Lanterns Season 1 Episode 1 Review: John Stewart’s First Lessons Take a Turn

Hal Jordan’s first lesson for John Stewart might not go exactly as planned. However, that’s Lanterns Season 1’s pilot episode needed to do to finally get these two on track.

Much like Guy Gardner, Hal and John’s relationship is quickly established. John’s been in training for some time under Hal’s tutelage, but he still hasn’t gotten to fully use the ring. Hal, who’s more rugged and sardonic than his comics counterpart, likes to have fun too much.

That’s what happens within the first ten minutes, when Hal picks up John in his old duster. Hal’s little prep talk with John provides that nice intensity, as Hal believes that he’s still got enough juice left in the tank.

The way that Hal still believes he’s big is slightly hilarious, thinking that being a “space cop” gives him more jurisdiction. John’s joking reactions to this add a bit of grounded levity to get us acquainted to their dynamic. Of course, Hal and John’s relationship wouldn’t be what it is without some chaos, which happens when Hal jumps out of the car.

From this point forward in Lanterns Season 1 Episode 1, you might tell that something’s off. When John puts on Hal’s ring and reactivates the ring’s AI, there’s something about their brief interaction that feels awkward.

Unlike the Hal in real life, the ring’s Hal is much more lively. Not having been used for years, the ring’s Hal is a clear indicator that this older Hal Jordan is keeping something from John. We do know that Hal still wants the limelight, but he seems slighly hesitant to let all of it go.

This is further felt when we’re introduced to Sheriff Kerry Macon, who has a bit of a past shared with Hal. It’s not as intensive as Hal’s relationship with Carol Ferris from the comics, but this introductory scene does its job in testing their chemistry. Kerry’s grounded take on things happily counters Hal’s thoughts, but there’s this innate appreciation they share that makes their dynamic feel real. 

Continuing on, Lanterns Season 1 Episode 1 finally shows Hal and John being put to work at their first crime scene. While Hal believes aliens are involved thanks to his own clue-gathering, John does his own surface-level digging that assumes otherwise.

It’s a fun scene that dissects Hal and John’s opposing ways of investigating as well as their own processes. Hal is more presumptive because of his experience, but John is more rooted in simplicity, creating tat. However, it’s when John decides to get more involved in Kerry’s investigation that sparks that chaotic excitement.

Surprisingly, Hal sits out for this cat-and-mouse chase, but John catches their guy, who Hal believes is one of the “aliens.” Although the “alien” is arrested and sent away for the time being, it gives Lanterns Season 1 Episode 1 more time to develop Hal and John.

In that quiet bar, there’s something about Hal’s origin story that has more weight when it’s being told. It doesn’t feel overdramatic, but it still holds weight because of how Hal tries to bury his fear. When he tells John of what the ring asked him and Abin Sur’s words, it almost feels ominous. It’s a bit fun to hear because of Hal’s mix of charisma and pessimism.

However, it’s even more fun once Hal gets into some traditional barfighting in the hopes of getting answers, but Kerry doesn’t let him. This back-and-forth of “who’s got more jurisdiction” between Hal and Kerry might feel like a recurring device in Lanterns Season 1. The influence of this seems to be further felt in the angle with the Macons as a whole.

Once Hal and John are introduced to William Macon, there’s this different type of intensity that William gives off. Initially, one might believe that, given the militia-esque setup the ranch has got, the Macons are simple survivalists that are planning to fight the government. However, as William puts it, the Macons are preparing for a cosmic conflict ever since Hal became Green Lantern.

This is an interesting conundrum because rarely has there been a normal Earth-based group within the Green Lantern mythos with such an ideology. The way that William explains his front-facing motivations to Hal later on almost feels politically-charged. Yet, William’s explanation focuses on the larger picture, referring to the cosmic danger as a type of colonization.

It very much reflects how some people don’t trust colonizers, but it leans towards a specific direction because of the Macons’ setup. Although we’re meant to sympathize with the Macons after William explains why they’re like this, there’s just something peculiar about them as well.

However, that peculiarity can’t be found in Hal’s interrogation of the “alien”, which gradually gets more intense with each hypothetical. The vibe of this scene is completely straightforward with the subtle threats Hal and this being exchange. It’s only when the being actually pushes Hal to his limit where everything just goes wild.

Not only does that explosive climax at the end work, but it creates a satisfying setup of this mystery that Hal and John have to solve. Overall,  Lanterns Season 1 Episode 1 is a confident introduction to this earthly mystery and Hal and John’s messy mentorship dynamic.

Stray Thoughts:

• The opening with John watching Hal on the news and his dad testing him genuinely made me feel nervous. Yet, it plays nicely into John’s respect of authority that will be tested later on.
• That car scene with John and Zoe legitimately felt like a bit much to includee, especially since this is only the first episode.
• The introduction of the Macons’ ranch could potentially play into the “who’s who” aspect of the show given the angle they’re going for around Lanterns‘ alien threat.
• When William says that he wants to protect the planet from anyone not born on it, he sounds very much like Lex Luthor with some right-wing undertones.

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New episodes of Lanterns premiere at 9 PM EST every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.

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