HBO’s highly anticipated DC series, Lanterns, finally arrived with a slow-burn premiere. Aptly titled “Pilot,” the first episode introduces viewers to a world already accustomed to superheroes and extraterrestrial entities. Spanning across three timelines — 1996, 2016 and 2026 — we meet Hal Jordan, Earth’s first Lantern ring-bearer, and his successor, John Stewart, as they investigate shooting deaths in small town, Nebraska.
The majority of our time is set in 2016, following John as Hal’s new trainee. The buddy cop format works well, with John countering Hal’s more rugged and loose approach. Despite their confrontational banter, they make a great team. Together, they uncover an alien culprit behind a mass shooting at a high school football game.
While here, they connect with the local sheriff, Kerry Macon, and her powerful father-in-law, William Macon. As much as he’s willing to help their case, Hal can’t shake William’s militia is hiding something on his massive-acre ranch.
While this mystery serves as our main narrative, we are given two other subplots. The first is set in 1996, with a child John admiring Hal as Earth’s hero. The scene presents strong similarities between the then-two strangers. Both have military backgrounds: Hal a former air pilot, and John, the son of a marine. And it’s clear the relationship between father and son will be integral for both. Hal lost his parents at a young age, relieving him of any fear. Meanwhile, John has a turbulent connection with his dad, John Sr. Both seem fixated on eliminating fear to function in the world.
The third narrative is set in present day with John returning to Rushville. He reunites with Sheriff Macon at that football field, the very site of his first case, to find Hal dead and the ring missing from his finger. After most of the episode spends time setting up our dynamic duo, with expectations that John eventually takes the mantle, that final scene hit like a meteor. Not only are we solving the 2016 mystery, but John must search for whatever penetrated fear within his super comrade.
Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre are great together, delivering the familiar oil and water pairing. Chandler’s Hal is an expert at what he does, but time is not on his side. And he’s naturally annoyed to train his replacement, in John, who seems to think he already knows the job. Their scene partners are also decent, with Kelly Macdonald’s Kerry Macon being the perfect straight woman to the double-pack of testosterone. And while we don’t get much, J. Alphonse Nicolson is stirring as John Sr. An unfortunately necessary through-line in young John’s trajectory.
Creatives manage a good balance between the detective work and the comic aspect, having Hal use the ring’s power practically, before showing off its full capabilities. It demonstrates the longevity of Hal’s training with the ring as being just another part of him. All in all, a decent introduction with a well so surprises.
Rating: 7.5/10