Dune: Prophecy SERIES PREMIERE Review

[@nancyjay790]

Villeneuve's versions, for me, does so much to show exactly what Frank Herbert always said that he intended the series, especially with Paul Atreides, that a charismatic leader can be the most dangerous kind of leader possible. He held up JFK as an example of what he meant. Kennedy, especially after his death, was beatified like a religious saint, and actually villainous in ways. Paul Atreides is even more dangerous for humanity, and I like having Chani see what's happening and try to stop it but fail, and have to walk away. It's much stronger than her damsel like energy in most of the story arc.

[@BrianGeers]

It’s been a decade or so since I’ve read the Brian Herbert books, but I seem to remember the Atreides and Harkonnen characters being friends and allies during the Butlerian Jihad, but something the Harkonnen did during the pivotal Battle of Corrin led to the Atreides accusing him of cowardice and the family being banished. The Harkonnen himself didn’t have any bad feelings towards his former friend, but his descendants did, which is what started the feud between the two houses.

[@ArcaJ]

It was a petty reaction to a philosophical dispute in the middle of the most important battle in human history. For the life of me, I can't decide who was right in the dispute. 😮

[@denniskristos3800]

Question: How does a human being survive being swallowed by a Sandworm? My pet theory is that Desmond Hart is a creation of the Bene Tlelaxiu ... either a Face Dancer or a Ghola.

[@tygressblade]

Same.

[@jeniallenby8389]

same

[@hfztt]

I agree. Just afraid its a bait and switch for fans. That seems to be the "clever" way to write shows in this day and age...

[@70briareos]

@@hfztt - Bait and switch how? Desmond Hart is a new character created for this show? There's no Desmond Hart in any of the Dune books that you can bait and switch him with.

[@hfztt]

@@70briareos The amount of people thinking "ghola" right now is directly linked to how they tell the story. When you put that many clues in that he indeed is a ghola, that is not by accident. So they at least want us to think (the bait) he is a ghola. If they then later revieal that he something else (the switch), that would be a basic "bait and switch".

[@otterzrkuhl]

idkjdkms I cannot stop laughing at "DOES THE SPICE FLOW?" in the thumbnail. Thats a question we should constantly be asking.

[@anvalisok]

I really liked this. Always great to see older women lead a show.

[@JohnFourtyTwo]

I forgot all about this show until I got a notification from Quinn’s Ideas with his review last night when the episode dropped, apparently he’s one of a few who had early access to this season. Now I’m waiting for Nerd Cookies review. I enjoyed your review and appreciate your honest review that isn’t glowing extreme positivity or negatively like other reviewers do sometimes. I’ve read all the books including Brian’s and enjoyed them all. Don’t let the toxic negativity of Brian’s critics prevent you from reading them. I have no problem with constructive criticism but the haters I ignore, so please use your own judgment when reviewing them. They’re all written by his son Brian and Kevin Anderson and to me they have the same feel as Frank’s but toned down a bit. Apparently more like the books than hate them because they sell more than enough to justify more plus they’re based off notes written by Frank and his son Brian knows his father infinitely better than these haters who claim he doesn’t know what he’s doing because they don’t like his books. In the prequels to Frank’s books you’re going to find out who Jessica’s mother is and it’s going to be shocking in more ways than one. Just leaving it at that and hopefully nobody spoils it for you by commenting. Since you mentioned “the heroes journey” I’ll add Brian and Kevin totally destroy that belief just like Frank did. I liked this episode, can’t complain about anything and looking forward to the rest of the series. I just hope it doesn’t get dragged out to several seasons because I don’t want this to turn into a soap opera that never ends.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I’m still processing the fact that Tabu (Indian actor who plays Sister Francesca) is in this show. Such a big win and an icon for the queers in our neck of the woods.

[@thekage100]

Who plays her as an elder? Like after timeskip?

[@erikdaniels0n]

Yes, this is set in the same universe/timeline the Villeneuve Dune movies. When the show was first announced, under the name Dune: The Sisterhood, Villeneuve was even set to direct at least the pilot episode. When the two part film adaptation of Dune was announced, it was also made clear that WB had plans to develop TV spinoffs to help flesh out the world/universe

[@leafcatcher1715]

The best description of brian’s works that I ever heard was calling them “fan-fiction”.

