Dune: Prophecy is a worthy addition to the beloved franchise filled with deceit, mystery, betrayal, scandal, and an expansion on the lore. It should be noted this review is based soley on the first four episodes of Dune: Prophecy.
Dune: Prophecy hits the ground running from the very start of the first episode and never slows down. Set ten thousand years before the Dune films, this series follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit.
This series feels like the perfect blend of several different genres. It is mostly a political thriller, but it also has mystery, comedy, and even horror mixed in. Expanding on the well known lore, Dune: Prophecy pulls from the book, Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.
If you are a fan of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, and other HBO properties, you are sure to love Dune: Prophecy. It very much gives off the same vibes, focusing heavily on politics while being unafraid to lean into nudity and sex.
Each episode is more intriguing than the last. In an effort to remain spoiler free, I will not dive too much into the murder, betrayal, and mystery that is showcased, but I will say that it kept me on the edge of my seat.
The series explores how the Bene Gesserit came to be, and why they are such powerful women. Learning about these women is empowering, to say the least. Dune: Prophecy adds a lot of context to the movies, especially for those who never read the books, like myself.
The sets and costumes fit right in with the rest of the franchise. There is no mistaking that this is part of the Dune world. Any time the voice is used my heart starts pounding because the sound design is so well done.
Overall Thoughts
The first four episodes of Dune: Prophecy are incredible. Things get more and more insane and intriguing the longer it goes on. While there is mystery, there is also a lot of answers. This series is very much like House of the Dragon in that it feels like a political thriller at times, with everyone wanting to gain power, no matter what they have to do to get there.
The entire cast is incredible. Some are shockingly underused, but that is simply because of the key plot points that need to be hit along the way. Again, this review is based solely on the first four episodes of the season, so things could go off the rails and ruin came before it – but I do not see that happening.
For those who are not all in on the Dune franchise, Prophecy may be a bit difficult to get in to. This is very much emerced in the world and if you do not know much of the lore, you may find yourself lost.
Still, they do their best to explain more plot points so viewers will understand what is happening. For those who do love this world, you are in for a treat.
While I would love to get into details, I do not want to spoil anything for those who do not know what is coming. What I will say is that this is a great exploration of how things came to be in the world of Dune. And I cannot wait to see where things go from here.
The six-episode season of Dune: Prophecy debuts SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes will debut subsequent Sundays.
NEXT: Dune: Prophecy Panel New York Comic-Con Panel Highlights
About Dune: Prophecy
From the expansive universe of Dune, created by acclaimed author Frank Herbert, and 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, DUNE: PROPHECY follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit.
