The series arrives on NOW and Sky on November 18, with a new episode every Monday.
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| Image Credit: HBO |
With Dune: Prophecy, HBO takes us back to the vast and fascinating universe created by Frank Herbert, and recently explored at the cinema by Denis Villeneuve with his films (the third chapter should also be in the writing phase). The series, available on Sky and NOW from November 18, 2024, with the first episode, invites us on a journey that precedes the birth of Paul Atreides by 10,000 years, focusing on the origins of the powerful Bene Gesserit sisterhood. Based on the novel Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, the series follows the events related to the sisters Valya and Tula Harkonnen, united by blood and an undeniable affection, but divided by ambitions and strategies on how to achieve their results.
Dune: Prophecy tells a world between power and introspection
Despite the series' important ambition to tell the origin of one of the most fascinating aspects of the Dune universe, the birth of the Bene Gesserit, the series does not have the solemn air that Villeneuve has adopted for his look at the franchise. The first four episodes seen in the preview reveal a story full of political intrigue and personal dynamics, a dichotomy that evokes Game of Thrones more than the philosophical aesthetic of Herbert's novels. HBO has built one of the most successful series of recent years on this type of plot, so it is not surprising that the approach adopted is this one. The visual spectacularity is put aside in favor of soap opera aspects, some naive ideas but a dignified result especially for what concerns how the protagonists are outlined, between past and present.
The series focuses on the ambitious Valya Harkonnen (a masterful Emily Watson), a central figure in the birth of the Sisterhood, and her sister Tula (Olivia Williams), with whom she has a conflictual yet very loyal and affectionate relationship. The two interpreters called to give life to these two characters stand out for their great ability to stage strong contrasts and emotions with a composed and measured acting, which is based a lot on the strength of the gaze and micro gestures. In the background, a humanity marked by imperial ambitions, oppressive patriarchy, and the inevitable influence of the spice of Arrakis, the true engine of the Dune universe, the element that gives superhuman powers and permeates the desire for power in all the weakest hearts.
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| Image Credit: HBO |
Palace intrigues and high-level production
What is negatively striking about Dune: Prophecy is undoubtedly the script that, due to the need to set a new level of a known universe, ends up being verbose, slowing down the action. Although solid, it is weighed down by dialogues/explanations that do not make the story dynamic. This difficult and contrary aspect to the action offers, however, the possibility of giving a lot of voice and structure to the characters, showing their complexities and reasons in an exhaustive and detailed way. From a visual point of view, however, the series is committed to offering continuity with what was seen at the cinema.
The aesthetics are therefore essential and elegant, and linger on the costumes with particular refinement and richness of details that however are affected by what was created by Villeneuve: the result is a world in which the only extravagant thing is the wardrobe of some characters, but in which there is no difference in ethnicity and origin, despite the literary origins requiring otherwise. As seen in Villeneuve's Dune and in Lynch's Dune before him, the Bene Gesserit are characterized by monastic clothes, long and black, which symbolize their austere lifestyle but also their modus operandi in the history of humanity: they operate in the shadow of their secrets, maneuvering empires.
A look at contemporaneity
The reference to Game of Thrones is felt even in the most controversial elements: sex, violence, and intrigue are central to the narrative, even if they seem less bloody than the series based on Martin's novels in each of these aspects. Dune: Prophecy manages to find its own identity by exploring themes that speak very clearly to contemporaneity, with very specific reflections on patriarchal oppression and the ambiguous morality of power. This choice helps make the series fascinating for those looking for a complex and engaging narrative, but it will certainly be a disappointment for those hoping for a more epic and less dialogic approach.
Looking Ahead
The first four episodes of Dune: Prophecy hint at the potential for a broader, deeper narrative. The character of Valya Harkonnen emerges as the fulcrum of the story, embodying the allure and contradictions of the nascent Sisterhood. However, it seems that for now, the series has focused on the placement of the pieces on a complex and uneven chessboard. It remains to be seen whether the pawns, once arranged, can create a compelling game.
Summary
Dune: Prophecy focuses on the verbosity of complex dialogues that, on the one hand, set aside the action and the epic, on the other allow the characters to explain themselves in all their contradictions and complexities.
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