Dune: Prophecy
I get it, you haven't tried this show because you're intimidated. The lore of Dune is overwhelming. You went to a bookstore once and were like, I think I'd like to read Dune, you picked up the book, which is already pretty thick, you saw how tiny the print was and thought, I'll just watch Chalamet and Zendaya. Then you watched the Denis Villeneuve films and enjoyed them. Obviously the first part is way better than the second in spite of the infrared scene, but again, going further into this world is daunting and Austin Butler is dead. I am here to allay you fears. First, Dune: Prophecy is set about ten thousand years before the time of Paul Atreides. What does this mean? You don't need to know anything from the movies. I mean, obviously if you were paying attention the fact that technology has stagnated over a ten thousand year time period is fascinating with the ouster of "thinking machines" but seriously, you don't need to go that deep. That's for the uber nerds. This show works on many levels and even at the simplest level it is a stunning tale of court intrigue. You have three houses that are vying for dominance, the same three houses that the films concern; House Harkonnen, House Atreides, and House Corrino. Then there's the Bene Gesserit, a religious order of women who wants control more than the Houses and are willing to work in the shadows in secret and as advisors to steer the Imperium and control the galaxy. This is all neatly summarized at the beginning of the show, but again, you don't need to be in the weeds to enjoy this, because this could be any court scandal. Who has power, and who wants power, and who is willing to manipulate the universe to get it and who wants to upset the status quo and wrest control from those in power. Meaning, this isn't confusing at all, Dune: Prophecy tells a tale simply and well. Plus we have stunning costumes and actors drawn oddly from the stable of British actors who have appeared on The Witcher. Perhaps they have a love of court intrigue with an otherworldly aspect? I mean, obviously the draw is Oscar nominee Emily Watson, but there are so many British actors I love, especially the young actress from Steven Knight's Great Expectations, not the older Estella who is ironically also in this, but the younger one, Chloe Lea. But the standout is Travis Fimmel as Desmond Hart. So Desmond Hart is that figure that any fan of court intrigue roots for, the lightning rod who appears out of nowhere and changes history, usually not for the better. They are a shit stirrer. What we have here is literally Grigori Rasputin showing up in the Imperial Court of Russia and fucking everything up. Oh, the doomed angst ridden Russian vibe of this show is so me. I love everything about it. Rasputin is such a fascinating historical figure, so full of contradictions yet with a magnetic pull that draws you in as you are simultaneously revolted. That is how I feel about Desmond Hart. He has that otherworldly aspect that you can't turn away from. Plus the way his story ties back into the Bene Gesserit. Oh, how I wish I could watch this show all over again without knowing anything about it. And as for the touches of Mary Shelley? That's just like the cherry on top of the cake. I can't wait for more. It just proves you can have your cake and eat it too. Though here it would probably be spice cake.
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