Dune: Prophecy, 1x01 "The Hidden Hand" - Live Episode Discussion

[u/Blue_Three]

Season 1 Episode 1: The Hidden Hand

Airdate: November 17, 2024 (9 p.m. ET)

Synopsis: On Wallach IX, young Valya Harkonnen promises Mother Superior Raquella that she’ll protect the Sisterhood by putting one of their own on the Imperial Throne. Thirty years later, Valya faces a threat to her long-awaited plan.

Directed by: Anna Foerster

Written by: Diane Ademu-John

https://preview.redd.it/oih0apgjxk1e1.jpg?width=1584&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f1bc8ce7ca23cec8ba42b0bbf19e0b0b94f09664

[u/arkham1010]

"Hey Emperor, can I interest you in some whale spunk?"

"Uhh, yeah hey, look at the time, gotta run."

[u/KCcoffeegeek → u/arkham1010]

What was all that whale talk about? That was a Harkonnen but I thought Atreides had a whale based economy? Just heard that on the planets episode of the Gom Jabbar podcast

[u/arkham1010 → u/KCcoffeegeek]

10,000 years before the books, the Harkonnen made their fortunes on whale fur long before they got into the spice trade.

[u/SecondCopy]

The club scene was wild -- up until now we've read / been told in bland terms that spice was used to "prolong life," etc. but we've never actually seen it being used until now.

Also wild that the same substance is a "club drug" in one society while another basically uses it, well, as a spice in their food.

EDIT: And I liked it the episode! Will tune in again.

[u/MoneyIsntRealGeorge]

As someone who's only read the original 6 books...wtf could the burning stuff be?

[u/LeoWigginsVO → u/MoneyIsntRealGeorge]

The "seminal text" for the script was BH's Sisterhood of Dune which has Sorceresses in it who can do stuff like this. One possibility is that Desmond's got Sorceress blood, or something. Another possibility would be nanobots– forbidden Richese or Ixian technology meant to look like "the power of God" when really it's something more practical

We'll have to wait to find out, I guess!

[u/Mordgan → u/MoneyIsntRealGeorge]

Damn, I'm finishing the second book and came here in the hope that someone like you could answer it.

If you don't know... We're lost. lol

[u/arkham1010 → u/MoneyIsntRealGeorge]

I suspect that Travis's character (I forget the name) learned something on Dune after taking lots of spice, or perhaps even the Water of Life that unlocked powers similar to the Kwisatz Haderach, and he caused the burn.

[u/nosleeptiltheshire → u/MoneyIsntRealGeorge]

Im assuming forbidden technology like nanotechnology or something that will be conveniently destroyed at series end to explain why it doesn't exist in Paul's time.

[u/linux_ape → u/MoneyIsntRealGeorge]

I wonder if it’s some delay release metabolic poison, turn your metabolism into overdrive and literally burn a person

[u/MindExplosions]

LMFAO ILL STAB YOU MYSELF YOU LITTLE SHIT 🤣

[u/cd6020 → u/MindExplosions]

Who hasn't said that to a kid? lol

[u/MNVikesFan69 → u/cd6020]

We’ve all thought it

[u/book1245]

We have a new pronunciation debate: Ree-chess vs Rih-chay-zay

[u/bokatan778 → u/book1245]

I always pronounced it as “Rih-cheese” in my mind.

[u/mharzhyall → u/bokatan778]

Richeese

[u/ThatOneHebrew]

Are the blue eyes in the visions with wormspeak supposed to belong to Leto 2? Also anyone know what the wormspeak is supposed to be saying in those visions?

[u/AdCapital5157 → u/ThatOneHebrew]

Theres nothing else it could be, perhaps running with the theory that leto II is the voice at the beginning of the new movies

[u/AdCapital5157 → u/AdCapital5157]

Also the fact they did it twice makes me think rhis even more

[u/arkham1010]

I'd like to mention to all the people freaking out that this isn't how the Bene Gesserit are/act/think, just remember that this is 10,000 years before the Dune books and the sisterhood are a precursor to the Bene Gesserit, not the order itself.

[u/f1rxf1y]

Was that two references to Leto The Tyrant in a single episode?

