‘Lanterns’ Just Dropped a First Look at Its Most Pivotal Episode Yet

HBO’s Green Lantern series has spent the past few weeks proving it’s willing to take real risks with its source material, starting with a premiere twist that left fans stunned. Since then, ‘Lanterns’ has continued to build out its mystery week by week, mixing cosmic superhero lore with something closer to a slow-burn crime drama.

That approach has drawn a mixed but engaged response from critics, with some praising the show’s grounded tone and others wishing it leaned into bolder, more provocative territory. Either way, anticipation has kept building for where the story goes next, especially as the series heads deeper into John Stewart’s backstory.

Now, the first teaser for Episode 4 of ‘Lanterns’ has arrived, offering fans a brief but tense glimpse at what’s coming next. DiscussingFilm shared the preview alongside a pointer to its full review of the series, giving fans another piece of the puzzle ahead of the episode’s release.

‘Lanterns’ follows John Stewart, played by Aaron Pierre, and Hal Jordan, played by Kyle Chandler, two intergalactic Green Lantern Corps members investigating a murder in the American heartland that pulls them into a darker, cosmic mystery. The series shocked audiences early on when its pilot episode ended with Hal’s death, a jarring twist for a show ostensibly centered on two co-leads.

Episode 4 has already drawn attention for a different reason, focusing heavily on John Stewart’s origin and what it means to grow up “Black and afraid in America,” according to DiscussingFilm’s review of the season. Writer Vanessa Baden Kelly, known for her work on ‘Animal Kingdom’ and ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls,’ penned the flashback-heavy chapter, which fleshes out Stewart’s life before he ever put on a ring.

Showrunner Chris Mundy has previously spoken about the deeper thematic ideas driving the series, describing the show as being about replacement and the tension between stepping aside and stepping up. That dynamic between Hal and John, Mundy explained, was central to shaping how the two characters relate to one another throughout the season.

The series has earned a mixed but notable critical reception overall. DiscussingFilm’s own review praised the show’s serious, grounded tone as a fresh take within the DC Universe, while other outlets have offered more measured takes, arguing the series sometimes over-explains its themes rather than trusting the audience to sit with them.

‘Lanterns’ rounds out its ensemble with Kelly Macdonald, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Laura Linney, and Jason Ritter, among others. Created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, the eight-episode first season is airing weekly on HBO and streaming on HBO Max, with James Gunn and Peter Safran among its executive producers.

With Episode 4 poised to dig even further into John Stewart’s past, this new teaser suggests the show is only getting more ambitious as it heads toward its back half. Whether that ambition pays off may determine if ‘Lanterns’ earns the second season some critics have already suggested it deserves.

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