[@rena7123]

Really liked it and I was drawn in immediatly. But I always liked space politics 😅 very interested in your perspective, as I'm trying to get more into Dune. The more explicit Dune channels seem to like it. So let's see

[@deoradh]

By "Giving Chani a much stronger voice", don't you mean "Giving Chani any voice at all" :) (Trying to avoid spoiler territory) God Emperor is a nice introspective love story at several levels, but Herbert ends up devoting an entire chapter to his homophobia rather than merely making the only gay/gay-coded characters monsters. Skipping that sermon, I rather enjoyed it: I hope you do as well.

[@ruthbennett7563]

In later books, the author “recants” his previous homophobia with another self-insert “sermon”, which shows growth in his journey. I’d be giving serious spoilers if I were to go into specifics. Quinn’s Ideas covers it in his wonderful set of videos on this series.

[@coatfarm]

tbf throughout the book Duncan is realising more and more that he is not meant for this time period, and I personally read this chapter as Duncan just not being woke enough to compute. I mean he has Moneo coolly explaining to him that 'homosexuals make the best warriors in history' and telling him it's a normal period of exploration, and Duncan is basically just like 'but it's gross' -- I thought we were supposed to read him as the out of touch one. Still, it's likely I'm being way too charitable here and this is just some weird kind of esoteric homophobia. idk

[@DavidManser]

I would recommend reading the original six Frank Herbert books and finishing with Chapterhouse, everything set beyond and before them are not well executed and felt more motivated by money rather than art, though that may be doing Brian a personal disservice.

[@GetThePun]

Gonna watch this review when i come back from watching the episode! Enjoying all these reviews of witchy TV shows

[@Scriven42]

The David Lynch Dune is so awesome, such a lynchian interpretation.

[@unvergebeneid]

Sister Ke$ha would be reason enough for me to watch the show :D (I know that's not how she's written anymore but just give me this.)

[@billtownsend937]

Chapterhouse and Heretics are sooo fantastic and such great Bene Gesserit insight

[@godofbiscuitssf]

it's easy to forget that the BG in Heretics and Chapterhouse are far far different to the ones in Dune, Messiah, Children and God Emperor.

[@billtownsend937]

@@godofbiscuitssf yeah right? chastened and changed by the rogue Jessica/Paul Atreides and the god emperor. But I loved the deeper look into their thinking, structure, inner politics, etc. And the insight into "other memory" nerded me right out. Those two and Children were actually my favorite reads.

[@Arakko-i7h]

In Frank Herbert's Dune saga, the technocrats of planet Ix make a significant rise to power and contribute greatly to the technology of the Duniverse. It is expected that Ixians would not give up their technological superiority and benefits that come from it. The dominance of the Space Guild due to an exaggerated decision to ban even computers, not only AIs, was likely to cause great dissatisfaction. I'd expect a black market to be created to allow computer assisted space travel and independence from the Space Guild. All would work under great risk, off course. It would be great to have a TV series explorer the many facets of the Dune universe. With Denis Villeneuve's adaptation on its way, I've been exploring the characters, organizations and elements that make up this fascinating universe.

[@richlisola1]

Yes, the Butlerian Jihad was a bit of an overcorrection. That said, more than mere computers are needed for FoldSpace navigation. Foresight, prescience is needed to chart paths amongst the stars-So yeah, The Guild was always gonna have its monopoly. I hope this show does the Spacing Guild its due.

[@Starbush69]

I couldn’t get through the first Dune book, but I’m loving these latest film adaptations so far. Maybe I’ll check out this series at some point.

[@renaelewis1727]

Loved your review! I have read probably 3/4 of the books in the expanded Dune universe (all the Frank Herbert's plus a good half of the Brian Herbert stuff, including the great schools series). I am so not going into "whatabout" isms though as I can already see how they have woven some stuff in but changed other things to match what we have seen recently. I am truly excited to see where they take this series!!! Also am going to be watching out for your reviews :)

[@MrShoward73]

Ackshually… Just kidding! In my experience, the first two books are really all you need because the series devolves into bizarreness. I tried reading them, got halfway through the third one, and had to stop because it was just really weird. You won’t get any pushback from me for only reading the first two. 😆 I have a deep fondness for the Lynch version despite its stark differences with the source material, but I also fell in love with the Villeneuve version because of its grand designs. I like both and that’s okay. I was hesitant to watch D:P, but I’ll watch it now. 🥰

[@meander112]

Engagement for the engagement god!