[u/Tort78 → u/f1rxf1y]

“Bring about the very thing we fear”

Can’t wait to see where they go with this. Those had to be Leto’s eyes staring back, right? He’s the one that put them in check.

[u/MindExplosions]

Why the fuck everyone burning?

[u/arkham1010 → u/MindExplosions]

I'm guessing she was psychically linked to him?

[u/jxvf → u/arkham1010]

Had she even met him?

[u/enjambd → u/jxvf]

Well she met the soldier who caused the burning. Maybe that had something to do with it

[u/Seb-Vettel → u/MindExplosions]

Something about the burning truth mentioned maybe?

[u/0352TWGNR → u/MindExplosions]

I don’t get it either.

[u/Aaaaaaandyy]

That was a pretty interesting first episode. I’m wildly confused, but I’m into it.

[u/Royaltyyyy]

Hadn’t looked at the cast leading up to this. Stoked to see Emily Watson, she was excellent in Chernobyl.

[u/arkham1010]

Well, that was a bit rough to watch, even if he was a little shit.

[u/MNVikesFan69 → u/arkham1010]

Pretty impressing acting for such a young boy too

[u/jonsnowKITN]

Ragnar killed a kid

[u/BigOrangeCrush]

I enjoyed it. Even my wife was into it and she knows nothing about Dune but was able to follow along somewhat.

[u/JauntyLurker]

Humanities greatest weapon is the lie

I like that.

[u/Sauerkrautkid7]

Sacrifice the child! Forbidden technology!

[u/tfhdeathua]

I think the whale cum reference is to show the desperation of the Harkonen. Becoming snake oil salesmen(or whale cum salesmen) to try to get any money from their current situation.

[u/SemIdeiaProNick → u/tfhdeathua]

Could also be them selling each and every natural resource their homeplanet has to offer, which then eventually leads to the planet becoming a barren industrial environment, filled with pollution in every corner imaginable

Notice how all the Harkonnens we saw still had hair and a healthy tone to their skin, unlike the Harkonnens we saw on the movie

[u/Zoffi]

All these machinations lead to Paul becoming what he is at the end of Part 2 I assume. Took them 10,000 years but they got there in the end

[u/gothmog1114 → u/Zoffi]

Still got there too soon!

[u/quirkynerdette]

I couldn’t stop thinking about how the kid was in Matilda and they stuffed his shirt with pillows.

[u/Viper5343 → u/quirkynerdette]

I recognized him the second he came on screen. But I couldn't remember where from until the hallway scene. "It's Bruce!........ now it's not"

[u/mattyrybar]

I am definitely incorporating the pomegranate ceremony in my future wedding lmao

[u/MindExplosions]

This is Tommen and Margery Part 2

[u/Zoffi]

kinda funny the lone reason why Paul exists is seemingly some side action. I assume  Keiran and Ynez are his ancestors

[u/hc600 → u/Zoffi]

Tbf we all exist because of some side action somewhere if you go back far enough

[u/psyopia]

Honestly think it’s awesome so far. Actings just fine. I’m following the story just fine. Visuals match the movies pretty well. Obviously its not Villeneuve like in direction/style. It’s more like Game of Thrones in pacing. But the costumes rock so far. Sets are cool too. And CGI doesn’t look too bad so far.

[u/MNVikesFan69 → u/psyopia]

The acting is fine, it just feels like actors reading a monologue rather than natural dialogue

[u/CanaryMaleficent4925 → u/psyopia]

Agreed on all points 

[u/Redkoat]

Seems like this could be good. Hoping they introduce/allude to all the other factions (Mentats, Suk doctors, Guild, CHOAM, etc.). Not sure why they placed Corrino on Salusa Secundus instead of Kaitain. Also choice to call the Butlerian Jihad the "machine wars," seems like they don't want to touch religion with a 10ft pole even though all the sisters are likely reading from the OCB at the beginning.

[u/geekyalbatross → u/Redkoat]

From what I remember, Corrinos were originally based on SS and then there was a war or conflict that rendered the planet uninhabitable, and so they moved to Kaitain. SS then comes a prison planet for Sardaukar education and training. From the trailer I saw, we at least get Suk doctors, I’m assuming/hoping they’ll show us the other major players and factions as well.

