Lanterns perfectly represents a subgenre that blends the classic action of the cinematic superhero with a police setting, a boundary that becomes increasingly thin and that seeks to balance costumes and props with psychological drama and street-level investigation. Lanterns, which revisits the Green Lantern mythos and intersects seamlessly with the new DCU shaped by James Gunn and Peter Safran, has offered the audience not only a superhero story, but a true investigative drama to shed light on a mysterious incident. At the center of this story we do not primarily find cosmic battles, but a mysterious murder that occurred in the heart of rural America, and the two protagonists must navigate among ordinary people to solve what happened. If the cynical and dark style proposed in Lanterns has caught your attention and you are looking for a thriller, investigative tale but with heroes and anti-heroes as protagonists, then we have three TV Series for you to catch up on streaming.
Superheroes or police procedurals? 3 unmissable TV series between investigation and noir
Daredevil
The television saga of Daredevil has not been very fortunate. Launched initially with a television trilogy by Marvel Television from 2015 to 2018 under the title Daredevil, the three-season series introduced the story of Matt Murdock, a lawyer by day who by night becomes the masked vigilante known as Daredevil. His story continued years later with a revival titled Daredevil: Rebirth and lasted three seasons: the last one will land on Disney+ during 2027. Matt is a blind lawyer who has sharpened his senses fighting crime in New York under the name Daredevil, and each season follows the protagonist confronting various subplots tied to espionage and judicial conspiracies. Matt is constantly torn, divided between the formal justice of courtroom settings and the street justice of a vigilante.
Jessica Jones
Another example that best blends street-level investigation and superheroes is Jessica Jones, a character who is closely linked to Daredevil as both are part of the group of heroes known as the Defenders. Spanning three seasons as well, Jessica Jones entertained audiences with an independent series from 2015 to 2019. The protagonist is Krysten Ritter, who portrays the former superhero grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder and who opens an investigative agency to help people and superheroes in distress. As of today the series is available to stream on Disney+, and it presents a version of a superheroine united with an investigative streak, which often drives her to drain glasses of whiskey to suppress memories and emotions. Between nocturnal stakeouts and office investigations, Jessica Jones tackles complex themes such as obsession, trauma, and psychological violence without forgetting her superhero nature.
The Penguin
More than heroes and anti-heroes, in this case we’re truly talking about villains. The Penguin originated as a miniseries spin-off of The Batman, a film directed by Matt Reeves and starring Robert Pattinson in the role of the Batman. The portrayal of Oswald Cobb nicknamed the Penguin is by Colin Farrell, a former chief lieutenant disfigured under crime boss Carmine Falcone who himself becomes a boss and turns against Bruce Wayne. In this instance the superhero is set aside, focusing on the villainous nature of the protagonist, on how the Penguin has tried to climb the hierarchy of organized crime by turning rival mafias against each other. Between betrayals, police investigations, and the expansion of a criminal empire, The Penguin swiftly captured interest but today comprises a single season available for streaming on HBO Max.
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