idea of grounding them in a story set in rural Nebraska — think: Green Lantern meets True Detective — is a novel concept, but being novel doesn’t mean good, because Lanterns is a miserable, cynical slog of a watch.
After the first Green Lantern of Earth, fighter pilot Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), makes his debut in 1996, we pick up in 2016 with John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), recently chosen to be Jordan’s backup in case something happens. The problem is, Jordan is a cocky asshole, and Stewart is a no-nonsense ex-Marine. The two end up investigating a mass shooting in the small town of Rushville, Nebraska, which Jordan thinks is more than it seems, believing aliens may be involved. He’s soon proven right, and the two must learn to trust each other while digging deeper into what could be a major threat.
Now, the idea of taking an outlandish character like a Green Lantern and grounding them in a gritty, TV-MA reality is unique, but it’s a bit like having a Lamborghini and driving it exclusively through school zones: Sure, you can do it, but why would you want to? Plus, this is supposedly the same world as the recent Superman and Supergirl movies, which were fun, brightly colored films, and Lanterns feels decidedly in the mold of the depressing and cynical Snyderverse. So, we get what really acts as a deconstruction of the character of Hal Jordan, turning him from a cocky but lovable hotshot into a bigger douchebag than notorious Lantern douchebag Guy Gardner, last seen played with gusto by Nathan Fillion in Superman and making a future appearance here. But at least Jordan is kinda fun, with Chandler’s big swinging dick energy. Pierre’s Stewart meanwhile is more reserved and buttoned up but just comes across as a bore by comparison. Even when we learn some of his traumatic background, it feels both outlandishly unrealistic and like it’s trying too hard to be dramatic while still failing to make him interesting.
Then there’s the whole “grounded” take, which usually just means gritty and unpleasant. So, we get scene after scene of Jordan and Stewart bitching and mistrusting each other as well as failing to build trust with Rushville Sheriff Kerry (Kelly Macdonald) and rubbing up against local militia leader Macon (Garret Dillahunt). It’s a show whose characters have conflicting motives and aren’t always honest with each other, which can be entertaining, but for something apparently interested in showing outlandish characters in a down-to-earth way, it fails to imbue them with anything resembling a relatable level of humanity. None of these characters feel like they would mean an ounce of the Green Lantern oath and make the gang from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia look heroic by comparison.
It wouldn’t be so bad if it was a cheap or badly made show, but it’s got a big name with Chandler in it, the cinematography is solid, and when it decides to actually let the Green Lanterns do stuff like fly or make constructs with their rings, it looks good. And it’s also not like the show’s afraid or ashamed of comic book stuff. Big baddie Sinestro appears in Episode 2, played with charming menace by Banshee’s Ulrich Thomsen. We also get references to characters like Mogo and Chip, and the Lanterns’ bosses, the Guardians of the Universe, even make an appearance. But again, in trying to remain grounded, a lot of those references are just lip service, and the aliens that do show up appear in imagination-free and budget-friendly human form.
None of this is helped by the crew behind the show. We’ve got Damon Lindelof, the main writer behind Lost, infamous for setups that rarely pay off, and comic writer Tom King, controversially known for his sideways takes on beloved characters.
While something like Andor proves you can do a gritty, grounded take on a sci-fi property and do it well, Lanterns shows how badly that can go awry. Even the promise of a cameo by Fillion isn’t enough to bring me back. It’s a miserable show full of miserable characters being miserable to one another and saying “fuck” a lot like that’s the same thing as depth or maturity. I feel like this show hates me, and I fucking hate it right back.
Lanterns
Starring Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, and Kelly Macdonanld. Created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King. Airing Sundays on HBO and streaming on HBO Max. Rated TV-MA.
