Lanterns: Dirt and Stars [S1E8] & Season 1 – TV Review

TL;DR – The finale does not quite end in a big crescendo, but in the slow release of stress, almost like a pressure cooker being opened after cooking dinner.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

End Credit Scene – There is no end credit scene.

Warning – Contains scenes which may cause distress.

John and Hal walk across a dead alien planet.

Lanterns Review Introduction

As we come into the season finale of Lanterns, there are a lot of unanswered questions sitting around. Such as: Who is the murderer? Who is the jailbreaker? Who committed the genocide? Who is worthy of the ring? Are the Lanterns the good guys? And potentially the most important question: can the show stick the landing?

So, to set the scene, back in 2016, in the ruins of Rushville, Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) finds Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) collapsed under the ruins of the motel. He is sorry for all that he has done, and not done, but also aware that he is about to be hung out to dry by the Green Lanterns. A neat way to sideline him without killing him. In 2026, he has been released from jail, and Kerry is there to pick him up. But Rushville does not forget, and soon that danger will catch up to Hal in many ways. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode and season as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Lanterns: The Jordan Boys’ Legacy [S1E7] – TV Review

TL;DR – This is all preparation for the season finale next week, but still, it engages you at every level.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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.

Warning – Contains scenes which may cause distress.

A Navy cap.

Lanterns Review Introduction

Well, we are getting precariously close to the season/series finale next week, and I am surprised at myself that I am not quite ready to let all these characters go. Each week has been almost like a new tapestry being unveiled or a new part of a quilt being added, all building to the final picture. Today we dive deeper while muddling things around the edges in a fascinating way.

So, to set the scene, Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) dead, long live Hal Jordan, for John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) remembered a trick Hal showed him one time to etch 5% more power out of a ring. That 5% was just enough to summon the backup of Hal that Hal had stored there. Though it had not been activated in 10 years and his first sight is his dead body lying in a grave. It’s a lot to take in. John needs Hal’s voice to activate the safe he left behind, but Hal will only do it if John takes him to see Sheriff Kane (Kelly Macdonald). Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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Lanterns: Trust Fall [S1E2] – TV Review

TL;DR – I feel that this episode is a good encapsulation of the style of story that we will be getting for the rest of the season, and if that is the case, I will be very happy.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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

End Credit Scene – There is a trailer after the end credits.

Hal Jordan walks into a town hall meeting about himself.

Lanterns Review Introduction

Well, the Pilot of Lanterns certainly landed a whole whack of mystery on us, intriguing at every turn. It is the kind of episode that says, “trust us, we know what we are doing”, and given the creator’s past work, you kind of believe them. But today we start getting into the weeds and seeing if that does start to pay dividends.  

So, to set the scene, at the end of Pilot we were hit with a flash forward to 2026 with a very dead Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) sitting on the high school stadium at Rushville, Nebraska. We start today back in 2016, with Hal berating John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and sending him on busywork back to Coast City to get his Lantern. Meanwhile, Hal starts exploring the town, wondering why William Macon (Garret Dillahunt) knew to kill those four aliens, because that is not something you do on a hunch when he discovers the whole town in a meeting. This meeting is probably very much about him. Now, from here, we will be looking at the episode as a whole, so there will be [SPOILERS] ahead.

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