When HBO’s Watchmen debuted back in 2019, it was the absolute talk of television. The series, which came from acclaimed creator Damon Lindelof, wasn’t a pure adaptation of Alan Moore’s legendary graphic novel, but rather a continuation — a story that built on the world Moore created. This was the best possible course of action, as it allowed the HBO series to veer from comparisons that would certainly be unenviable, and instead make its own mark in the crowded landscape of prestige television that would only grow busier in the coming years as superhero content of all sorts ramped up. Watchmen went on to win a staggering 11 Emmys and was nominated for 26 in total, making it one of the most acclaimed single seasons of television of all time.
A second season of Watchmen never materialized — rightfully so, as the story was complete and didn’t need to continue. But HBO’s Lanterns, which counts Lindelof as a co-creator alongside Ozark creator Chris Mundy and acclaimed comic book writer Tom King, feels like the closest thing since. The latest project in James Gunn’s retooled DC Universe — and its third television series, following Creature Commandos and the second season of Peacemaker — puts Green Lanterns Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) front and center, telling a whole new kind of story for the superhero medium.
Inspired partly by dark television mysteries like True Detective, Lanterns places a central mystery in the hands of those two lead characters, while also exploring themes of mentorship, male role modeling, and race in America. As the show moves from episode to episode, it gives Chandler and Pierre their chances for highlight-reel scenes as actors, while also making time for genuinely fun action and Green Lantern-ing.
Lanterns is one of the year’s best shows to date. It feels familiar at times — the beats set by shows like True Detective (or even something a bit more genre-bending like The Outsider) have already been established — but it’s simply fun to watch these characters, in this world, with these powers, work to get to the bottom of something. That’s no easy feat.
When Is the Next Episode of Lanterns Coming Out?
Lanterns episodes air on the HBO TV channel and release on HBO Max simultaneously: Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET. The next episode will air on Sunday, September 6.
How Many Episodes Are in Lanterns?
The first season of Lanterns consists of eight episodes in total, the first three of which have already been released. That leaves five episodes — and five weeks of mystery, intrigue, and superheroing — still remaining.
Complete Release Schedule for HBO’s Lanterns
Episode 1, “Pilot” — Now streaming on HBO Max as of August 16
Episode 2, “Trust Fall” — Now streaming on HBO Max as of August 23
Episode 3, “OutKast” — Now streaming on HBO Max as of August 30
Episode 4 — Airing on HBO and streaming on September 6
Episode 5 — Airing on HBO and streaming on September 13
Episode 6 — Airing on HBO and streaming on September 20
Episode 7 — Airing on HBO and streaming on September 27
Episode 8 — Airing on HBO and streaming on HBO Max on October 4
