Prophecy Debuts To Lukewarm Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score After Premiere Episode

HBO’s Dune: Prophecy debuts to a lukewarm audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The prequel series to Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies premiered its first episode on November 17. Set ten thousand years prior to Paul Atreides’ birth, the show follows two Harkonnen sisters as they grow the Sisterhood of the Bene Gesserit in its vulnerable early days.

Generated from more than 100 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, Dune: Prophecy opens with a decent, but not glowing, audience score of 66% at the time of writing. This is lower than the critical score, which sits at 75% from 48 reviews. This score could change as more people watch the show. Viewers have praised Emily Watson’s performance as Valya Harkonnen and its intriguing plot, but some also find the series failing to match the tone and the epic setting in Villeneuve’s sci-fi movies.

What This Means For Dune: Prophecy

Dune: Prophecy Had To Make Some Difficult Choices

One of the reasons that Dune fans might not agree with the series is its decision about the “thinking machine.” Author Frank Herbert described the Butlerian Jihad as more of a movement than a war. His son, Brian Herbert, who wrote the prequel book series that Prophecy is based on, offered a different account of the Jihad. Dune: Prophecy picked the version where humans succeed in the war against the “thinking machine” and based the entire show on it, which may alienate some die-hard Dune book lovers.

Dune: Prophecy shows promise as a new series by receiving more than 100 audience reviews in less than two days since the premiere. Episode 1 tells the story of the early Bene Gesserit from a dual timeline, tracing the footsteps of both young and adult Valya Harkonnen, who is tasked to do everything to preserve the Sisterhood. The premiere is heavy on set-up, and it could be that, as it progresses with its story, Dune: Prophecy will win over viewers. It features a number of compelling elements, indicating it could improve from here.

Our Take On Dune: Prophecy’s Initial Reception

The Prequel Series Has Its Charm

As a television series, Dune: Prophecy isn’t the same as a blockbuster movie. It’s true that the series has a different pace and feel than the movies. It takes its time telling the full story, but the plot is also more complicated. Instead of showing the beginning, middle, and ending of a single event, the prequel series sees the past, the present, and the future intertwined while depicting several moving forces with their own intentions and schemes.

Since its release, many have compared the prequel series to Game of Thrones. Screen Rant‘s review of Dune: Prophecy also sees the show with a high score, with Graeme Guttmann giving it seven out of 10 stars. While it’s not exactly the same as the movies, the series has shown its own charm with plenty to look forward to in the rest of the season.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Set in the universe of Frank Herbert’s Dune series, this sci-fi epic follows the political and spiritual struggles on the desert planet of Arrakis. As factions vie for control of the prized spice melange, a prophesied hero emerges, challenging the balance of power and the fate of the galaxy.

Cast

Emily Watson , Olivia Williams , Jodhi May , Travis Fimmel , Mark Strong , Jade Anouka , Chris Mason , Sarah-Sofie Boussnina , Shalom Brune-Franklin , Faoileann Cunningham , Aoife Hinds , Chloe Lea , Josh Heuston , Edward Davis , Tabu , Yerin Ha

Character(s)

Mother Superior Valya Harkonnen , Reverend Mother Tula Harkonnen , Empress Natalya Arat , Desmond Hart , Emperor Javicco Corrino , Sister Theodosia , Keiran Atreides , Princess Ynez Corrino , Mikaela , Sister Jen , Sister Emeline , Sister Lila , Constantine Corrino , Harrow Harkonnen , Sister Francesca , Young Kasha

Release Date

November 17, 2024

Seasons

1

Writers

Diane Ademu-John , Kevin J. Anderson , Brian Herbert , Frank Herbert

Directors

Anna Foerster

Showrunner

Alison Schapker

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Creator(s)

Diane Ademu-John , Alison Schapker

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