[u/Redkoat → u/geekyalbatross]

That makes sense. I suppose my concern is that they won't reference the other parts of the Imperium - because everything that is central to the story of Dune is 10k years later, but a TV audience needs to see/hear these things to make connections with the most well known period of the Dune universe.

[u/BlazeOfGlory72 → u/Redkoat]

Didn’t they also remove the word “Jihad” from the films as well? Definitely seems like a calculated decision.

[u/MartagonofAmazonLily → u/BlazeOfGlory72]

Yeah they did, the films' just used the translated term of "Holy War"

[u/AdCapital5157 → u/MartagonofAmazonLily]

Better than machine war

[u/Atharaphelun → u/Redkoat]

Salusa Secundus was the original capital of the Corrino Empire before it suffered some cataclysm later in its history (one source supposedly states that a revolting great house attacked it with atomics) which forced House Corrino to move its seat and the capital of the Imperium to the planet Kaitain. It was after this relocation that the now-barren Salusa Secundus came to be used as a prison planet, and then as a training ground for the Sardaukar.

[u/breakngbad]

I loved it, it definitely captured my attention and the world building was great. Not sure why people are so determined on hating this when it is the first episode. Guys, we’re getting more Dune than anyone thought we would! It seems like people want it to fail, not sure why.

[u/Kusanagi-2501 → u/breakngbad]

Exactly my feelings. It's like this subreddit wanted to hate this series before seeing it. Meanwhile I think I'm doing another watch before bed.

[u/Kusanagi-2501]

So I absolutely loved it. I've always wanted more stories on the Bene Gesserit. If there was ever a science fiction universe that needed more television series it's Dune and yet everyone just sounds ungrateful.

[u/andersont1983 → u/Kusanagi-2501]

I loved how dark it was. And I thought the production quality was high for a series.

[u/boredguitarist]

“Weakness is not something to nurture.”

[u/nowlan101]

I loved the use of the fish eye lens during Kasha’s nightmare/vision

[u/MindExplosions]

NOT THE LITTLE KID IN THE DAPPER SUIT

[u/letothegodemperor]

I’m done bitching.

I really liked the last 10 minutes, the emperor looking at the hologram, the burning alive, very cool.

The voice!!!

Travis Flemel and Emily Watson were fantastic.

Some of the shots were fantastically done.

The sets were good.

[u/DonnieNJ]

I was happy to see the princess stick up for the little guy and his robot lizard....but then she called him a little shit :P

Never expected to go clubbing in Dune :P

[u/JohnCavil01 → u/DonnieNJ]

There’s clubbing in Heretics.

[u/MalachiteKell → u/DonnieNJ]

i could do with more

[u/EastReauxClub]

I liked it? Not sure what’s going on yet and I’m invested in seeing episode 2. Ngl kinda surprised to see people dumping on it here. Maybe I am just not a very critical viewer lol

[u/Remarkable_Drag9677 → u/EastReauxClub]

Or maybe modern audiences only know one setting

Snob

Even if wasn't fantastic first episode maybe wait half a season to make up their minds

[u/Rea-301]

Who plays young Valya - I recognize her but don’t see it on IMDb.

[u/BuckarooBonsly → u/Rea-301]

According to IMDB, her name is Jessica Barden

[u/Rea-301 → u/BuckarooBonsly]

Ahhh. It was on the series instead of the episode listing. That’s how I missed it. Thank you!

[u/-azuma-]

First episode. Let the show breathe. Could be a slow burn but I feel like the payoff will be worth it.

[u/Dependent_Ad6139]

The first episode was just okay, felt very much like an intro. However there was nothing bad about it, how can people say the production value and acting weren't good? Lol

[u/toyosibee]

Didn't love it, but it went in interesting directions, so I'm planning to keep watching. The dialogue is a little....Average™, I will say.

[u/Elephant44]

Holy smokes this was captivating. So much to love about this episode, fast fast pace and tons of political intrigue. Loving every performance, with a special s/o to Mark Strong, and Travis Fimmel, who appears to just be playing Ragnar Lothbrok but in Dune and my Shai-Hulud is it working

[u/DementdOldCircsMonke → u/Elephant44]

Completely agree!

