TL;DR – We go full-flashback episode this week, but they make it work.

Disclosure – I paid for the HBO Max service used to view this series.

End Credit Scene – There is a making-of and trailer after the end credits.

Lanterns Review Introduction

Today, we are looking at a style of episode that can be quite tricky: the flashback. This is when we put the current narrative on hold to jump back in time and give some more context around a character or an event. They can be fraught because putting your narrative on hold can feel indulgent, be a sign that you have not explained things properly, or worse, it can derail your entire story. Thankfully, we miss these potholes today.

So, to set the scene, it is 2016, and we begin with John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) falling through the air and landing on a pile of mattresses. It is a unique entry into what might be the most important interview in his life. Waiting for him is an unassuming lady, friendly but with a stare that pierces through you. Lianna (Laura Linney) has many questions, including, “Do you feel fear?” Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

The Past Reveals

Everything about this week’s episode is all about giving more context and understanding to the life and history that formed John Stewart. We got a touch of it in Pilot, and today we go for a deep dive into all those uncomfortable forces that formed him. Much of this story is based in African American identity and experience, and as a white guy from Australia, this is absolutely outside my area of expertise to critique. Only to say that, from my limited experience, none of the motivations and influences felt forced for the narrative; there was a clear and understandable flow to everything. It also helped me, as someone who is not familiar with Green Lantern Corps lore, get a better sense of the mechanics operating in the background.

From a structural perspective, we jump across three or so different time periods during the interview, illuminating different parts of John’s life. This structure and the way it is written work like a puzzle, with different pieces gradually falling into place until the whole picture emerges. This is part of why, as a flashback episode, it didn’t feel like a speed bump on the way to the resolution. It felt as if the narrative was a bridge over a chasm, and this episode was a new pillar rising from the void to provide structural support to keep the story powering forward.

It’s All in the Cast

Because we are getting into the weeds with some of the history and lore of this universe, the cast needed to be there to make sure that the exposition moments landed and that the emotional touchstones rang true. I loved the rapport between Aaron Pierre and Laura Linney that makes up a lot of the driving force of the episode. Laura Linney was a delight playing someone who is both calming and off-putting all at the same time, almost like she was triggering a touch of uncanny valley in the back of my head. Also, Jasmine Cephas Jones completely commanded the screen whenever she was on. Finally, I have been liking what Aaron Pierre has been doing in the role, but this week we got to see the full scope of it, and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.           

Recommendation

In the end, do we recommend Lanterns? Yes, yes, we do. This was a profoundly fascinating episode that compelled me from the opening fall to, well, the end fall. It revelled in its character performances, letting them shine, and I hope this is the direction we will be flying in for the rest of the season. Have you seen Lanterns yet? Let us know what you thought in the comments below.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Bluesky at @Tldrmovrev, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

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Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Lanterns
Directed by – Stephen Williams
Written by – Vanessa Baden Kelly
Created by – Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, & Tom King
Based On – Green Lantern created by John Broome & Gil Kane
Production/Distribution Companies – DC Studios, Man Woman & Child Productions, Warner Bros Television & HBO Max
Starring – Kyle Chandler, & Aaron Pierre
With – Laura Linney, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Mark Espinoza, & Jasmine Cephas Jones
And – Jayce Eiland, Richard Whitney Gardenhire Jr., Lumi Oniyide, Cairo Cash Lee, Noah Gibson-Slates, & Jaylen Lyndon Hunter