[@godofbiscuitssf]

Jessie, wanted to point out -- with nod to Quinn (the Quinn's Ideas YT channel) -- that the mention of Tyrant and Arafel -- especially Arafel -- point specifically, almost irrefutably at the God Emperor and Leto II. Quinn says this is the first time in film that the God Emperor is referenced and I believe him. Arafel isn't mentioned in any of the books until Leto does it in God Emperor of Dune, and that near the end (if I remember correctly). And much later in Heretics of Dune, the RMs in the BG call Leto "the Tyrant", which the rest of the universe seems to still revere him. In Prophecy, Raquella doesn't seem to know exactly when things are going to happen, just that the enormity of them and her surety of them is causing her to want Big Things to happen to address them...but does she ever specifically tell Valya to put a BG on the throne? I don't think she does. I think Valya cooks that specific notion all on her own when she collects her trusted sisters and recounts what Raquella said to her. I just don't think Valya is as big a thinker as Raquella was. Probably Raquella knew she needed a builder and not an ideas person. :)

[@JawslinEdwards]

I love Star Trek. To have my own ship and be able to just go would be awesome! I want the Defiant. Tuff little ship. Little!? 🤣 I couldn't help myself but to give this world the finger and jump to the fastest warp out of here!

[@wen6519]

No idea about this show. I only clicked in the video because you weresimiling in the thumbnail, and I hoped the video would cover something you liked. And now I'm hoping that the spice will keep flowing ❤.

[@Aeolusdallas]

This show took a lot from the Books Sisterhood of Dune and then God Emperor of Dune

[@coulombedon]

I enjoyed your review. I'm amused because you had the opposite reaction as I did. I felt the first 95% of the episode were deeply engaging and had me absolutely hooked, but the last 2 minutes or so concern me that the series may be going in a direction I hope they dont, with an antagonist that has "magic" or supernatural abilities here in the Dune world of politics and science. Yes the Bene Gesserit have the voice and spice gives them prophetic powers, but it's always anchored in just believable-enough realism and I hope they don't go the way of some deity-empowered antagonist.

[@godofbiscuitssf]

The "action at a distance" was the only thing that really bugged me. You could explain what happened in the hallway between Hart and the Prince with tech, but triggering the same tech at that distance? no.

[@toddharkey486]

I shared your concern. Despite seemingly impossible capabilities, Herbert always maintained that Dune is a magic free universe, and everything had a scientific basis. I'm not sure how the show is going to explain how a character usied his mind to burn somebody on a different planet.

[@lasseehrenreich5502]

I don't have anything to say but he is a common for the algorithm

[@golgarisoul]

You are correct, you need to watch God Emperor of Dune. HOWEVER, i would like to be yet an additional pedant to say you will have to read CHILDREN of Dune, if you've read Messiah 😉

[@demonlurking]

I really appreciate Denis Villeneuve's changes in respect to Chani, but I feel that the time compression that removes Alia's arc completely destroys it. The loss of her faceoff with the Baron and the things that come after in the first trilogy I feel are VERY problematic.

[@adventuresinAI1982]

I'm holding off my feelings on that bit until Messiah comes out. I am VERY curious to see what they do there, as I feel they're going to have to alter that one dramatically to make a worthwhile sendoff. For the record, I'm ok with that if it's done well, but I have no idea how they're going to do it.

[@KingOfMadCows]

I'm wary of the show since I don't like the Brian Herbert books. I think he moves too much away from the philosophy into action. He's also too nostalgia focused. In the original book, the Atreides are a newer power. They're an old house but their rise to prominence is a relatively new thing. Houses rise and fall all the time, they even have formalized rules for Houses to fight each other to the death. So it's kind of silly that not only are they already well established 10,000, but that they're considered heroes of the Butlerian Jihad. It's the same with the Corrino and the Harkonnen. And yes, the Dune universe is stagnant, but political intrigue and backstabbing among the Houses plays a big part in what keeps the Imperium stagnant.

[@ClaraDarko]

Desmond is definitely intriguing. I bet he is a Tleilaxu gola or something similar 😬

[@godofbiscuitssf]

He could be a face dancer, too. They can share memories. at least they could by the time of Paul.... That way the one in Court Corino could remember what happened on the sand in that video recording and still have "died" there.

[@adventuresinAI1982]

I assumed he's a Ghola as well.

