‘Dune: Prophecy’ Review: A Great Story and Even Better Cast

Dune: Prophecy is the epic origin story behind the highly successful films Dune and Dune: Part Two. Created by Diane Ademu-John and Alison Schapker, the duo was tasked with scaling the magical world of Dune down to a television series. After the series opener, I’m happy to say the season is off to an exciting start.

Since this is an origin story, if you haven’t seen the two films it won’t matter. This is set 10,000 years before the ascension of Willy Won… Ahem, Timothy Chalamet as Paul Atreides. If you have seen the films, many places and names will sound familiar.

Similar to the scenarios in post-apocalyptic stories, there was an uprising. Humans were enslaved by thinking machines (robots) and an Atreides who played in role in their victory. History looked fondly upon the Atreides house and showed ample respect. But to the Harkonnens, who deserted the fight, the account doesn’t fare so well, branding the family as cowards. Understandably, all thinking technology was banned and the Harkonens were banished to a remote and desolate land. Refusing to live a life of shame, it is the narrator herself, Valya Harkonnen (Emily Watson) who sets off to forge a new future after joining a powerful, women-led group of Truthsayers.

The first thing you’ll notice is that the series brings the same level of mental immersivity as the films. The larger-than-life worlds, the costumes, and the epic set designs prove their worth as you’re transported into the realm of Dune.

The Truthsayers have a mission to seep their way into every house and provide counsel as a way to discretely supervise the present to control the future. Valya and her sister Tula (Olivia Williams) manage the battalion of women and have their attention drawn to a certain transaction. Emperor Corrino (Mark Strong) is trying to balance his daughter’s betrothal and an incident on another planet, Arrakis. He gets firsthand testimony of that incident from Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel). The emperor’s daughter Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina) was set to marry a boy to unify two houses. Because what’s a monarchy without a transactional marriage or two?

As the story continues, you’ll see a range of events take place that set the framework for the rest of the season. For those of you new to the franchise, the first episode introduces a large swath of characters so it would be beneficial to watch twice. For those who have seen the films or are familiar with the books, a path will be formed that will most certainly lead to establishing the Bene Gesserit.

For what has taken place so far, I’m in love with this cast. Emily Watson is an amazing actress and provides what’s expected of someone with her résumé. Mark Strong has yet to disappoint me and fits the Emperor role perfectly. Pretty boy Josh Heuston plays his son, Constantine Corrino, and Chris Mason plays Keiran Atreides, a young man who teaches Princess Ynez fighting techniques. But there’s no question that Travis Fimmel steals the show in the first episode. After his introduction to the Emperor, the same flair and magic that I remember from his role in Vikings emerged onscreen. The intensity in his eyes and his voice make him an unforgettable character in the story.

With awards season kicking into high gear, I can see Dune: Prophecy being a part of the mix. If the series stays its course, it’s set to be an exciting season. There has been talk of this being the new Game of Thrones which isn’t fair, but I understand the comparisons. The first episode is just over an hour and within that time, you’re introduced to a barrage of characters. Also like GoT, don’t get emotionally attached to anyone because as soon as you fall in love with them, the writers will take them from you.

The name of the first episode, “The Hidden Hand”, means a few different things but I’d be remiss to share as I feel they’d spoil the episode. Audiences will also take note of the handful of memorable quotes in the first episode:

“Victory is celebrated in the light, but it is won in the darkness.”

“Humanity’s greatest weapon is the lie.”

Dune: Prophecy gets a 9 out of 10. It doesn’t drown in dialogue to the point of boredom but saturates just enough to explain what’s taking place. There is adult content (a sex scene and drug use) but it’s not flooded with it like GoT or Industry. Be sure to pay close attention to all of the characters as it looks like everyone’s presence has meaning. Besides, you never know who will play a hand in what when we know victory is won in the dark…

New episodes will air every Sunday at 9:00 PM/ET on MAX.

-Jon Jones

Photos: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Genre: Sci-Fi
Rating: TV-MA    
Runtime: 66 minutes (Episode 1)
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: November 17, 2024