Lanterns is two episodes into its eight-episode run on HBO, and it's already one of the more divisive shows in the DCU so far. Here's where things stand, kept spoiler-light.
Where we are
The premiere ("Pilot," Aug 16) introduced Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) training rookie John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as space cops investigating strange happenings in Rushville, Nebraska — and closed on a flash-forward showing an apparently dead or frozen Hal a decade later. Episode 2, "Trust Fall" (Aug 23), splits the partners up: John gets pulled into alien territory and learns about the Manhunters, the shapeshifting synthetic beings that predate the Green Lantern Corps, while Hal digs deeper into Rushville on his own.
Critical reception: genuinely mixed
Reviews so far range from enthusiastic ("Lanterns delivers an amazing second episode... strikes the right balance between the crime drama and exploring Green Lantern lore") to lukewarm ("I was just... bored," one reviewer wrote, noting the show hasn't yet built stakes around its central mystery) to critical of how the premiere's big cliffhanger was seemingly dropped rather than built on. The comparisons to True Detective that greeted the first teaser haven't fully held up for every critic, but there's broad agreement that Chandler and Pierre's central partnership is the show's strongest asset.
What's ahead
Six episodes remain, airing Sundays at 9pm ET on HBO and HBO Max. With Sinestro and the wider Manhunter threat both confirmed as part of the season, there's clearly more cosmic scope coming than the grounded small-town mystery of the first two hours has shown so far.
Worth knowing for the shop
Whichever way the show lands with critics, it's driving real conversation among Green Lantern fans right now — a good excuse to keep GL back issues and collections visible while the show is airing weekly.
Review excerpts and episode details sourced from IndieWire, Collider, Forbes, and Comic Book Club's official Lanterns episode coverage.