The DC Universe has continued to grow with the release of Lanterns, but fans of the DC show will now need to get their sci-fi fix elsewhere as its first season comes to an end. As well as introducing several Green Lanterns into the DCU, the show helped to expand the franchise’s cosmic story, touching on a vast part of the wider universe that previous live-action DC movies and shows have largely neglected to explore. Focusing on the characters of Jon Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) as the latter trains the former to take his place as Earth’s protector, Lanterns combines a buddy cop dynamic with a sci-fi superhero premise, making it a pretty unique experience.
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However, with the show’s first season now finished, fans will need to whet their sci-fi appetites elsewhere for the time being. Thankfully, there are several great cult classic sci-fi shows that scratch a similar itch, so those fans won’t have to go without for too long. The following shows all feature elements or tropes that tie nicely into Lanterns‘ charm, making them perfect viewing for those who feel its season 1 finale has left a hole in their regular viewing habits.
4) Fringe
Often named as a masterpiece sci-fi show that only gets better as it develops, Fringe is criminally overlooked by many sci-fi fans. The show’s story is, admittedly, relatively complex, especially in the later seasons, but that’s actually an important part of its charm. While it might not seem to have a huge amount in common with Lanterns, there are actually enough similarities that fans of the DC show unfamiliar with Fringe should find themselves thoroughly hooked from very early on. Fringe‘s paranormal and scientific detective focus shares a lot of narrative DNA with Lanterns, as the DCU show’s focus on the investigative side of Green Lantern sees it occupy a similar space to Fringe. While the overall thrust of the two respective shows differs greatly, they have a lot in common in terms of tone and overall vibe, making the cult classic perfect for fans of Lanterns who have yet to check it out.
3) Doctor Who
While few sci-fi TV shows boast as many fans as Doctor Who, it’s still considered by some to be a cult series. The British sci-fi show boasts an impressive tenure on screens around the world, having first debuted way back in 1963. Its story, which follows the titular Time Lord as he adventures through time and space with various human companions, is iconic to many sci-fi fans. However, fans of Lanterns who have yet to watch Doctor Who will almost certainly find themselves hooked on the series. Its adventurous tone combined with the eponymous character’s exploration of various planets and encounters with an array of colorful alien creatures shares several similarities to Lanterns‘ own charm. For any DC fans who loved Lanterns but have never watched Doctor Who, rest assured that watching the latter is a great way to continue the feeling of the former even beyond its season 1 finale.
2) Legion
Lanterns might bring an iconic DC hero to life on the small screen, but one show that matches its vibe incredibly well is an often-overlooked Marvel series. Legion follows the Marvel character of the same name and tells the story of the reality-warping mutant David Haller as he navigates the complexities of living with his unique and astonishing power. Following the season finale of Lanterns, fans missing its superhero storytelling would do well to sink their teeth into Legion. With all three seasons of Legion available to stream, its surreal psychological narrative about a reality-manipulating hero is a deceptively perfect complement to the DCU’s Lanterns. Where the latter’s non-linear story put an interesting spin on the classic hero narrative, Legion takes its ideas even further. With the textbook definition of an unreliable narrator at its core, Legion is a criminally underrated cult classic sci-fi show that fully pushes the boundaries of the genre to excellent effect.
1) Watchmen
There have been many great comic book TV shows over the years, but Watchmen is one of the few that truly stands out as a cult classic. Its sci-fi nature is relatively subtle, as it largely stems from its alternate-history setting, but that isn’t what makes it perfect viewing for fans of Lanterns. Watchmen‘s vigilante story is filtered through the lens of a grounded detective story with a mysterious conspiracy at its heart, making it a DC adaptation that feels remarkably close to Lanterns in overall tone. Loosely based on Dave Gibbons, Alan Moore, and John Higgins’ iconic DC comic book series of the same name, Watchmen takes its comic book ideas to interesting and unexpected places. In doing so, it cemented a cult following that continues to champion its excellent quality among fans of the genre, and it stands out as a perfect stand-in for Lanterns now that the DCU show has concluded its first season.
