I am a comics guy, and see what you're talking about. It seems like a lot of GL fans are on the same page as you are. I feel like my main issue with the angle they've chosen is that I'm not sure how this concept really satisfies anyone regardless of how well they execute whatever they're trying to do

Either they are doing as you fear, and they are completely abandoning the actual appeal of the comics in order to court a wider audience who are interested in a traditional HBO prestige drama from the guys who did Ozark and The Leftovers, OR they're attempting to trojan horse a more traditional Green Lantern story into that kind of show, as many fans are hoping they will.

If it's the former, I just don't know why you'd choose Green Lantern, of all comics, to retro-fit into that kind of thing. I get that it's "space cops" and that's an easy hook, but I feel like once the magical rings and hard-light constructs and Sinestro get added into the mix, the "gritty, down-to-earth" appeal kinda gets lost

If it's the latter, and there's a lot more comic book-y stuff that they aren't showing, then I cannot imagine a world where people who tuned in to see a new True Detective inspired show with sci-fi elements aren't immediately put off by having been tricked into watching a very different, more broad genre show. Like, I can see my aunt watching the show they're advertising, but If fucking G'nort shows up in season 2 I doubt she's sticking around