"TV series set in the 'Dune' universe which centers on the lives of the Bene Gesserit."

OUR REVIEW:

Following the wildly successful Denis Villenueve Dune movies, Legendary Pictures and HBO have decided to mine for more spice starting with Dune: Prophecy. An adaptation of Sisterhood of Dune, co-written by Brian Herbert, son of Dune creator Frank, and scifi master-author Kevin J. Anderson, Prophecy is set 10,000 years before Paul Atreides and focuses on the origins of the Bene Gesserit. Similar to the prequels of Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, and Game of Thrones, Prophecy is full of emperors and princesses, death and betrayal, and so much heavy angst that the premiere episode, “The Hidden Hand”, feels like a massive tome rather than a grand entry.

Prophecy, understandably, looks majestic. Directed by Anna Foerster and beautifully shot by Pierre Gill, Prophecy captures the awe-inspiring world presented by Villenueve in his movies. The show’s presence flaunts the extremely talented Emily Watson and Olivia Williams playing Valya and Tula Harkonnen, Mark Strong as the emperor, and the always-wonderful Travis Fimmel as the roguish Desmond Hart. Yet with all these credentials, Prophecy fails to capture that blue-eyed sparkle.

The premiere focuses on Valya (Watson), who has taken control of the Sisterhood and begins to manipulate events in order to place who she wants onto the throne of the Imperium. The Emperor is facing the threat of rebellion from the desert planet of Arrakis, and the princess prepares for both marriage and the Sisterhood. Strings are pulled, the shadows hold threats, and lies are cast solely for the benefit of one-uppance. Nothing new is presented thematically  as the plot staggers through its paces.

Prophecy has potential. Even though based in a known universe, its far-flung setting can yet allow for imagination to run rampant, similar to Apple TV’s space-opera Foundation. Even its drastic period setting should allow for intrigue and mystery to build, as opposed to being chained to a final resolution as seen with the mediocre LOTR prequel, The Rings of Power. Yet this premiere has the worn feel of a third season rather than an introduction to something spectacular.

The Bene Gesserit are an ancient society of women who use eugenics and political power to shape humanity's destiny. Prophecy needs to bury that knife deep in the back of genre television and go all out in revealing that prophecy, instead of feeling historically terminated with no chance of a kingly surprise.

While diehard Dune fans will anxiously saddle up, those seeking a cinematic spectacle might find Dune: Prophecy as dry as the sands on Arrakis.