Jessica Barden, Emma Channing too have unforgettable performances
HBO has wrapped for the first season of Dune Prophecy which also starred our very own Tabu in the role of a Sister working with The Sisterhood aka Bene Gesserit, widely known in the Dune Universe. The show takes place 10,000 years before the current films directed by Denis Villeneuve. But the prequel is still connected to the current storyline as it explores the lore of how the Bene Gesserit prophecy about Paul Atreides came into being.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Max (@streamonmax)
The show begins with the story of two Harkonnen sisters who have been accepted into the sisterhood. One of them, Valya Harkonnen had special powers which let me control the will of others on her command, she goes on to teach the same to others in the sisters who followed the same values as her. Meanwhile, another has her own secrets to protect. The sisterhood also has factions, while one believes in nurturing the good in humans and use the power of truth sense to lead humanity towards a better future after the War with Thinking Machine which destroyed the world. The other faction believes, that humans need a genetically enhanced leader to take them to the right direction.
Along with exploring the history of these two factions the show also slowly reveals how the sisterhood took over the politics of the Imperium, directing everything at their own will. The show also reveals part of the ancient feud between Atreides and Harkonnen families. Currently both do not have the royal standing as shown in the Dune movies, their history will also be explored in the coming seasons.
SEE ALSO: Dune Prophecy Ending Explained; What Happened To Richese Heir?
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Max (@streamonmax)
The director and screenplay of the show is slow and heavy with political implications around the Imperium. The new locations, characters are being introduced till the last episode which does make it harder to engage new audience but for fans of the books and the films this might work as a deeper glimpse in to the franchise and its lore. The showrunners have also added a new character which has not been explored in the books as well. Introduced as a soldier to the Imperium, played by Travis Fimmel, also adds an element of mystery and drama to the show.
Emily Watson and Olivia Williams lead the show as the formidable Harkonnen sisters, and their younger counterparts Jessica Barden and Emma Channing also add charm and warmth to their characters. All four have a performance that keeps the story moving forward and the same can be said for Tabu's performance as Francesca. Though her role is shorter than that of others, she has a very unforgettable presence in the show. Tabu and her character will be sorely missed in follow-up seasons.
SEE ALSO: Dune Prophecy Guide; What You Need To Remember From Dune And The Book Tabu's Show Is Based On
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Max (@streamonmax)
Overall, the show has much to add to the lore and franchise of Dune but the slow pacing may have been the biggest shortfall costing them some part of the vast fandom. One surprising part about the Indian release includes dubbing in Marathi and Bengali, which isn't seen that often. It is currently streaming on JioCinema Premium.
Cover artwork by Patrick Gawande/Mashable India