[@jonathanknox5202]

Okay, I wont tell you should read God Emperor of Dune. Even though its my favorite book and everyone should read it and you are firmly within the category of 'all persons'. But if I can't tell you to read God Emperor of Dune, even though you should, then you should definitely read Children of Dune, which is the third book and comes before God Emperor of Dune which you should read.

[@EnigmaticPenguin]

I don’t mind the Chani changes in the movie, but it does border on being didactic at times. The message is the same as the book, but it kind of shouts it in your face so there’s no mistaking the point. They really didn’t want the message misconstrued.

[@Healingharp88]

Water, Water, everywhere!!! And barely any sand!

[@a.rude.person]

Long comment ramble ahead sorry. So I totally agree with the Brian "has great ideas weird execution". I had the interesting experience of reading one of his books pre writing anything for Dune and while I can't remember much it felt like a grown up version of WALL-E but without the robots with a side of things that make me squick out. 10/10 don't really recommend. Two the David Lynch Dune also holds a special place in my heart as it's what made me read Dune. I found that movie one weekend and a preteen and watched it then went and found the book. I even have a quote from it as part of a tattoo that people think is badass or hate because it's a mix of Star Wars and that particular version of Dune. Three would highly recommend if you can find it reading one of Frank Herbert earlier works "the Godmakers" as I think it gives some amazing context to the ideas and foundations of Dune. Finally today is the two year anniversary of me getting a hysterectomy which I'm really happy about. Ok thx bye 💜🖤

[@WorkingClassic]

Travis Fimmel has similar vibes to what you described as Ragnar in vikings

[@Jayjay-qe6um]

Thanks for the review, I'll go watch it now.

[@donnicholas7552]

Just watched the first episode and am loving this! I can't wait to see what happens in the nest episode.

[@michaeltorrey3603]

Having read the whole Frank Herbert Dune series I was very disappointed with Villeneuve’s Dune part 2 movie, I hated the ending. So I wasn’t expecting to like Dune prophecy but I was pleasantly surprised I enjoyed it. And I’m glad you are reviewing this series I like hearing your perspective.

[@wratched]

As someone who has read "National Lampoon's Doon", I am under no illusions as to the Dune novel's flaws.

[@70briareos]

OMG, I didn't even realize that! The "tyrant" that Reverend Mother Raquella was talking about, was it Paul or his son?! :O

[@erikrungemadsen2081]

Most likely his son Leto II, he is out of Pauls League, his misdeeds makes Pauls look like a walk in the park.

[@galaxisinfernalis]

Hi Jessie hope you're doing well 😺

[@Music34897]

I thought the first half of the episode was nothing but one painful exposition dump after another, but once stuff started actually happening I was really into it.

[@richlisola1]

What Brian Hebert and this show misunderstand, is that the Butlerian Jihad was as much or more a spiritual struggle, than a war-It was fought against the machine mindset, the sloth and spiritual wasting that comes from farming out our thinking, as human beings, to AI. In Frank Herbert’s vision, the Jihad was against this way of thinking and against the men who wielded the Thinking Machines, for their own wealth and power. Which is a way more realistic iteration of AI dystopia than some cheap ripoff Terminator storyline.

[@BarbarianGod]

I forgot about Raised By Wolves and now I need to go watch the second season!

[@coatfarm]

Jessie I trust you know this but just in case -- it's Children of Dune you need to read after Messiah, not God Emperor!! Children can be a bit of a slog at time but it's well worth it for God Emperor!

[@jeniallenby8389]

This series has promise I think ... I've been a Dune fan since reading the book at 15. I love all adaptions but still hold a soft spot in my heart for the Sci Fi Channel miniseries and sequel which covered up to Children of Dune. Not much budget but an amazing cast and they stuck to the story. First thing this current series needed was to get away from the book it was based on!

[@BPGalvin]

❤❤❤❤❤ good to see you, Jesse. Haven’t seen you in forever. My favorite version of doing, though some people hate on it the SYFY channel Hallmark Henson minister.❤❤❤ Stay safe and I’ll catch your next video.❤❤-BrianG.

