‘Lanterns’ Episode 7 Preview Has Fans Making a Bold Comparison to Hbo’s Biggest Hit ‘Game of Thrones’
HBO’s ‘Lanterns‘ has spent the past several weeks quietly becoming one of the streamer’s biggest success stories of the year. What started as a mystery series wrapped around a superhero premise has turned into appointment viewing, with the kind of week-to-week audience growth that networks rarely see anymore.
The show follows Hal Jordan and John Stewart as they investigate a murder in the small town of Rushville, Nebraska, a case that spans two timelines and slowly reveals ties to a much larger cosmic conspiracy. Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre lead the cast as the two Green Lanterns, with Nathan Fillion joining more recently as the brash, self-assured Guy Gardner.
That momentum hit a new gear this week. A preview clip for episode 7, released by HBO Max, pulled in nearly 700,000 views in its first nine hours alone, and surpassing 900,000 views in 12 hours.
That kind of engagement for a mid-season episode preview is notable, especially for a show that had to win over skeptics early on given DC’s mixed track record on the small screen. The series has instead done the opposite, expanding its audience with nearly every new episode rather than bleeding viewers the way many prestige dramas do once the initial premiere buzz fades.
The numbers back that up. ‘Lanterns’ launched with over 20 million global viewers, then saw episode 3, titled “OutKast,” pull in 10 million global viewers and 7 million domestic viewers within its first three days, a series high at the time. That trajectory has reportedly made it HBO’s third-most successful new series launch ever, trailing only ‘House of the Dragon’ and ‘The Last of Us.’
Part of the reason for the surging interest is where the story currently sits. Episode 6, “Bad Optics,” delivered one of the season’s biggest swings yet, revealing that Hal Jordan was murdered after returning to Rushville, with John Stewart himself briefly considered a suspect following a physical altercation between the two. Guy Gardner’s arrival added another wrinkle, confirming that the villainous Sinestro has escaped his cosmic prison just as the murder investigation intensifies.
The trailer for 'LANTERNS' Episode 7 has arrived!
— DC Film News (@DCFilmNews) September 21, 2026
Premieres September 27 on HBO Max. pic.twitter.com/29VKRBR8Gd
The episode closed on its most consequential twist so far, with John retrieving Hal’s ring and unknowingly activating a holographic recording of his former partner, nicknamed the “Halogram” by fans, that offers a direct line into Hal’s private memories. That device sets up exactly the kind of high-stakes payoff episode 7’s teaser is hinting at with its tagline, “Seeking the truth at all costs,” a phrase that suggests John is about to dig deeper into Hal’s secrets than anyone expected.
Critics have largely backed up the show’s growing popularity, with the series holding a 93 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes from over 130 reviews. Much of that praise has centered on the prickly dynamic between Chandler and Pierre’s characters, as well as the show’s willingness to let its murder mystery breathe rather than rushing toward superhero spectacle.
With two episodes left before the season 1 finale on October 4, ‘Lanterns’ shows no signs of slowing its climb. If episode 7’s early numbers are any indication, the show may end its first season as one of the biggest breakout hits HBO has had in years.
Can Lanterns become one of HBO’s biggest hits?
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