Lanterns

In 2016, Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) is the Green Lantern, but has been assigned a trainee, John Stewart (Aaron Pierce).  Hal is clearly not keen on this, and the training is mostly non-existent.  However, Hal does offer the ring to Aaron and then puts the trainee in a do or die situation, literally.  After surviving the challenge and on his way to rejoin Hal, Hal suddenly materialized.  Only he looked different.  As it happened, this is a backup Hal, a projection from the ring that was made in 2006.  This version of Hal is much friendlier and a bit concerned that he might be dead.  In the brief chat, Hal 2006 thinks that Hal 2016 isn't doing a good job of training.  Hal 2006 also said to tell Hal 2016 about Rushville.  Upon regaining the ring, Hal 2016 flies to Nebraska and tells John to meet him there.  Rushville, Nebraska, is where Hal received the ring and his predecessor died.  This cannot be coincidence.  There are strange things happening in the town, but Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) is not keen on having Hal and John poking around.  It turns out that exploding aliens have an interest in Rushville, so Hal is determined to find out why.

The series is told in a non-linear fashion.  Though the story initially unfolds in 2016, it hops forward to 2026 and back as far as 1973.  Mostly, the story is split in two, with half the episodes concerning an event in 2016 and the other half taking place in 2026, plentiful flashbacks throughout.  John was chosen by the Guardians in infancy to be the next Green Lantern, whereas Hal received the ring by happenstance when the previous Lantern died unexpectedly.  But somehow it is Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) who is the current Green Lantern (Superman, Peacemaker) when the series jumps to 2026.

Where Ryan Reynolds would manifest his costume whenever he started using the ring, Chandler has an actual suit in the closet that he only wears a couple of times.  Usually, he's in jeans and a leather jacket. Hal is extremely reckless, to the point of infuriating the viewer. It is astonishing how often his ring is running low on power.  Even when he doesn't have his ring, he acts as if he is impervious.  Is he suicidal?  It often seemed like it.  Nonetheless, though he was often a jerk, he does possess charm that makes him likeable overall.

John has a big chip on his shoulder.  Because he has been groomed for life to be the next lantern, it is understandable that Hal is not particularly friendly.  That the writers chose to make his racial background a major factor in his life was irritating.  You would think he grew up in the 50's and 60's rather than the 90's and aughts.  John proves to be a stand-up guy who has more integrity than most give him credit.

The show doesn't feel like a superhero show.  It feels more like a noirish detective show that happens to have sci-fi elements.  This is True Detective meets X-Files with a superhero included.  It is a peculiar fusion that was made more difficult because no one got along with anyone else.  Every relationship is contentious.

Good popcorn fun.