‘Lanterns’ Ends Soon? Five Detective Shows That Scratch the Same Itch

HBO’s Lanterns is ending soon, and the streaming world has plenty of detective shows to fill the gap. The series, created by Chris Mundy (Ozark), Damon Lindelof (Watchmen), and comics writer Tom King, follows veteran Green Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre). Their investigation of a murder in Rushville, Nebraska, leads to a cosmic conspiracy, and the show leans on its crime-solving core more than its superhero trappings.

Now that Lanterns is nearing its end, Polygon has put together a list of five shows to watch if you loved the slow-burn mystery of the Green Lantern series. The list mixes classic procedurals, comic-book noir, and supernatural crime thrillers, all available to stream right now.

The Closest Match: True Detective

True Detective is the obvious starting point. The HBO Max series pairs two detectives on a case, and its slow-burn pacing echoes Lanterns. Season 1, starring Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey as Marty and Rust, remains the closest thematic match. Later seasons feature Jodie Foster’s Liz Danvers and Kali Reis’ Evangeline Navarro in a formidable team-up.

A Noir With a Suit

Spider-Noir takes a different approach. On Prime Video, aging private investigator Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage) returns to his role as the Spider in 1930s New York City. The show draws heavily on noir tropes and hard-boiled detective fiction, with a melancholic, high-contrast tone that sets it apart from standard superhero fare.

The Paranormal Partner

The X-Files brings Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) to Hulu. The show balances belief and skepticism through its Mulder-Scully dynamic, mixing monster-of-the-week cases with an overarching storyline centered on the Cigarette Smoking Man (William B. Davis).

A Small-Town Tragedy

Mare of Easttown narrows the focus to a single community. Kate Winslet plays Detective “Mare,” who investigates a teenage mother’s murder and a young girl’s disappearance in Easttown, Pennsylvania. The show runs just seven episodes, but it spends that time on Mare’s inner struggle and the town’s insular dynamics.

What the List Gets Right

The list does not try to pretend these shows are exactly like Lanterns. Instead, it matches the show’s strengths:

• The slow-burn pacing of True Detective
• The noir tone of Spider-Noir
• The conspiracy elements of The X-Files
• The grounded small-town mystery of Mare of Easttown

Each recommendation shares something with Lanterns, even when the genre shifts entirely.

The list is a playful one, and it reads that way. It suggests a viewer who enjoys the investigative process, the quiet character moments, and the sense of discovery that comes from following a trail of clues. Whether you want a grim police procedural, a noir detective in a cape, or a small-town tragedy, the list has something waiting for you.

Lanterns may be ending, but the mystery shelf is full.

Source material: “5 Detective Shows to Watch If You Love 'Lanterns',” Polygon.

detective shows · Lanterns · Streaming · True Detective · TV Recommendations