14/47
Two Harkonnen sisters battle forces that threaten the future of humanity and found the legendary sect that would become known as the Bene Gesserit. Whether exploring the stars, escaping dystopias, or making the world a better place, these women are what science fiction is all about. This series uses material from the Great Schools of Dune trilogy, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. A prequel to the original Dune, it tells the story of how the Sisterhood of Rossak evolved into the Bene Gesserit. The incident with Valya Harkonnen using the voice is from one called “Mentats of Dune”. All three books intertwine the development of the Sisterhood, the Mentats, the Navigators, and the Suk Doctors. Which is referenced in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: The New Normal (2020). I wanted to keep it short and to the point, but I felt compelled to expand on my thoughts. So here it is. There was a time when the writers knew how to weave exposition into the narrative without it feeling forced and contrived. I get that it’s a first episode, but do they have to explain everything as if it’s not common knowledge? Watson (Valya), Mark Strong (Emperor), Travis Fimmel (Hart), and Sarah-Sofie Boussnina (Princess) give good performances. I feel like the show is in good hands. The rest of the characters left me uninterested. They move the story along, but they’re forgettable. I guess we’ll see how they develop. I had a hard time staying focused on the first episode. It felt like it was part of a whole that couldn’t be divided. I’ll wait for the entire season before consuming any more episodes. They did a wonderful job with the visuals. The CGI is high quality, the costumes are perfect, the tone from Villeneuve’s vision is maintained and expanded from. The art department should get awards for how beautiful it looks.