‘Dune: Prophecy’ Episode 1 Review — Beautiful, Convoluted, Uneven And Intriguing

It's tough to evaluate a series after just one episode, and that's all I've watched of Dune: Prophecy up to now. I'm experiencing a range of conflicting emotions about it, so here's a brief summary of how I feel.

After viewing the Season Premiere, I find myself wanting to rewatch it, as it was packed with information, numerous characters, and a significant amount of background details. I’m certain I overlooked many things. However, despite the wealth of content in the first episode, I found much of it tedious and confusing, which makes me less inclined to watch it again. I have two major concerns about Dune: Prophecy up to this point. Warning: spoilers ahead.

Initially, the focus is on the Sisterhood, but many of the scenes featuring them feel heavy and tedious, often delivering excessive background information. I found myself zoning out more than once.

Secondly, although several of the performances are outstanding—like Emily Watson as Valya Harkonnen, Travis Fimmel as Desmond Hart, Mark Strong as Emperor Javicco, and Olivia Williams as Sister Tula Harkonnen—many of the younger cast members seem to be chosen primarily for their looks. The young followers at the Sisterhood’s Hogwarts-like School of Witchcraft and Truthsaying definitely give off a vibe reminiscent of a CW series.

I found myself having to break this episode into two parts. The first half is really slow and difficult to keep up with. A common piece of advice in creative writing is to "show, don’t tell," but this idea often gets ignored, especially in sci-fi and fantasy genres. Right from the start of Prophecy, we’re overwhelmed with narration, a sudden leap in time, and extensive dramatic conversations between characters we barely know, talking about plans that don’t engage us at all.

If you were to remove the first half of the episode completely, the premiere would likely improve significantly. Instead of laying everything out upfront, you could drop hints and delve into these elements in later scenes. Successful series like Game of Thrones thrived because they prioritized character introductions, allowing viewers to develop a connection with them before guiding them into the characters' stories—rather than presenting the stories first.

The second half of the episode really picks up the pace. It relies less on explaining everything, allowing us to connect with the characters more. Except for one ridiculously out-of-place club scene—seriously, why do we need to see our stunning princess Ynez, her equally attractive half-brother Constantine, and her handsome sword trainer Keiran at a night club?—the episode becomes much more captivating.

I found the enigmatic Desmond Hart particularly captivating. A seasoned warrior from Arrakis, he comes back to the imperial city and is embraced by Emperor Javicco Corrino as the sole survivor of a horrific assault on his soldiers. The emperor is careful and somewhat hesitant, possibly a bit too naive for his own good. Desmond carries an air of mystery, and maybe he shouldn’t be allowed so much freedom within the imperial palace. Nevertheless, he is essentially a hero, and heroes often receive preferential treatment.

Fimmel consistently captivates audiences, yet I can't help but wonder why he maintains his Ragnar Lothbrok accent in all his roles. Could it be that he’s portraying Caleb from Raised By Wolves, somehow moved from that sadly canceled series to the sands of Arrakis? Is Caleb actually a reincarnation of Ragnar? And why did his Anduin Lothar from Warcraft also speak in a similar style? Regardless of these questions, I still liked his performances in this project. While I might critique his reliance on this quirky gimmick—playing the half-crazy trickster with a Viking tone—I still find it enjoyable.

It’s intriguing to watch the powerful Mark Strong portray a character who is so weak and indecisive that he allows those around him, including his Sisterhood advisor, Kasha, to make decisions for him.

Naturally, Kasha is absent by the end of the episode to assist him. It’s revealed that Desmond has been granted "a significant power" meant for use against the witches of the Sisterhood. While they're not the Bene Gesserit just yet, we learn in a rather awkward manner that the Voice was actually a concept created by a young Valya Harkonnen for unspecified reasons.

