Forget 'Supergirl' —DC's next big show is replicating the best season of HBO's ultimate crime thriller
It’s been almost one year since James Gunn kicked off his film slate for the DC Universe with “Superman.” At the end of the movie, Superman’s cousin, Kara Zor-El, stumbled into the Fortress of Solitude to pick up Krypto the dog. That brief cameo set the stage for Kara Zor-El’s first solo adventure in the DCU, “Supergirl,” in theaters on June 26.
Bringing Superman's relative into the DCU is a smart move moving forward. As someone intrigued by the new DC Universe, I will see the movie. However, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking ahead to the next DCU project.
No, I’m not talking about “Clayface.” I’m fixated on a certain green-glowing ring that will populate our televisions this August on HBO; I’m talking about “Lanterns.”
I’m not down on ‘Supergirl,’ but I’m not exactly high on it, which isn’t great
I fully admit that I’m a superhero movie fan and a comic book novice. I’ve seen the overwhelming majority of Marvel and DC movies. However, I don’t have a connection to their comic roots. Therefore, I don’t have much of a relationship with Supergirl besides what I’ve seen in movies. Before talking about Milly Alcock, I will say that I enjoyed Sasha Calle’s brief portrayal of Supergirl in “The Flash.” Calle played her like a no-nonsense badass, which contrasted nicely with Ezra Miller’s high-energy Flash.
Back to the DCU. The worst place to be — in life, in your career, or even in the NBA — is the middle. It’s perfectly normal not to like something. Ask any filmmaker, and I bet they would rather have the audience have a strong dislike of their movie than an indifferent response. Having a strong reaction, good or bad, is better than no reaction at all.
I say all that to explain why I'm extremely neutral on “Supergirl.” Alcock seems to be the right choice for Supergirl, as she exudes punk-rock energy in the trailers, which likely builds toward a climactic moment when she fully embraces her role as Supergirl. Speaking of that footage, I wasn’t particularly impressed with the trailers that resemble a version of “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Kara is a drunk Peter Quill, and Krypto is a silent Rocket. I liked “Guardians of the Galaxy.” I don’t need a fourth movie.
My opinion could easily change once I see the movie, but I’m not racing out to see it on Thursday night. Not every movie has to be an event; “Supergirl” certainly doesn’t feel like one. I’m perfectly content with having a fun time at the theater, so hopefully, “Supergirl” will deliver there. Until then, call me “Middle-Man Dan,” as feelings remain neutral.
‘Lanterns’ mirrors another successful HBO show
If my enthusiasm for “Supergirl” sits at the speed limit, then my excitement for "Lanterns" is well over 100 mph. The third TV show in the DCU puts the spotlight on the Green Lantern Corps, and in particular, two characters: Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre). Hal is the weathered veteran on the verge of retirement, while John is his recruit.
The series depicts two timelines: one in 2016 and one a decade later. In 2016, Hal and John are called to a small town in Nebraska to investigate a shooting. Hal thinks it’s a shooting, while Sheriff Kerry (Kelly Macdonald) believes it’s something else. A decade later, another strange occurrence emerges, meaning “Lanterns” will have two mysteries to solve.
If you’re thinking it sounds like the style of another hit HBO show, then say it out loud because you’re right. “Lanterns” is “True Detective” season 1, with Chandler as Woody Harrelson and Pierre as Matthew McConaughey. That excellent first season also involved two investigations on different timelines. In layman’s terms, we’re getting “True Detective” with space cops. Now you can see why I'm excited about a detective story featuring superheroes.
Showrunner Chris Mundy is not hiding from the “True Detective” comparisons; he’s embracing them. “Lanterns” follows a similar approach, where the perpetrator is less important than the reason they did it.
"It was less of a whodunnit as much as, like, what happened and why?” Mundy told EW. “We think of this as a relationship show between John and Hal, and there's a lot to unpack over the course of the eight episodes."
'Lanterns' is the best type of superhero show
I might be in the minority because I prefer my superhero tales that incorporate grounded storytelling. I’m fully aware that superhero shows exist in a fictional world, so to tell grounded stories in a world where characters can fly might be an oxymoron.
When I say I prefer a more grounded approach, I mean I want these stories to have human emotions with moral consequences. I'm always down to watch the Avengers save the world against Thanos, but most of the time, I prefer something like Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” with less fantastical elements and more practical consequences.
Mundy and his co-creators Damon Lindelof and Tom King have positioned “Lanterns” as a grounded detective show featuring an Earth-based mystery. Instead of creating a Green Lanterns-based world for a mystery show, “Lanterns” inserts the superheroes into the real world or something that closely resembles it.
"The aesthetic of the show — it's supposed to be very grounded and real, so we're shooting practically in places," Mundy said in the same EW interview. "We're not heavily green-screened. It's not like day glow in its presentation of anything. I think Green Lantern fans will not feel like we've somehow made a brown show of their green comic at all. It's very much 'we're in the world,' and then when we use the constructs, they're what people would expect them to be."
So to everyone enjoying “Supergirl,” I’m happy for you. Meanwhile, I’ll be waiting for my DC Universe–"True Detective” crossover.
Lanterns premieres August 16 on HBO and streams on HBO Max.
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