Review: Lanterns is a truly unique twist on the superhero genre

What the show is

Lanterns follows two Green Lantern heroes, Hal Jordan and John Stewart. They look into strange events in a small town in Nebraska. The show feels more like a detective story than a typical superhero story.

The two storylines

One storyline happens in 2016. A mass shooting at a football game leads to an alien suspect who blows himself up. The heroes learn that a lone survivor of a hidden alien race is hiding in town. A second storyline happens in 2026, when Hal Jordan is murdered. Stewart and the sheriff try to solve that crime.

Key facts

• The alien leader Antaan gave Hal and John 48 hours to find the Manhunter.
• The 2016 and 2026 storylines are 10 years apart.
• The show is a series on HBO, part of the DC Universe.
• Kyle Chandler plays Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre plays John Stewart.

Some background

Green Lanterns are space police who use power rings. The Manhunters were a race made by the Guardians of the Universe, and they later rebelled. The reviewer says the show's tone is more like True Detectives or Slow Horses than a usual superhero show.

Why it matters

The reviewer says the show shows what superhero stories can be when they are allowed to be creative. The writer also says the DC films released so far were fun but easy to forget. Lanterns stands out because it is different.