by Chantal Ashford, Contributing Writer
I am nowhere near the biggest Green Lantern fan. After that failed 2011 film, I pretty much stopped caring about the character altogether. But 15 years later, we’re finally being properly introduced to this world again, and Lanterns is nothing like the superhero spectacle I expected. Instead, we get something dirty, grounded, and sometimes surprisingly bloody.
Lanterns follows experienced Green Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and his new recruit, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), as they investigate a murder in the small town of Rushville, Nebraska. What initially appears to be an isolated case quickly catches Hal’s attention when he suspects something extraterrestrial is involved, sending the two Lanterns down a much darker and more expansive mystery than either anticipated.
The series effortlessly moves between 1996, 2016, and 2026 without ever making the timeline difficult to follow. Through those different periods, we watch Hal and John’s relationship from its rocky beginning all the way to its bittersweet conclusion. At the center of everything is the question of who deserves to carry the ring and what being a Green Lantern actually means. The fight over that responsibility isn’t easy, and sometimes it’s downright exhausting for both of them.
The two standout episodes for me were episode 3, “OutKast,“ and episode 5, “Lights Out.“
“OutKast” dives into John’s family history and gives us a better understanding of why he became the man we meet in the present. It explores the Stewart family dynamic while also addressing what it means to be Black in a world that wasn’t necessarily built for you. Of course, this was apparently the episode people on the internet were divisive about, but I thought it featured some of the season’s strongest storytelling—especially for a comic book series. It gives John depth beyond simply being the newest guy wearing the ring.
Then there’s “Lights Out,” which honestly felt like a season finale even though there were still three episodes left. Everything that’s been simmering underneath Rushville finally explodes. The tension, action sequences, betrayal, and a twist I don’t think any of us were expecting made it one of the strongest hours of the season.
I know some viewers probably won’t enjoy how much Lanterns relies on characters simply sitting down and talking. Anyone expecting some enormous CGI superhero spectacle in each episode will walk away disappointed. That’s simply not what this series is. Lanterns is essentially a buddy-cop mystery featuring two men, (one of which just happens to be a superhero): the old, hardened veteran paired with the younger man ready to prove himself. That simplicity works because Chandler and Pierre have genuine chemistry, even when Hal and John can barely stand being in the same room together.
Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan is exactly what I expected: bitter, sarcastic, exhausted, and an all-around asshole. And somehow you can’t help but love this prickly guy. Hal is tired of the job, but he continues doing it because being a Lantern gives him purpose. Throughout the season, we discover just how complicated he actually is. He’s constantly wrestling with right and wrong, fighting to keep that ring on his finger while carrying decades of trauma. This is also someone accustomed to working alone, so suddenly having what he considers a “sidekick” following him around is definitely not his cup of tea.
But Aaron Pierre as John Stewart? Phenomenal. The way Pierre carries himself in this role makes it feel like John Stewart was specifically created for him. There’s a quiet confidence in his performance that never needs to become overly theatrical. We watch John begin as this fearless man determined to prove he deserves the ring, only for that determination to eventually become an internal conflict over whether the ring is even worth everything he’s sacrificed to obtain it.
John has spent his entire life fighting for his place in the world, and becoming a Lantern initially seems like the culmination of that fight. After dealing with Hal’s antics, the mystery in Rushville, and the straw that breaks the camel’s back which sends everything into chaos, John has to determine what wearing that ring actually means to him. Watching him finally understand what it truly means to be a Lantern was one hell of a sight.
Chandler and Pierre are the perfect pairing. Hal’s sarcastic, dry wit works effortlessly against John’s cooler demeanor, and their constant back-and-forth gives the series some of its best moments. They have the chemistry of any classic buddy-cop duo—except these two have power rings and enough emotional baggage to fill an entire precinct.
Kelly Macdonald is also top-notch as Sheriff Kerry Kane, a woman who somehow appears to know absolutely nothing while simultaneously knowing everything. Hal and John quickly become pains in her side, but Kerry proves more than capable of handling both of them while still trying to protect her town.
Jasmine Cephas Jones as John’s mother, Bernadette, was hands down my favorite recurring character in this story. She plays a woman who would do absolutely anything to give her child a better life, even when that means stripping her son of everything in the process. Bernadette could be brutal and fearless, but underneath all of that strength was a mother who was genuinely terrified for her son and what the world could do to him. Cephas Jones brought so many layers to Bernadette, especially in “OutKast,” and if anything, I want to see some recognition for her performance.
J. Alphonse Nicholson also gives a nuanced and beautifully quiet performance as John Sr. He’s a father who is just as scared for his son but approaches that fear differently, ultimately following Bernadette’s lead in making sure their youngest grows up fearless. Cephas Jones and Nicholson added so much to understanding John and why he became the man we see in the present. Their performances made the Stewart family dynamic one of my favorite parts of the entire season.
It’s rare for me to watch an entire season and consider every episode solid, but Lanterns pulled it off. There wasn’t an episode I considered outright lackluster. My biggest disappointment was honestly the runtime of some episodes because I wanted more, but when the storytelling is this strong, I can easily look past it.
I went into Lanterns not caring much about Green Lantern at all and came out wanting more of this world—especially Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart.
We already know we’ll see Pierre again in the next Superman movie, but whether Lanterns receives another season or John eventually gets a standalone film is still up in the air, I just hope DC doesn’t make us wait another 15 damn years.
Give me more John Stewart.
Rating: Loved It
Lanterns is currently streaming on HBO Max.
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