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After top-heavy start, the series premiere of Dune: Prophecy gets on a nice moody roll

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As a seasoned sci-fi enthusiast who’s had the pleasure of traversing the vast expanse of space and time through countless interstellar adventures, I must say that “The Hidden Hand” has certainly piqued my interest. The intricate web of plots and power struggles reminded me of the political machinations in the halls of power back on my home planet, Zog.

The first time I watched the series premiere of Dune: Prophecy, I was afraid I wasn’t going to like the show. “The Hidden Hand” kicks off with a 15-minute lore dump, catching viewers up on decades of pre-history. We learn about the Machine Wars, which mankind barely won against the thinking machines that enslaved us; we banned all thinking machines afterwards. We learn about how orders like the Bene Gesserit sprung up to replace thinking machines; the Bene Gesserit sisters have trained to become human lie detectors, making themselves invaluable to the great houses of the Imperium. We learn about Raquella Berto-Anirul (Cathy Tyson), the first leader of the Bene Gesserit, who passed her skills onto the young Valya Hakonnen. We see scenes from a nasty power struggle that follows Raquella’s death, and only then do we jump forward to catch up with Valya as an older, more experienced sister who’s now running the order, played by Emily Watson.

In this initial segment, there are some intriguing elements such as Valya employing her Voice against an opponent. However, it moves at a rapid pace, making it challenging to fully comprehend both the events unfolding and their implications. I began wondering if this is how the entire series will be structured – merely focusing on worldbuilding and lore without sufficient character development or context.

Delightfully, no. In the following, “The Hidden Hand” begins to establish an immersive sci-fi narrative, gradually introducing its characters and conflicts. While it doesn’t quite rival the heart-pounding excitement of the first episode of The Penguin, another fresh offering from HBO, it offers a rich, intricate plot that I believe lays the foundation for a compelling series.

Let’s get into the details. Beware SPOILERS below.

Dune: Prophecy review: Episode 1, “The Hidden Hand”

In Dune: Prophecy, the ensemble cast stands out, yet Sisters Valya Harkonnen and Tula (portrayed by Olivia Williams) hold a prominent position above others. Their bond is instantly apparent; Valya, the elder sister, exhibits traits of strength, ambition, and unyielding confidence that can sometimes make one uneasy. In contrast, Tula possesses equal intelligence and wisdom but maintains a softer demeanor. This gentleness may be perceived as weakness by Valya. Over the course of several decades, they have come to know each other almost too intimately due to their shared history in cultivating the Bene Gesserit order.

It goes without saying that seasoned pros like Watson and Williams have no trouble mining this dynamic for drama; it’s fun just to watch them work. And they share the wealth. Valya and Tula live on the planet Wallach IX, where they’re training a new generation of sisters. We meet them glancingly: the abrasive Sister Jen (Faoileann Cunningham), the waifish Sister Lila (Chloe Lea), the stern Sister Theodosia (Jade Anouka)…they add a sense of lived-in-ness to the Bene Gesserit school, even if we don’t know them very well yet. I also liked watching them undergo some of the Bene Gesserit training, like when they’re paired up with strangers and tasks to determine whether or not they’re lying.

On the planet Salusa Secundus, we encounter the ruling royal family who govern the known universe: Emperor Javicco Corrino (Mark Strong), his wife Empress Natalya (Jodhi May), their daughter Princess Ynez (Sarah-Sofie Boussnina) and the emperor’s illegitimate son Constantine (Josh Heuston).

In this initial episode, a significant portion of time is dedicated to setting up their relationships. The ambitious Princess Ynez is preparing for an unusual marriage – to the very young heir of wealthy House Richese. He’s only 9 years old, which seems odd, but the emperor trusts the Bene Gesserit, and they believe this union benefits the Imperium. Additionally, the head of House Richese is providing a new fleet of ships as part of the agreement, making it more appealing for the emperor. Ynez agrees to marry a boy she’s not romantically interested in if it brings her closer to power, though her feelings might be tested by the handsome swordmaster Keiran Atreides (played by Chris Mason). Ynez shares a good bond with Constantine, who is content as long as his half-sister is happy. However, their empress harbors doubts about the Bene Gesserit’s intentions regarding her daughter.

As a seasoned political observer with years of experience in observing power dynamics, I find myself pondering over the intricate web of manipulations unfolding in this narrative. The Bene Gesserit, these enigmatic figures, are making their moves, and it’s not hard to see why Empress Natalya might suspect them of having ulterior motives. Yet, as I reflect on my own life experiences, I can’t help but wonder if the ends truly justify the means when it comes to shaping the destiny of an empire.

