TL;DR – A slow burn is a choice given the end of last week’s episode, but while we still come out swinging this week, the slower pace lets the show breathe, and the performances shine.

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

Well, what a season of television we have had so far. In any other show, last week’s episode, Lights Out, would have been the season finale, but no, not here. Not only is it not the season finale, but it was also just a stepping stone on the way to the endgame. Oh, to have such strength in your writing, and also, oh, to back it up each week.

So, to set the scene, it is 2026, and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) has moved on to his real passion of architecture after giving up the ring, which is why he was surprised when his mother (Jasmine Cephas Jones) calls to say that not only is Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) out of jail, but that he now lives in Rushville and wants to apologise. One long drive out, and no apology later, John is at his wits’ end when he gets a call from Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald). Hal is dead, murdered. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

A Conversation

One of the things that I love about this show is that they take the time to let the performances shine. You see that first and foremost at the start of the episode when Hal and John sit down in a diner and hash out their issues. Watching two consummate actors play off each other, where much of the conversation is non-verbal, is honestly a delight. Both Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler get to show just how good they are, each devouring a scene that brims with tension. All of this is the grounding for the first big moment of the episode: Hal has been murdered, bringing us in line with the sting from Pilot. Even when you know it is coming, it still packs a wallop.

A Slow Burn

After the impact of the death, we then get the rest of the episode, which is a fascinating slow burn. Using the interactions with the townspeople, we get a whole dump of lore and an interesting way to catch us up with everything that has happened in the years since the Rushville incident. This is a real tonal shift from last week, and even from the start of the episode. What this does is shift the gears of the series to the murder mystery it was always purporting to be. Everyone is lying, and everyone has a reason to kill Hal, even maybe Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion). Those layers of duplicity are what make the second wallop of the ring reveal before the credits hit. My money is that Noah (Shea Pritchard) is the murderer, but only time will tell.

Recommendation

In the end, do we recommend Lanterns? This was a great follow-up to the calamity of last week. The slower pace brought its own vibe to the equation as the world starts to reveal itself. It also sets up the race to the ending, and I, for one, can’t wait to see where they go from here. 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 – Justin Britt-Gibson & Damon Lindelof
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, & Kelly Macdonald
With – Jason Ritter, J. Alphonse Nicholson, Nathan Fillion, Shea Pritchard, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Jared Grimes, Romeo Brown, & Hannah Christine Shetler
And – Amie Mackenzie, Michael Ocampo, Paula Jay Fairbrother, Christine Corpuz, Jim Charmatz, Victor Broadley, & Lon Muckey