HBO's Lanterns Makes Kyle Chandler's Netflix Crime Thriller Bloodline Worth A Rewatch

3 hours ago 9

Published Sep 3, 2026, 7:25 PM EDT

Greg is a Lead TV Writer & Critic at Screen Rant with expertise in new streaming releases. He's published over 3000 articles at SR, including weekly recommendation guides and dozens of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. He previously worked in Development at ABC Television & Lawrence Bender Productions.

Greg majored in Film Production at Chapman University's Dodge College. Greg also has years of broadcast TV production experience at major networks such as NBC, TNT, and ESPN. He currently lives in Greater Boston.

HBO's hit new series Lanterns makes this forgotten Netflix crime thriller featuring one of Kyle Chandler's best performances worth a rewatch this week. Since its premiere on August 16, Lanterns has dominated HBO Max's worldwide streaming charts and has firmly held onto the #1 viewership position thanks to its strong leading duo of Chandler and Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge) and a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score. Nearly halfway through its first season, the Chandler-led series is expected to be renewed by HBO Max for a second season.

Lanterns is one of the most popular shows on streaming right now, but viewers have to wait each week for a new episode to drop on HBO Max. In the meantime, the 3-season Netflix crime thriller Bloodline is a great choice to binge-watch thanks to Kyle Chandler's outstanding lead role. Next to Friday Night Lights, it's one of the best TV performances of Chandler's career, and there are 33 binge-worthy episodes to dive into. Even though they're different in tone and genre, fans of Kyle Chandler will certainly enjoy his role as the complicated protagonist John Rayburn.

Bloodline Remains One Of Kyle Chandler's Best Crime Thriller Roles

Chandler's great lead performance in Bloodline makes it the perfect show to binge-watch on Netflix while waiting for new episodes of Lanterns to drop every Sunday on HBO Max. Bloodline is an epic family drama series set in the idyllic Florida Keys where the well-to-do Rayburn family owns and operates a luxurious beach resort. John Rayburn, played by Chandler, is considered the golden boy among his three adult siblings, Kevin (Norbery Leo Butz), Meg (Linda Cardellini, and Danny (Ben Mendelsohn), the latter of whom is the black sheep.

Chandler is surrounded by even more phenomenal actors in Bloodline, which received five Emmy nominations, all in acting categories. They include Sissy Spacek, who plays the Rayburn family matriarch Sally, Sam Shepard, who plays John's father and the owner of the beach resort, Beau Bridges, John Leguizamo, Owen Teague, David Zayas, Chloë Sevigny, and more. Even as a part of this remarkable ensemble, Chandler's John is at the forefront of the series as he tries to maintain his family's reputation, facing challenges along the way.

Chandler's character in Bloodline is somewhat similar to his portrayal of Hal Jordan throughout the first half of Lanterns thus far. Both John and Hal are placed on pedestals by the people around them, although they both would rather get rid of that amount of pressure and responsibility. Both are also deeply flawed and imperfect but are forced to uphold a squeaky-clean image, or at least attempt to, given their status among the public. Chandler has a knack for playing these types of roles that offer more beneath the surface than meets the eye.

Lanterns Is The Perfect Reason To Rewatch Bloodline On Netflix

Kyle Chandler and Linda Cardellini in Bloodline

Although Lanterns exists in the DC Universe, it's very grounded for a so-called superhero series, so much so that it has drawn comparisons to gritty crime thrillers like True Detective and Watchmen. Given this, fans of Bloodline don't have to consider themselves devoted DC fans to get hooked by Lanterns, and the same can be said of Lanterns fans who are looking for more shows with Chandler in them. Similar to Lanterns, the acting is so excellent throughout Bloodline that it is wildly easy to become immersed in, backdropped by an alluring "trouble in paradise" vibe and rooted in unearthed family secrets.

Chandler, who has appeared in some of the biggest movies of the 21st century, such as The Wolf of Wall Street, Argo, and Manchester by the Sea, has only starred in a handful of series other than Lanterns and Bloodline. Friday Night Lights was the one that made him a household name, but outside of these three, there aren't too many great Chandler shows worth recommending. This makes Bloodline even more of a perfect series to watch on Netflix in between weekly episodes of Lanterns this September.