Enter the firestarter

Stepping into this quagmire comes Desmond Hart (Travis Fimmel), a battle-hardened soldier who’s seen multiple tours on the desolate planet of Arrakis, extracting precious spice for the emperor. An intriguing aspect of the series is that it barely delves into Arrakis, the planet often associated with the title Dune. To use a similar analogy as The Penguin, that show was so engrossing that viewers seldom yearned for Batman. Similarly, Dune: Prophecy is captivating enough that I never felt the need for Arrakis. Wisely, the series opted to place its drama elsewhere, helping it carve out its unique niche.

To sum up, Desmond Hart appears to suggest that the emperors’ noble houses could be secretly exploiting him by misappropriating spice. It remains unclear what Desmond’s objective is in the narrative; he seems intent on gaining the emperor’s trust, but his motives are not yet clear – is he a zealot who genuinely believes in this claim or does he have ambitions for power himself? The series subtly hints at his intentions, with Fimmel delivering a restrained performance that doesn’t fully reveal his captivating charm. However, we can sense the energy beneath the surface, waiting to burst forth.

Regardless of why Desmond behaves as he does, he always goes all-out in his actions. At Ynez’s wedding to the wealthy boy, their young bridegroom discloses that he has a small robotic lizard for a pet or toy. Since mechanical devices are strictly prohibited, this causes quite a stir. Later on, Desmond locates the child and employs some enigmatic force to set him ablaze from within, making for an intense ending to the episode.

Desmond strictly adheres to the prohibitions against artificial intelligence, perhaps influenced by an external power, or maybe he’s engaged in some other unclear scheme…Either way, his reasons are somewhat enigmatic; he seems to be a catalyst for advancing the storyline. What makes this even more puzzling is that his abilities appear to transcend space, as they somehow caused the Bene Gesserit sister Kasha (Jihae), the emperor’s personal truth-teller, who was recovering on Wallach IX after a terrifying dream possibly foretelling future events, to perish.

How did Desmond manage to pull off that feat? It seems he has some sort of grudge against the Bene Gesserit. The initial episode leaves us with more questions than solutions, but as I’ve watched a few more episodes, it appears that it isn’t trying to keep secrets from us. This first installment is heavy on plot setup and background information, yet it demonstrates the ability to make these elements engaging.

(A few planets over from) Dune

Lately, HBO has been collaborating with several well-known intellectual properties, such as House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, The Penguin, now Dune: Prophecy. When a studio focuses heavily on franchises in this manner, I sometimes worry about an overzealous approach to saturation like Disney. However, HBO has managed to create shows that validate their existence and respectfully honor their source material, and Dune: Prophecy is no different.

As a movie enthusiast diving into “Dune: Prophecy”, I can’t help but notice the striking resemblance between the austere architecture seen on Wallach IX and Salusa Secundus, reminiscent of Frank Herbert’s books and Denis Villeneuve’s films. The atmosphere is undeniably severe, mirroring the themes found in the original works. It’s also fascinating to see the intricate plots within plots unfold, with various factions vying for control over the Imperium – a complex web of power struggles that some may compare to “Game of Thrones”. However, as dedicated Dune fans are aware, George R.R. Martin was merely following in the footsteps laid by Frank Herbert decades earlier. With “Dune: Prophecy”, we’re returning to the roots of this captivating saga.

As a cinephile, I must confess that among the four episodes I’ve watched from this series thus far, “The Hidden Hand” was, in my humble opinion, the least compelling. Nevertheless, I found myself thoroughly entertained throughout its duration, and I am convinced that fellow enthusiasts will share the same sentiment.

Dune: Bullet Points

  • Although I don’t want to give away too much, the younger versions of Valya and Tula, played by Jessica Barden and Emma Canning, will return in future episodes. Watching the rushed opening sequence, I wonder if some of what appeared there was originally meant for a later episode, but then grafted onto this premiere when the editors realized we needed more information up front.
  • At one point, Ynez and Constantine jet off to a nightclub on Salusa Secundus, dancing their troubles away in a haze of spice and sex. We don’t ever really go to the club in the Dune books, so this was fun. It felt a bit more like Blade Runner than Dune, but I wasn’t complaining.

Episode Grade: B

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2024-11-18 06:42

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