[@ruplayinggame3080]

I listened to the first book only at the beginning of this month (and it was a terrible production with a partial all-voice cast that somehow only did the all-voice scenes with the Atreides and Harkonnens, never with the Fremen, which was A CHOICE) and will probably continue in the series. I don't like the Villanueve movies, I just never *got* Timothee and I can never get emotionally invested because of that. Buuuut, I was into this. It had a bit of a Game of Thrones in space vibe (and I'm tired with GoT stuff), but automatically the setup, with so many female characters and fewer male characters, with no specific space sexism (yet), got me! I found myself not knowing who to root for! Desmond did seem a bit sexist and like a zealot, but at the same time I was like: yeah, I mean, the whole Imperium is being manipulated, so what am I rooting for here?? Which feels exciting and complex motivation-wise! I do hope they don't pull a bullshit anarchist storyline. As an anarchist IRL, I fucking hate that trope. My major critique, and this is a classic bugaboo I have: the world feels if anything *way too similar* to the one in Dune. Like almost the same time in history similar, and very far from being set 10k years apart. That's annoying! Is it comforting or dismaying that in the future clubs have very similar techno music to today? That scene felt very Berlin club in the now, lolol.

[@tauIrrydah]

Heretics and Chapter House are great, don't skip them!

[@iamrysheem]

A few things about this show that already kind of signal it wont go well. The raised by wolves show which I liked but that show got canceled. And Viking was not a smash hit. I barely know about it so the guy who is not even the main character getting praise for being the best part. He was the best part of those other shows that didint do well. Then I hear they have some writers from westworld and that show completely went off the rails and was pretty much on the edge of getting cancelled every season after the first 2. They literally kept wrapping the show up at the end of the seasons just in case. So i dont know about thisZ

[@loetje]

I LOVED Raised by Wolves too!!!!!😍!!!!!

[@Dunybrook]

The problem with adapting Frank Herbert is that he was such a genius that no movie or tv show by lesser creatives can really do him justice even if they tell more inclusive stories. Adapting Brian Herbert's works, as the series apparently does, is a different matter since while he's a good science fiction author, he never reaches the same level of unhinged brilliance his father did so there's even room for improvement possibly.

[@bugsbane]

actual review starts around @6:00 more or less - otherwise fluff

[@blackfootelite2800]

Not only do we have to fear charismatic leaders, but stupid orange rambling wannabe dictators.

[@Specterlittalex]

Definitely enjoyed it can’t wait to see the next 5 episodes. 👍

[@Ennahdee]

Frank based the Bene Gesserit on his overbearing Catholic aunts which I find both fascinating and hilarious

[@godofbiscuitssf]

that's new info to me!

[@iamrysheem]

If Zendaya was actually good at acting I might agree with you unfortunately she cant and is best typed cast as the it girl who people that cant get in real life can pretend like they’d be able to because of how weird she comes across as the character’s she plays which is basically what chani is. Giving her that agency makes no sense in the novel because the culture is very much at odds with that. In the movie with less time to emphasize that yeah it could be an improvement with a better actress.

[@sergioaccioly5219]

I didn't care for the episode. You don't start a series with five frigging minutes of a infodump - as a narration, of all things. And, from a canon perspective, Salusa Secundus wasn't ever the seat of House Corrino (as far as I know). The planet was a hellhole, almost as bad as Arrakis, used to turn convicts into sardaukars.

[@quantumevent]

Sister Kesha 😊

[@letsfindsomepeace9207]

WHY DO YOU KEEP CALLING HER "CHEYNEY" 😭

[@johncane4507]

Stated watching it now ✌️

[@tahnadana5435]

that butlerian jihad scene is embarrassing, even the ending of blackadder goes forth have more weight to it, its a boring shit show, watching johnny somali getting lynch with no context would be more intertaining

[@Geekus]

Dune: Prophecy feels like the perfect answer to all these other big IP Marvelesque perpetual content machines (Star Wars Disney+ shows, Rings of Power, and sadly honestly, a lot of the material for some of the new Trek series) where the point is just make as many shows as possible which try their own stories but can never resist the drive to become flattened into serving trays for remembering their original franchise incarnations. Dune: Prophecy isn’t that. It’s not here just to set up the movie you saw or dangle trinkets from the movies and ask if you remember them. No, this is its own story, rich with the style and palate created by Villanueve but has its own characters to illustrate. Yes, it is the origin story of the Bene Geserit, but it actually works for itself, it has its own identity. I find myself pulled in and fixated for the enthralling labyrinth ahead. The other exception I can think of in this vein are House of the Dragon and Andor.

[@intouchdm]

Hey Jessy how are you getting on with way of kings?!

[@loetje]

I love God Emperor so much. As a super cynical trans person I was never into politics, but that book really really got to me. I've read it multiple times, and will read it again someday. Leto and the people around him are unforgettable.🪱🧡💛🤎