15 years.
Audiences and Green Lantern fans alike have been waiting 15 years for a live action….well…ANYTHING that truly showed the awesome power of the Green Lantern. Last night that waiting paid off in a big way as HBOMax’s brand new series, ‘Lanterns,’ premiered and fans are finally getting to have their moment. While the show took a slow burn approach to the premiere, it managed to pack in every piece of information that a newcomer would need to understand the characters on screen while scratching the itch of long time fans. ‘Lanterns’ is funny and exciting, dramatic and engaging. Simply put: This is your next new favorite show and it couldn’t come at a better time for the DC Universe.
John Stewart has trained since he was kid to conquer fear and maybe, just maybe, follow in the footsteps of his hero, Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern. As the old saying goes, “never meet your heroes,” a lesson John learns quickly as the Jordan he remembered as a kid doesn’t live up to the lofty expectations of a grown up 7 year old. It’s this relationship that gives ‘Lanterns’ it’s soul. Jordan and Stewart are clearly finding out who each other are and what they stand for. The pair have certainly given audiences something to marinate with over the course of the season. A veritable full course meal that will be savored over the course of the 8 episode season.
Blast Off
A series premiere is a make or break moment for any show. The premiere is the hook. It’s what brings viewers back begging for more. The stakes are exceptionally high when show runners are bringing a long awaited IP that has a history of missing the mark into homes on a weekly basis. ‘Lanterns’ saw these tasks and buried them. This first episode has set a standard for the rest of the season that will hopefully continue to deliver a high quality of content and story telling. This episode nailed every beat while fleshing out a world many viewers have never visited. That attention to detail and storytelling will make ‘Lanterns’ must see TV going forward while ensuring that a second season will be a guarantee, not a “will they.”
WATCH MORE: “‘Lanterns’ S1E1 SPOILER FREE Review!”
The strength of ‘Lanterns’ lies within it’s leads. Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre were born to play their respective roles. Their chemistry was off the charts, creating banter between the two that felt authentic and raw. Chandler’s disillusioned hubris smashed into Pierre’s quiet stoicism creating fireworks throughout the episode, sure, but defining who could wear the ring. This style of undercover storytelling and character building draws audiences in, forcing them to want more from week to week. The ability for a show to thrive hinges on the ability of the leads to sell a series. It’s safe to say that this series will be paying dividends for both Pierre and Chandler, who were both magnificent, going forward.
Tripping Uphill
With expectations burning with the fire of a thousand suns, there was bound to be a misstep here and there. ‘Lanterns,’ however, managed to mitigate these missteps by tripping uphill. The premiere found itself in trouble when it came to pacing and a few plot points. That is to say that those issues left the audience wanting more and not less if for nothing more than sheer curiosity. While that may seem an odd criticism, it will all make sense when audience members sit down with the premiere.
The definition of this assessment is the relationship that develops between John Stewart and Zoe. The interaction and outcome felt out of character and odd without having much background information on John. He’s stoic, brooding and quiet, then all of a sudden he’s randomly hooking up with someone he met for five seconds in a bar? That’s not judgment, it just felt out of character. The hook and where the show trips uphill comes later in the episode. However, for that, you will have to watch the episode. SPOILERS.
Overall Thoughts:
Creating an entry point for anything is exceedingly difficult. Creating an entry point for something that MILLIONS of fans love is almost impossible. Fortunately for fans, ‘Lanterns’ has created a foundation that is dark and funny, brooding, yet engaging. A show that is more than the sum of all it’s individual parts, ‘Lanterns’ is one of this year’s breakout hits.
