WARNING: This review contains MAJOR spoilers for the Dune: Prophecy premiere.Dune: ProphecyThe first episode of is, like any dense science fiction or fantasy show, mostly about table setting. We are introduced to the main players, told about their goals and how they hope to achieve them, and we learn about the various planets they inhabit in the vast universe. Even though the films have established much of what we know about Frank Herbert’s world, Dune: ProphecyThe timeline places the show 10,000 years before Paul Atreides, so there are some major differences.
We meet the Harkonnen sisters Valya (Emily Watson) and Tula (Olivia Williams), the former of whom is the current Mother Superior of the Bene Gesserit. Valya’s violent rise to power is teased in the episode, although her true cruelty has yet to be fully revealed. Instead, it focuses lightly on the factions within the quasi-religious organization, one pious and the other power-hungry. This hunger for power involves a scheme to install a Bene Gesserit acolyte on the throne of the Empire and Valya has her eye on Emperor Javico Corrino’s (Mark Strong) daughter, Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina).
Valya’s plan is thwarted early on and Dune: The Prophecy’s mysterious conflict is revealed
Who is Desmond Hart and why does he hate the Bene Gesserit?
There are greater forces at play that seek to thwart Valya’s plan – namely, a mysterious man with deadly powers who introduces himself as Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel) and inserts himself into the lives of the emperor and his family to reduce the influence of the Bene Gesserit. Valya plans to marry Ynez to the young descendant of an allied house to place a Bene Gesserit on the throne. Her age would give the princess enough time to train with the Brotherhood before ascending the throne with the boy by her side.
Desmond, however, has other plans, to murder the boy by burning him alive from the inside. He does the same to Ynez’s Bene Gesserit confidant, Kasha, light years away. Why he’s doing this isn’t yet clear, but there are clear connections between him and the space witches that will likely be developed throughout the season.
Dune: Prophecy Episode 1 sets the stage, but it’s hard to escape Denis Villeneuve’s shadow
Dune: Prophecy reaches an integral moment for expansion Dune franchise. Dune: Part Two It is expected to be a major player in awards shows, although it may not garner the same amount of wins as its predecessor, both because of its mid-chapter status and its position on the calendar. Looking even further into the future, Denis Villeneuve is preparing to film the third film, Dune Messiahwhich is rumored to begin filming in late 2025.
Villeneuve’s vision is so singular and so massive that it’s difficult for a television show to live up to its big-screen counterpart. The films are harsh and almost nihilistic, but by expanding the visual world of Herbert’s works, Prophecy it rips away some of that cynical mystery, pulling back the curtain on the inner workings of an empire that seems so vast in the films but so small in the series.
Dune: Prophecy regains some of that magic, especially when portraying the Bene Gesserit. Its headquarters maintains a similar architectural style to what we saw in the series and there are echoes of Hans Zimmer’s alien soundtrack, but the series seems torn between wanting to do what it wants and a stylistic loyalty to the films.
How it will evolve is fundamental to Prophecyis success. Right now, Watson is the most compelling in anchoring what’s going on at the Bene Gesserit school. This thread is integral to the events of the series, but its weakest elements – the inner workings of the Corrino family – threaten to overwhelm the series’ strengths. This first episode leans into the political maneuverings and betrayals that will serve as the backbone of the six-episode season. Now that the battle lines have been drawn, the series has the space it needs to flourish.
Dune: Prophecy episode 1 is now streaming on Max. Episodes are released every Sunday until December 22nd.
- Episode 1 of Dune: Prophecy is mostly table setting, but it presents a compelling story with a lot of potential.
- Emily Watson anchors the Bene Gesserit origin story with a steely performance.
- The series maintains echoes of the films, for better and for worse.
- The Corrino family story is a weaker element of the series.