Lanterns is the new global king of HBO Max — and it’s not even close. The sci-fi mystery series, a True Detective spin-off set in the DC Universe, has surged to No. 1 across all territories in its second month of release, according to Nielsen data from October 2026. It’s not just holding its ground. It’s outpacing every other show on the platform, including The Penguin, which averaged 27 million weekly viewers globally. Lanterns, meanwhile, has drawn around 19 million viewers worldwide per week so far, with its seventh episode alone pulling in 7 million U.S. Viewers over three days. That’s more than Euphoria’s third season and nearly as much as It: Welcome to Derry’s peak. And yes, that includes mobile and streaming device metrics, Nielsen’s numbers are conservative by design. Still, the momentum is undeniable. The show’s critical score? A Certified Fresh 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, where critics praise its grounded writing, fearless performances, and the chemistry between Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler. Poorna Jagannathan, Garret Dillahunt, Paul Ben-Victor, and Laura Linney round out a cast that’s turning heads. Created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, Lanterns is shaping up to be HBO’s most ambitious franchise play yet. A spiritual successor to True Detective, but with a universe-building edge. Season one wraps this Sunday. The question now isn’t whether it’ll succeed. It’s what comes next. Because if the DC Universe is going full franchise mode, the sequel’s already being planned. Harry Potter, anyone?