The most awaited DC series in a long time. The last major DC series was The Penguin, which was released in 2024. After that, we finally have another DC series with Lanterns. The series has had a lot of hype ever since the trailer was released.
Lanterns premiered on August 16, 2026, and new episodes are being released weekly. In India, it is available on JioHotstar, with new episodes releasing every Monday.
This is a review from a fan who hasn’t read any DC Comics. I’ve watched the Justice League animated series, the Green Lantern movie, and some of the DC Universe movies, so don’t expect a deep analysis of the comics or the Green Lantern lore.
This is simply my take as a fan, and as a general audience member, on whether Lanterns is actually good or not.
Lanterns Season 1 Episode 1 Review: A Simple Plot That Keeps You Guessing
The first episode keeps the plot simple without revealing too much. Hal Jordan receives a message from a past version of himself about something happening in Rushville, Nebraska, leading him there with his trainee, John Stewart.
The screenplay is really good. There are three major time jumps in the first episode. We see John Stewart as a child, when he gets inspired after seeing Green Lantern Hal Jordan. Then the story moves forward to John training under Hal, and later there is a big twist with another time jump.
The episode really makes you think, “What happens next?” It’s not the kind of show where you just keep watching while scrolling through your phone. It actually keeps you interested in what’s going to happen next.
The cinematography is superb as well. It’s also funny at times, with some really good jokes here and there. And when it comes to the twists, they don’t pull their punches. They are not trying to mellow things down, and there is a really big twist in the episode.
Aaron Pierre, here, looks exactly like the Green Lantern we saw in the Justice League animated series. The casting is really good overall. Even the actors in the smaller roles have done a great job.
A Fresh Vibe for the DC Universe
A lot of the recent DC movies haven’t really been that good. Even though Superman was good, it still received mixed reviews, and Supergirl bombed at the box office. It didn’t really do well at all.
We saw Zack Snyder’s DC, which was dark and gritty. Then James Gunn’s DC Universe is more true to the comic books. Superman was made more like the comic books, where Superman is more human than actual humans.
But for people who grew up watching Zack Snyder’s DC universe, it felt a little different, which is why there were mixed reactions.
But I feel this series can work better for both audiences. Whether you’re someone who has read the original comic books or someone who knows DC through Zack Snyder’s universe, Lanterns can work for both. It is dark and gritty, but it is also funny. It has a good mix of both.
So definitely, I feel like Lanterns works for both sides and for most audiences.
Final Verdict
Lanterns is a really strong start for the new DC Universe. The first episode keeps the story simple but still makes you curious about what is going to happen next, and the screenplay, time jumps, twists, cinematography, and casting all work really well.
What I liked most is that the series doesn’t feel like it’s made only for hardcore comic book fans. Even as someone who hasn’t read DC Comics, I could enjoy it as a general audience member. It has the dark and gritty side of DC, but it also has enough comedy and fun moments to keep it entertaining.
After all the mixed reactions and recent disappointments around DC, Lanterns genuinely feels like a ray of hope for James Gunn’s DC Universe. If the rest of the season can maintain the same quality as this first episode, I think DC finally has something really exciting on its hands.
For me, Lanterns is definitely a near-perfect start, and I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing what happens next.
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