Overview

• Episode 5 debuted Thursday on HBO Max, marking five of eight episodes now streaming, with new installments weekly and the finale set for October 9.
• Critics received only Episodes 1–5, and Gunn says Episodes 6–8 are being withheld because they contain major surprises.
• A newly issued Episode 5 teaser omits an earlier sniper-shot moment; reports suggest the change followed the Charlie Kirk shooting, though the link has not been confirmed.
• The midseason chapter deepens ties to the relaunched DCU, including a notable callback to 2025’s Superman that reinforces shared-universe stakes.
• Viewers and outlets are actively debating the alternate world’s on-screen depiction, with some theories focusing on its lack of visible diversity.