Lanterns Now Has the Lowest Audience Score of Any DCU Project

HBO's Lanterns now holds the lowest audience score of any DC Universe project on Rotten Tomatoes. Its Popcornmeter has fallen to about 70% since the Season 1 finale, according to Yahoo, while TVLine puts it at 69%. The show debuted much higher, and Screen Rant reported an 89% audience score when it premiered on August 16.

Where the Numbers Stand

For comparison, Peacemaker Season 2 and Creature Commandos each sit at 79%, Supergirl at 72%, and Superman at 90%. Critics have been far kinder to Lanterns. CBR reports it holds a 91% Tomatometer score, and TVLine says the series has received critical acclaim across the board.

The slide is steep. ComingSoon reported during the opening stretch that the show held a 95% critics’ score and an 88% audience score, and SuperHeroHype said early viewers praised the mystery, the performances and the chemistry between the two leads. ComicBookMovie, which published its report on October 8, says the audience figure plummeted from 89% to 70% after the finale aired the previous Sunday. Its writer noted that critics received the series well while fans are split.

What Fans Are Objecting To

ComicBookMovie reports that, for many readers familiar with the characters, the positive aspects did not outweigh what it describes as the perceived character assassination of John Stewart and Hal Jordan, with Hal singled out in particular. The Express Tribune adds that viewers criticized the series for its grounded detective story and limited cosmic spectacle, and says audience criticism has focused on the show’s approach to Green Lantern mythology.

The finale, titled “Dirt and Stars,” ended with John Stewart reciting a new Green Lantern oath, according to Bro Bible, which reports that the finale proved divisive after a universally praised start. ComingSoon notes that the pilot’s closing moments, which involve Hal Jordan, had already produced a flood of stunned fan reaction on social media when the series premiered.

The Writers and the Studio Respond

In an interview timed to the finale, writers Tom King, Chris Mundy and Damon Lindelof walked through the biggest plot points and explained why the season closed with the new oath, per Bro Bible. T-Break quotes showrunner Chris Mundy as saying earlier in the run that the mystery needed to be as meaningful and emotional as possible for John, for Hal and for the audience.

ComicBookMovie also carried a report headlined with a writer’s response to accusations that he hates Hal Jordan, adding that some fans were not convinced, and a separate item about the showrunner revealing scrapped plans for John Stewart to suit up and saying he never wanted an action-packed finale. The same site reported that an X post from DC Studios co-head James Gunn welcoming how many viewers had embraced the series drew a heavily negative response in replies.

Viewership Tells a Different Story

Viewership has been strong. Variety reported 9.3 million views in the premiere's first three days across HBO and HBO Max, then 10 million viewers for the third episode. CBR reports HBO said after the finale that the premiere episode had reached 30 million viewers, and the show has stayed in HBO Max's top 10. GeekTyrant has argued the series' Nielsen numbers are more modest than HBO Max's announcements suggest.

ARY News, in a report on the finale, put the season-ending viewership at 10.5 million. That figure sits alongside the audience score rather than against it, since the Popcornmeter reflects the verified ratings of viewers who chose to rate the show, not the total audience that watched.

The Cast, the Story and What Comes Next

The series stars Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, and follows the pair as they investigate a murder in the American heartland. HBO has not announced a Season 2 renewal.

The future of the characters is not tied only to the show. ARY News and Moviejones both report that the finale sets up Pierre’s John Stewart to appear in Man of Tomorrow, the Superman sequel due in theaters in summer 2027. HBO has not renewed the series, according to ARY, and Moviejones says the finale deliberately leaves several doors open.