*NOTE: This was written before having seen episode 3
Between all the hype for Avengers; Doomsday and the current resurgence the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had this year, most of the posts on this blog revolve around that, but contrary to popular belief, I also love a good DC project. After all, it was CW’s ‘The Flash’ that got me in to comics and superhero media and brought me to where I am today, so let’s talk about a project that really caught me by surprise: HBO’s ‘Lanterns’.
To be completely transparent, leading up to ‘Lanterns’ pilot, I was not excited for the show. I don’t read a lot of Green Lantern stuff, but I have read Geoff Johns’ run on the character, so when I hear “Green Lantern”, I think of a massive space epic centered around Hal Jordan. The Earth-bound detective story with an older Hal and focusing on John Stewart that this show was pitches as quite frankly didn’t appeal to me at all. With that, I also have not been a huge fan of what James Gunn has done with the DC Universe on screen so far (no, not in the weird “Snyder is better!” way). I enjoyed Superman, although not as much as others, never finished Peacemaker or Creature Commandos, didn’t enjoy The Suicide Squad, and was really let down by Supergirl. I find the universe lacks the solid foundation that buys you good will to do weird projects like a Jimmy Olsen V Gorilla Grodd show, or an Earth-based show for your biggest hitting space character. I have not been excited for a DC project essentially since the Arrowverse at it’s peak, but boy has that changed.
After watching the pilot, I was instantly hooked. The mystery presented is surprisingly intriguing and the actors are putting on one hell of show. Although I still disagree with the characterization of Hal Jordan and him being in his 50s and past his prime, I can’t deny that Kyle Chandler is stealing every scene he’s in. Oppostite Chandler, Aaron Pierre is also playing a great stoic John Stewart, who you can tell has so much depth as a character, even if we have yet to fully flesh it out. Something else I really appreciate is that the show isn’t ashamed of being a superhero project. Hal Jordan is a celebrity, with a goofy costume, and uses his ring randomly. In years past, DC would shy away form it’s source material for fear of not being taken seriously by the general audiences. Is this because Damon Lindelof and Tom King are the best in their respective fields and know how to write this stuff right? 100%, but it’s still not something to take for granted.
In terms of the story being told, I like that aliens are a major part of the story, and that Manhunters are taking center stage. The concept of the Manhunters as the prototype for the Green Lanterns, who went too far is a great base for a show that insists on telling an Earth focused story. I’m very curious to see how, or if, they link the Manhunter mystery to why Hal has become so jaded with the Green Lantern Corp. To me, I think Hal is jaded for a seperate reason, one relating to whatever Sinestro found out that made him turn against the Guardians. What this revelation could be, I’m not too sure. My gut tells me it’s related to John being able to maintain constructs without a ring, possibly because he was specifically chosen by the Guardians as a child to be their personal weapon? That being said, my heart really wants it to be about Krona and the idea of the Guardians supressing the other Lantern colors, which could explain why the show is called ‘Lanterns’ and not ‘Green Lanterns’. I do strongly believe Sinestro will become the first Yellow Lantern by the end of the show, and I lean towards believing Antaan is some sort of Atrocitus adaptation disguised as a human, which would explain why we don’t see the massacre of his race and their native appearance. That would give us a Yellow Lantern and a Red Lantern, and I also think the Macon family is some sort of William Hand/Black Lantern set up. I don’t think the show will go that deep with Necron and the Black Lanterns, but I think it’s worth pointing out.
In terms of my theory as to who the Manhunter is, I think it’s going to be revealed that there’s way more than one in Nebraska. Antaan mentions that they can replicate, so it wouldn’t surprise me if the entire town is Manhunters outside of the sheriff and the Macons. The Manhunters’ goal of eradicating alien life would also align with Macon Senior’s agenda, explaining how he has the tech to detect alien species. That being said, I’m not ready to completely call either Sinestro or the Manhunters evil. I think there could be some sort of reveal that points all the blame at the Guardians as beings pointing these weapons at other races for their own personal gain. Regardless, it is fun to be this excited for speculation and future episodes of a DC show.
So what are your thoughts on ‘Lanterns’ so far? Are you as pulled in as I am, or are you not feeling it as much?
Leave a Reply