5 Detective Shows to Watch If You Love Lanterns

HBO’s ongoing detective show Lanterns has already proven itself exceptional. Created by Chris Mundy (Ozark), Damon Lindelof (Watchmen), and comics writer Tom King, Lanterns follows veteran Green Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), who will eventually occupy Hal’s mantle. Together, they investigate a dark murder mystery in Rushville, Nebraska, which gradually exposes a cosmic conspiracy.

The show has already established its merits, thanks to a measured slow-burn approach that thrives on the central duo’s riveting chemistry. Although chock-full of comic book references and superhero-isms, Lanterns shines brightest when it leans on its murder mystery elements. The mystery in question is also engaging and unpredictable, keeping audiences on edge at all times.

If Lanterns has ignited a love for detective shows, you are in luck. There are countless great series out there worth checking out, although most lack magic rings and exploding aliens. Here are five shows to watch once Lanterns ends and you still need a dose of hard-boiled mystery drama.

1 True Detective

Streaming on: HBO Max

Parallels between Lanterns and True Detective have been repeatedly drawn, and for good reason. True Detective’s police procedural format instinctively embraces a slow-burn pacing that usually pairs two detectives together on a case. Season 1 of the show proves to be the closest thematic match to Lanterns, but subsequent seasons also feature their fair share of gritty violence and complex character studies. Apart from Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey’s iconic team-up as Marty and Rust in the first season, the latest entry, Night Country, showcases another formidable team-up with Jodie Foster’s Liz Danvers and Kali Reis’ Evangeline Navarro.

Season 2 of True Detective unfolds like a bleak Californian noir with moody, tragic characters like Ray Velcoro (Colin Farrell) and Ani Bezzerides (Rachel McAdams). Season 3 is a worthy return to form with a masterful Mahershala Ali at the center of an emotionally resonant mystery exploring the impact of memory and aging. Even without the Lanterns parallels, True Detective is a quintessential detective series that paved the path for contemporary entries in the genre.

2 Spider-Noir

Streaming on: Prime Video

Spider-Noir hews closer to Lanterns as a comic book-inspired series that does not follow superhero conventions to keep things interesting. The setting is 1930s New York City, where aging private investigator Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage) struggles to make ends meet. After exceptional events occur, Reilly is tempted to don the suit of the Spider, a role he stepped away from years ago. Reilly is as jaded as it gets, mimicking Philip Marlowe in The Big Sleep, albeit with the added responsibility of being a superhero who is way past his prime.

Spider-Noir draws heavily from noir tropes and hard-boiled detective fiction, allowing the Depression-era backdrop to feel visceral and lived-in. There is a melancholic air to the events that unfold, especially in the high-contrast monochrome version of the show, setting it apart from standalone superhero stories that are also self-contained mysteries. There is also no dearth of memorable fight sequences in Spider-Noir. These gorgeous spectacles go hand-in-hand with quieter character moments that allow Ben Reilly to emerge as a nuanced character. It is a beautiful and witty show that is coolly confident about its noir-tinted vision.

3 The X-Files

Streaming on: Hulu

Any discussion about a detective procedural setting with two partners is incomplete without Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) from The X-Files. An extraterrestrial connection is also present between the two shows, although the focus centers on grounded mysteries hinging on dark secrets. The X-Files relies on a sustained sense of tension and paranoia, combining paranormal and conspiracy elements to create a uniquely engaging format. The Mulder-Scully dynamic serves as the beating heart of the show, creating a much-needed balance between belief and skepticism.

The X-Files understands the need to mix up exciting monster-of-the-week cases with an overarching storyline. A key example is the mystery involving the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis), whose presence haunts 11 seasons of the show. Although the mythology varies in consistency, part of the story’s appeal lies in the way Mulder and Scully evolve as characters. The newer seasons take ambitious turns attempting to one-up the most interesting reveals, but The X-Files maintains its rock-solid appeal through a compelling exploration of its interpersonal dynamics.

4 Mare of Easttown

Streaming on: Prime Video

If you are interested in a grounded procedural confined to the secrets of a small-town community, Mare of Easttown is worth a watch. In the show, Detective “Mare” (Kate Winslet) investigates the murder of a teenage mother and the disappearance of a young girl while slowly unraveling due to her personal struggles. The small-town setting feels intensely claustrophobic, as Mare constantly faces scrutiny from the townsfolk of Easttown, Pennsylvania. Instead of focusing on the flashy aspects of a murder mystery, Mare of Easttown centers on grief and how people in close-knit communities deal with such a visceral sentiment.

Perhaps the show’s greatest strength is its brevity. Mare of Easttown wraps up its riveting mysteries within seven episodes while keeping its focus squarely on the lead, who makes for an engrossing character study. Mare cannot escape the expectations of those around her, nor can she turn away from her professional duties to deal with personal hang-ups. This rich exploration of Mare’s inner landscape blends well with the insular dynamics presented within a town torn apart by tragedy and loss. The show’s bleak setting might not appeal to everyone, but Mare of Easttown remains a must-watch for fans of small-town mysteries brought to life with excellent performances.

5 Watchmen

Streaming on: Prime Video

Damon Lindelof is the obvious creative link between Lanterns and Watchmen, but the 2019 limited series also takes a subversive approach to already brilliant source material. Set 34 years after the events of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ comic series, Watchmen weaves an alternate history of the 20th century in striking ways. The buried history of the real-world Tulsa massacre is recontextualized and brought to the fore, with the show examining the caustic effects of generational trauma and historical racism through a grounded superhero framing.

Watchmen functions less as a standard whodunit and more as an intricate puzzle-box mystery playing around with timelines and perspectives to heighten its payoffs. A significant chunk of the plot follows masked police detective Angela Abar (Regina King) and her colleagues as they attempt to uncover a complicated conspiracy involving a white supremacist group called the Seventh Kavalry. It is an exceptional superhero tale suited to a turbulent present, offering a scathingly prescient critique of state-sanctioned violence that often exacerbates systemic bigotry.

Source: Polygon