Lanterns has become a mainstream breakout hit, that is redefining what a superhero TV show can be. Instead of a sci-fi/fantasy world filled with power rings and, aliens deep lore about the “emotional spectrum” of light, Lanterns has been an intense character study of the men wearing the ring, done in the style of HBO’s equally landmark cop drama, True Detective.
The formula has worked: as Lanterns approaches its Seasoon Finale it has both the ratings and buzz needed to easily justify a second season. Since the summer there have been rumors about production already starting on Season 2, and a potential change in the show’s creative team. However, no mattter who crafts the next season of Lanterns, the show needs to continue following True Detective‘s conceptual lead, if it wants to keep things fresh and exciting for fans.
True Detective became a hit when its first season premiered on HBO, starring Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. However, the show has boldly gone with an anthology format, switching lead characters, time periods, and locations with each season.
There was an early period during Lantern’s development where the series was going to do just that: Each season would focus on a different DC character who has served as Green Latern, including Alan Scott (the Golde Age GL), Hal Jordan (Silver Age) and the modern characters like John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, and Jessica Cruz. Now that Lanterns has carved out its place as a very unique take on superhero lore, it can get away with switching protagonists, settings, and even some stylistic and tonal changes.
The core formula of the show would be having two (or more) Green Lanterns (or a Lantern and another hero) investigating a case – one that triggers personal issues and/or history for both of the “cops.” While it will be jarring to some audience members who want more of the same flavor, the risk could pay off in several big ways.
First, exploring different Green Lanterns in each season is a great way to quickly establish the larger Green Lantern corps and all of the human characters who have joined its ranks. Each of those characters comes with their own lore that is a piece of the larger Green Lantern Corps saga. Alan Scott (the first Green Lantern) is a character with entirely different lore: his battery and ring are not connected to the Guardiands or the Lantern Corps, and story that is directly connected to DC’s Golden Age super team, the Justice Society of America. The JSA has already been established in the DC Universe via a mural shown in Superman, so even if Lanterns has made it difficult, there is still room for those cross connections to be made.
Then there are the Green Lantern characters who may be newer, or never really freatured in any live-action or animated adaptation. That includes engineer Simon Baz, Jessica Cruz, and Sojourner Mullein from the Far Sector miniseries, a highly-acclaimed sci-fi murder-mystery. Green Lantern is such a unique superhero property precisely because the mantle has been shared by so many diffrent individuals. After seeing how well it handles those characters, why should Lanterns leave anyone out? Especially when it means HBO and DC Studios already have the lore and the characters to fuel many additional seasons of this hit show.
Lanterns airs on HBO and streams on HBO Max.
