Lanterns: The Official Podcast | Episode 6, "Bad Optics" | HBO Max

In Episode 6 of Lanterns: The Official Podcast, host Juju Green breaks down “Bad Optics” with co-executive producer and writer Justin Britt-Gibson and director Stephen Williams, before sitting down with Grammy Award-winning composer Stephanie Economou to talk about the music behind the series. Juju, Justin, and Stephen get into John Stewart's return to Rushville, the show's 10-year time jump, the evolution of Super Heroes in the DC Universe, Hal Jordan's self-written eulogy, and Nathan Fillion's scene-stealing take on Guy Gardner. Then, Stephanie Economou goes inside the creation of the Lanterns score, from John Stewart and Hal Jordan's distinct musical identities to the '90s rock influences, experimental sounds, silence in Hal's funeral, and the score's relationship to the episode's final needle drop. Episode Highlights: ✅ Justin Britt-Gibson explains how the 10-year time jump reshaped John Stewart and Rushville. ✅ Stephen Williams breaks down the visual language of a town still living with its past. ✅ The team discusses Hal Jordan's self-written eulogy and how comedy turns into something unexpectedly poignant. ✅ Stephen and Justin reveal what Nathan Fillion brought to Guy Gardner and his unforgettable Green Lantern dynamic with John. ✅ Stephanie Economou goes inside the creation of John and Hal's themes and the gritty musical language of Lanterns. Subscribe for more episodes of Lanterns: The Official Podcast, comment with your favorite moment, and stream new episodes of Lanterns on HBO Max. Watch the podcast on HBO Max, the HBO Max & DC YouTube channels, and wherever you get your podcasts. Produced by OBB Sound. YouTube Chapters: 0:00 Intro 1:57 The 10-Year Time Jump 2:29 Two Versions of Rushville 4:08 Creating the New Look of Rushville 10:28 Guy Gardner and the New Superhero Era 16:30 Filming Hal’s Funeral 19:37 Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner 25:08 Stephanie Economou on the Lanterns Score 30:15 Creating the Sound of Rushville 33:01 The Tactile Sound of Lanterns 35:38 Scoring Hal Jordan’s Funeral 36:54 Creating John Stewart’s Theme 38:40 John Stewart vs. Hal Jordan’s Musical Identities 40:30 Creating the Alien Theme 47:10 Nathan Fillion on Guy Gardner 47:54 Outro About HBO Max: HBO Max is the premier global streaming platform from Warner Bros. Discovery that delivers the most unique and captivating stories, ranging from the highest quality in scripted programming, movies, documentaries, true crime, adult animation, and live sports and news (where available). HBO Max is the destination for prestigious entertainment brands such as HBO, Warner Bros., Max Originals, DC, Harry Potter, as well as iconic shows like “Friends” and “The Big Bang Theory,” all in one place. GET HBO MAX https://hbomax.com/ FOLLOW HBO MAX Follow HBO Max on YouTube: https://hbom.ax/YouTube Follow HBO Max on Instagram: https://hbom.ax/Instagram Follow HBO Max on TikTok: https://hbom.ax/Tiktok Follow HBO Max on Twitter: https://hbom.ax/x Follow HBO Max on Facebook: https://hbom.ax/Facebook