Desmond discovers the young Dukeling, who is promised to Princess Ynez, and exploits his abilities to set the boy on fire. The horrific act of killing a child certainly adds a shocking twist to the show, particularly right off the bat in the first episode. I had anticipated that Desmond would resemble a character like Duncan Idaho in this story, but it’s evident that he is far from that.

I really wish they had put in more effort to make us connect with the boy. They could have made young Pruwet the focal point of this episode, perhaps starting with his arrival on the imperial planet of Salusa Secundus. By viewing this new world through his perspective, it would have created a stronger bond with the audience, only for Desmond to take him out in a shocking turn of events at the end. That would have been a real surprise.

Pruwet isn’t the main objective, though. Desmond identifies a chance to achieve two goals at once: he can help the emperor by putting an end to the bothersome engagement while also using the boy's death to eliminate Kasha. The mechanics of the magic are a bit mysterious, but it appears that by taking the life of someone close by, he can also eliminate another person who is much farther away. It's a kind of intriguing magic!

Ultimately, we ended up with an episode that felt quite inconsistent, relying heavily on dialogue rather than visuals to convey its story. The more enjoyable moments were mostly found in the latter half, long after my engagement had dwindled. While I did find my interest piqued again towards the conclusion, it shouldn't take so much effort to reach that point.

It’s possible that the issues we see now are simply related to the early stages of the season, and things may improve as it progresses. On the other hand, it might also be an issue with the setting and timing. The story is set 10,000 years before Dune, shortly after the Butlerian Jihad, a period when humanity throughout the galaxy wiped out and banned “thinking machines,” including ones far more advanced than the small gecko toy that the young Pruwet accidentally activated at the event. This time frame could be too distant from the timeline of the Dune films, making it hard to establish a meaningful connection. Additionally, there are other concerns, such as the early introduction of the Voice, which should have been a skill that the Bene Gesserit took centuries or more to develop.

I can't help but notice that, while the Imperium fosters a lack of innovation in technology and progress, you'd expect that after 10,000 years things would have evolved significantly. Stagnation doesn't mean everything stays the same. Yet, the clothing, buildings, and vehicles all seem unchanged (even though the imperial home planet has undergone dramatic changes due to the events in Dune). The empire has been battling the Fremen on Arrakis for a whole millennium, and by the time Paul Atreides shows up, they still have no idea how to deal with them? As someone who loves both fantasy and science fiction, I find this a bit silly and hard to believe—though I might overlook it if I were more engrossed in the narrative.

I can’t help but question whether this is truly the most captivating aspect of the Dune timeline to delve into. The conflict with the machines that occurred shortly before this series could have been more thrilling. Alternatively, a period in which the Bene Gesserit had a stronger grip on the Great Houses would make the emergence of someone like Desmond Hart feel much more urgent and significant.

I remain fascinated and continue to ponder what the emperor witnessed when he displayed the hologram of Desmond kneeling in front of the sandworm. Was this the moment he received his authority? Could it be that there's a kind of mystical connection to the spice that comes from being consumed by these enormous creatures?

We'll learn more next week. For the moment, I can't shake off a sense of disappointment. HBO traditionally valued high standards above all else, but the inconsistency in the writing, casting, and even the costumes and set design—while sometimes stunning, often come across as somewhat low budget—makes this series feel considerably inferior to Denis Villeneuve’s movies.

I should mention that while I've read Frank Herbert's Dune, I didn't move on to the rest of the series. I thought Dune was decent, but Herbert's writing style didn't really resonate with me, even though he had some intriguing ideas. I attempted to start the next book, but I found myself uninterested and never went back to it. My opinions about the films are quite similar to how I feel about the book. Villeneuve is an impressive director, and the movies are truly stunning in terms of visuals and sound. However, I struggle to engage with the story, and that feeling extends to this cumbersome prequel. I hope it gets better.

What are your thoughts on the debut of Dune: Prophecy? I’d love to hear from you on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow my blog for more updates. Also, consider signing up for my newsletter to get additional reviews and insights on entertainment and culture.