DC Comics veteran Grant Morrison has reviewed Lanterns, praising the HBO series overall while leveling sharp criticism at its Season 1 finale, which they called “morally and legally incoherent.”
The writer, known for projects including The Green Lantern and Doom Patrol, shared their assessment on a new post for their Xanaduum Substack. Overall, Morrison said the show “worked,” but described their thoughts on the package as complicated.
Morrison admitted they “fell asleep” while watching episodes 6 and 7—not because they were boring, but because watching TV “feels like a much-appreciated moment of relaxation and drift.” They credited the Green Lantern HBO series with mostly pulling off its True Detective-inspired story, attributing that success to Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart and Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan.
“Lanterns worked as a show and it’s mostly down to the two leads, particularly Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan,” Morrison explained. “They have a great supporting cast which helps, but it’s the two principals and their chemistry and charisma that sells the whole thing – so maybe those True Detective comparisons had some basis after all!”
The glowing start took a turn when Morrison said they “didn’t really like the ending,” even though it was “neatly put together.” Their primary issue centers on Kelly Macdonald’s Sheriff Kerry, who divided fans when revealed to be Hal Jordan’s killer in the final moments.
The climactic moment shows the character firing a single shot at the Green Lantern hero after discovering her son, Noah, was a Manhunter in disguise. He manages only half of a game plan and a quick “I love you” before his time in the DCU ends—a sequence that has prompted complaints from many viewers.
“There should probably have been some response to that, because otherwise it makes it really hard for the audience to work out what makes the Green Lantern Corps an intergalactic law enforcement agency at all,” Morrison said. “The Guardians are now fine with their operatives being murdered while other officers simply ignore the fact and let the perps walk free?”
Morrison acknowledged an explanation from Lanterns writer and fellow comic book author Tom King. King argued that Kerry having to live with her actions was punishment enough, but Morrison found that insufficient.
“I watched the show; Kerry lost her shit in a way that made her seem unhinged and she shot a superhero in the head out of pique,” they added. “John Stewart also let the Manhunter go free, knowing that he could one day destroy the world. For a show that’s not about masked vigilantes with their own personal code but deals with weird space policemen working for an interplanetary judiciary, it was a morally and legally incoherent conclusion that backed out of its own implications and the basic premise of the franchise.”
Although there are rumors of a Lanterns Season 2 being in early development at HBO, Morrison isn’t expecting things to materialize. Teases—particularly from antagonist Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen)—have hinted at bringing Chandler back as Parallax, but losing Hal Jordan could mean losing much of what made the show resonate.
Pierre is praised as great, but without that dynamic duo, there’s no telling how a second season could succeed where the first landed. As Morrison put it: “We’ll see.”
Meanwhile, Morrison continues their work in comics with a project outside the DC universe. As announced at New York Comic Con 2026, the author is now set to work with IDW Publishing on a new run based on James Bond. Details about how it fits into the 007 universe have yet to be revealed.
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