‘Lanterns’ Episode 1 Review - Kelly Macdonald Steals the Show

In theory, the idea of combining aliens and superheroes with a murder mystery and detective drama sounds promising, exciting, and too much fun. But the premiere episode of Lanterns doesn't fully exploit that fun. It acts as an expository introduction to its world and characters, which keeps it from going bonkers. One can only hope its disparate elements of criminal shenanigans and science fiction cohere to produce a rewarding experience, but for now, all one can do is giddy up by looking at the actors assembled for this project. In the premiere, we meet Kyle Chandler, Aaron Pierre, Garret Dillahunt, Jason Ritter, Poorna Jagannathan (!), and Kelly Macdonald (!!!!). I can just about watch anything starring Jagannathan and/or Macdonald—more shows and movies should utilize their talents. Macdonald especially should be treated more like a star. The feelings she evokes with a mere frown or a shift in her voice are greater than the histrionics of most well-established "dramatic" actors. As Sheriff Kerry Kane, she hits Hal Jordan (Chandler) with such biting sarcasm that you become her fan within seconds. "Both of you kindly get the fuck out of my way," says Kerry to Hal and John Stewart (Pierre), with such layers of casual authority and a tongue sharpened with scintillating wit that "Yes, ma'am" is all you can think of replying.

Macdonald fully captures your attention, as she usually does, in Episode 1. That doesn't mean the other players leave you dry. Chandler's clownish celebrity act makes you smile, which isn't surprising given the enthusiasm with which he commits to his tomfoolery. He'll suddenly jump out of a moving car or speak with an almost comical sense of pride, leaving the people around him—John and Kerry—equally amused and annoyed. His fans, meanwhile, really adore his welcoming, good-guy persona, especially when he politely indulges them by taking selfies with them in public. But beneath his jokey, why-take-anything-seriously mannerisms, there's a smart, perceptive detective, which is why John, even though he is mostly irritated by his antics, respects him. Hal, after all, rightly predicts that the murders in Rushville, Nebraska, are connected to extraterrestrial activity. This Green Lantern might be a pain in the ass, but he does turn out to be right.

Hal's interrogation technique, in which he asks a suspect about football, Harry Potter, and Barack Obama, initially sounds preposterous (Kerry rolls her eyes at him). However, his methods eventually hit the bullseye. Somewhere beneath this jester is that confident man whom a young John saw as a hero on TV. They say never meet your heroes, and the phrase rings true when John finds Hal difficult to deal with. But moments like that interview scene prove that your heroes can be competent, all right. Oh, I didn't tell you what John is doing with Hal, right? He is Green Lantern's trainee. You know how, in the real world, humans are being employed to train machines that would eventually replace them? Hal and John are bound together by a similar kind of deal. And if the ending of the first episode is any indication, the time has come for John to do his Green Lantern duties. I only wish the future episodes would reveal themselves to be deliciously thrilling. No more dutiful table-setting, no more bland exposition, please.

Final Score - [5/10]