Indian viewership of the futuristic fantasy drama Dune: Prophecy on JioCinema probably spiked in the fifth and sixth episodes. Our very own Tabu makes her international series debut with the HBO production – and she doesn’t disappoint.
Draped in the thick black robes and veils of the Sisterhood order to which she belongs, Tabu’s character Francesca soon reveals her intentions towards the interstellar Imperium’s Emperor Javier (Mark Strong). Tabu smoothly plays the seductive and enigmatic Francesca, whose affair with Javier has yielded a son, Constantine (John Heuston), who is also a potential bargaining chip.
The Sisters possess a variety of skills, some particular, others shared. Francesca’s is imprinting – the ability to bend others to her will through subtle persuasion.
While Dune: Prophecy has a bunch of other interesting characters, the show is a mixed bag, relying greatly on prior knowledge of its source material. The six-episode first season is big on palace intrigue, playing out like a version of George RR Martin’s Game of Thrones but with sorceresses in the lead.
Martin’s fiction itself drew from Frank Herbert’s Dune novels. The Dune books were recently adapted by Denis Villeneuve for two films led by Timothee Chalamet.
Prophecy is specifically taken from Sisterhood of Dune, written by Frank Herbert’s son Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson. The first season is set millennia before the Dune movies. We are very far away from the rise of Paul Atreides, his evolution into a messianic leader and his experiences with spice, the narcotic substance with multiple uses.
Paul’s mother Jessica is a member of the Bene Gesserit, a secretive society of women who advise rulers, manage bloodlines, and govern from the shadows. The Sisterhood is the previous avatar of Bene Gesserit, but its members already possess some of the Bene Gesserit’s eerie skills.
The Sisters are Truthsayers – they can sense dishonesty – as well as shapeshifters and time-benders. They use the “Voice” – a mechanism to sonically manipulate people. Unfortunately, Dune: Prophecy isn’t the story of how this fascinating order came into existence in the first place, or how its early adherents developed their extraordinary talents.
The show’s focus is a looming threat to the Sisterhood’s authority. The principal characters are Valya (Emily Watson) and Tula (Olivia Williams), who are sisters as well as Sisters. They belong to the disgraced Harkonnen house. Nearly all their actions stem from their shared desire to regain their lost glory.
Valya’s position as an advisor in Javier’s court is undermined by the entry of the wild-eyed soldier Desmond (Travis Fimmel). Desmond has powers even greater than Valya. The Voice has no effect on Desmond, who has brutal designs on adversaries and a loyalty to Javier that makes Valya suspicious.
Alison Schapker serves as the showrunner of a ponderous and humourless affair. Schapker has developed Dune: Prophecy along with Diane Ademu-John. The world building is immersive – the costumes are especially attractive – but the plot itself is neither terribly interesting nor compelling.
The first few episodes set up the conflict suggested by the title – the prophecy that might spell the end of the Sisterhood. Among the characters with dodgy intentions is Javier’s military chief Kieran (Chris Mason).
Desmond’s growing importance is welcomed by Javier’s wife Natalya (Jodhi May) but is opposed by their daughter Ynez (Saraf-Sofie Boussnina). Valya and Tula are also kept busy by the acolytes at their training centre, who are as restless and rebellious as pupils at a disciplinarian boarding school.
While fresh talent shares the screen with big-name actors, Emily Watson and Olivia Williams have the meatiest roles. The heavy-going mood suits these seasoned actors, although the absence of levity does seem to weigh them down.
While there are enough displays of magic, wonderment is ultimately secondary to the rampant scheming by every major character. All roads point to the prophesied doom, which possibly explains the pervasive gloom.
