“When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window and I’ll be gone
You’re the reason I’m trav’lin’ on
Don’t think twice, it’s all right”
– Bob Dylan, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”
With a couple notes, a slower tempo, and Melanie’s sweet, cool voice, ‘Lantern’s set the tone for what can only be considered masterpiece television. Focusing primarily on Hal Jordan’s backstory, ‘Lanterns’ took a deep and layered look at grief throughout the episode. ‘Lanterns’ took the unique approach of dividing the trauma that Jordan had experienced as well as John Stewart, crashing them together into profound moments of grief and, ultimately, understanding. Not only was “The Jordan Boys’ Legacy” the best that audiences have received this season, but this could easily be one of the best episodes of television…ever. With “The Jordan Boys’ Legacy” ‘Lanterns’ continues to give audiences a “superhero” crime thriller that is layered and nuanced, proving that comic book properties, when done right, can be more than just capes and flights.
1975. Hal Jordan sits in his coach’s office refusing to give up the ball that he was still clutching from his little league game when his father walked through the door. It became clear very quickly that the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree. With some fatherly advice, the episode proceeds to navigate Jordan’s grief. A grief that led straight to John Stewart. ‘Lanterns’ throughout this season has tackled a multitude of heavy topics, a trend that continued this week, exceptionally well. It has been a privilege to live at a time that something so strikingly important is airing on television.
A Small Bite of Lembas
Clocking in at right around 48 minutes, “The Jordan Boys’ Legacy” is the shortest of this season’s episodes. However, the episode makes a meal of the time that it’s given. Following episodes that are 53 to 55 minutes with a bite sized 48 minute episode has left a lot of fans with a feeling of wanting more. “Why wasn’t it longer?” seems to be the prevailing and ONLY criticism. The argument, of course, is that it didn’t need to be.
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Each millisecond of this episode is packed with something driving the narrative forward, hurtling audiences headlong towards the finale. Bookend to bookend, “The Jordan Boys’ Legacy” makes the most of the runtime by using Jordan’s backstory to connect the remaing dots of the season. It fills the holes and gaps, providing aha moment after aha moment. Most assuredly, the audience had tired fingers from doing the ‘Leo Point.’ None of the time felt wasted. The emotional and action beats hit with maestro like precision. 48 minutes of perfection was exactly the bite sized storytelling that this episode needed to set up the much anticipated finale.
The Dynamic Duo
While the narrative that audiences have been receiving over the past few weeks has been remarkable, the true charm of ‘Lanterns’ continues to be it’s leading men and the chemistry that has been pure lightening in a bottle. Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler have been beyond exceptional. Their performances over the season have been beyond Emmy worthy, sending me, personally, looking for any piece of either’s resume that I can find. Audiences received an acting masterclass when John and the Halogram revealed Hal to Kelly MacDonald’s Sherriff Kerry. It was acting without words that evoked emotion from the audience and, man oh man, was it peak performance. If the series hasn’t already, that scene alone should garner it Emmy consideration for all three.
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“The Jordan Boys’ Legacy” wove a new wrinkle into the dynamic duo by forcing Stewart to spend an extended amount of time with the Halogram, a previous, saved version of Hal that wasn’t quite as broken as the Hal that Stewart new. The decision does keep Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre on screen together, but it does so much more than that. It sheds perspective on who Hal was and forces John to question who he, himself, is. Most importantly, they provide perspective to John on how Hal saw him. Hal saying, “I’m not afraid because I’m fearless. I’m not afraid because I’m broken” is an eye opening experience for John, as well as the audience, after he’s forced to confront his own trauma. ‘Lanterns,’ in turn, has become a bit of therapy session for us all.
The Weight of the World
While grief is at the center of this episode, generational trauma stands at the forefront. The episode literally begins with Martin Jordan bringing his father’s trauma to his son’s doorstep. Generational trauma is not unique to TV. There are many that carry the weight of their fathers, just as their fathers carried the weight of theirs. That trauma takes a concerted effort to break and it was on full display this episode. The audience sees Hal and John deal with their past trauma in different ways. That trauma and it’s portrayal give more humanity to the characters on the TV set. What is most striking, however, is the Hal and John’s realization that they are quite similar. A fact they discover when they take the time to discuss it. Something for audiences to chew for sure.
The lengths that ‘Lanterns’ has gone to show diverse backgrounds, traumas, and grief has been to second to none. There is literally something that everyone has dealt with weaved throughout the show. No trauma rug was left unturned if you will. The visibility has been key as well. Many audience members believe that they struggle alone. ‘Lanterns’ is here to show the world that even the greatest of heroes have trauma. Even in Brightest Day and Blackest Night, they are still breakable and healing from their own past experiences. This is ever so important as the show worked around the topic of Martin’s suicide and the impact that it had on Hal.
Final Thoughts:
‘Lanterns’ has hit TV screens at a historic level. It has captivated audiences and created NEW fans of the Green Lantern character. The series is smart, reflective, and delecately approaches touch topics with a gentle hand. From start to finish, ‘Lanterns’ is the one of the best shows on television today. As ‘Lanterns’ looks to land the plane with the impending finale, the set up has been nothing short of breathtaking.
