I went into HBO's Lanterns wanting to like it. Green Lantern is a corner of the DC Universe that has so much potential, and putting Hal Jordan and John Stewart at the center of a grounded mystery sounded like a great way to approach the material. Unfortunately, the premiere almost lost me right out of the gate. The opening flashback to 1996 worked for me. I liked the atmosphere, the mystery, and especially the first interview with Hal Jordan.

Digital streaming services Disney+, Max, Apple TV, Peacock, Netflix, Prime Video, Paramount+, Hulu, and more threaten to take down the...