Where to watch: Max
Reactions: Intrigue, Eyes-glued, Fucking wow

I must admit that I wasn’t so sure about this new Dune series after the first two episodes. Then it hit its stride and, as I said above, just fucking wow. In a world of sequels and remakes, this feels different. While there have been three movie versions of the book Dune (1984, 2000, and 2021/4), this isn’t a Dune remake that we know Hollywood execs love (remakes are a low-risk box office money-maker). And it’s not even the side-story of characters from the most recent box-office hit remake. It’s a completely new story, set 10,000 years before the events we watched Timmy T bring to life most recently.

What I like about it being set so far in the Dune universe’s distant past (our modern day distant future), is that it forces the story to rely on its own merits. The characters, the intrigue, the political machinations, all of it must stand on its own two feet. And I’d argue it doesn’t just stand, it plants itself firmly on the ground before it leaps and bounds.

The Sisterhood was always a mysterious aspect in the book/movie Dune. But here, the sisters get their due. Their political motivations and special training and powers are put on display as a central player in the universe. Usually I hate a “backstory episode,” and yet I loved the way this series does it.

There’s not a whole lot more I can say without ruining it. But I’ll say this: Dune: Prophecy has all the dirty politics, power hungry players, rich science/magic, and drama that House of the Dragon (Season 2) and Rings of Power both lack. I hope they give subsequent seasons more than 6 episodes. That being said, wow, did they accomplish a LOT in six episodes. I predict this will be THE Sunday night Game of Thrones replacement we’ve all been waiting for.

I highly recommend this one.