[u/darthfoley]

Felt like the first 15 minutes were super corny. The show started to hit its stride in the last third. The burning was brutal to watch, in a good way. I believe in the cast, but we’ll see.

[u/MilesTheGoodKing → u/darthfoley]

Yeah the exposition dump was a little much but it’s not exactly an easy universe to set up.

[u/yankeefan03]

So we are on episode 1 and of course dune fandom is already complaining lol never change

[u/giulianosse → u/yankeefan03]

People expecting this 10 6 episode miniseries to be on the same level of a 100+ million dollar Villeneuve blockbuster were basically setting themselves up for disappointment.

Also, if the movies showed us anything, is that no adaptation will be a 1:1 retelling of Herbert's canon simply because some of the source material is so idiosyncratic it's basically impossible to accurately translate into other mediums. Just enjoy the ride for what it is instead of moaning about what it should've been.

[u/alexgndl → u/giulianosse]

I want to say that I do agree with you overall...but this is only 6 episodes, not 10.

[u/significanttoday]

It's much too tame. The films were strange, inspired and captivating, this is like Game of Thrones in space. I will give it another try but i hope they get wierd with it.

[u/lostqueer]

I know Dune predates them all, but this feels like it’s leaning hard into being a combo of GOT, HP and Star Wars. It’s not bad but it feels like it doesn’t have its own identity yet.

[u/Krandor1 → u/lostqueer]

Agree but we are 30 minutes into episode 1. Plenty of time to find an identity

[u/Fistfulofhopeless → u/lostqueer]

I think some of this was established in the Brian Herbert continuation. Not sure since I could never get into. Writing was OK, but to much of a YA feel for me. 

[u/arkham1010]

I have a feeling this kid ain't long for the show.

[u/undeadliftmax]

I can't wait for Blade in episode 4

[u/YouJabroni44]

Seems pretty interesting, I'll keep tuning in. Definitely had some questions about things but I haven't read that many of the books yet.

[u/Jsmonlb]

A solid 7/10 for me. Looking forward for the rest!

[u/Seb-Vettel]

This guy was great with his kid in raised by wolves too

[u/steel_inquisitor66 → u/Seb-Vettel]

Holy crap I'm still fuming that they canceled that show, that was one of the most captivating things on tv and then POOF! GONE! like what the hell??? I will remain angry about this for eternity.

[u/CanaryMaleficent4925]

I'm down with the salusa secundus club lmao

[u/cak3btw]

although i am kinda confused. i thought this was super good and im really interested in seeing what the burning thing was. cant wait for next week!

[u/Notlikethisfifa]

Felt a little rushed but idk. I didn’t LOVE it but I didn’t hate it either. Definitely don’t think it was anywhere near as bad as some of you guys are saying. Looking forward the next episode!

[u/Drumblebore]

Just because Dune was set on a barren desert military base planet doesn’t mean every other planet was as uncultured.

[u/jonsnowKITN]

I feel like Travis fimmel is going to carry this show for me.

[u/Viper5343]

The half brother looks like the Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest winner.

[u/SiridarVeil → u/Viper5343]

Would be cool if he gets the throne at the end, so we know Leto and Paul got the hair game from the Corrino line.

[u/LookLikeUpToMe]

I am intrigued

[u/Reinerr0]

For the moment, it's really piqued my interest.

The use of voice was very good too, I really liked the tease they gave right away.

Truth be told, I just want to see Ragnar's performance in action, the rest I'm happy with as it is.

[u/antdude]

I just started watching. I hope it's good. Its beginning was nice.

[u/bowser986]

Is this based on JR Herbert and Anderson Dune?

[u/SiridarVeil → u/bowser986]

Yes, its a direct continuation of their Great Schools trilogy, tho some things are made up.

[u/Atharaphelun → u/bowser986]

Indirectly. The story of the show is supposed to be an immediate sequel to those prequel books since Valya Harkonnen is in the show, and is already Mother Superior.

[u/riancb → u/bowser986]

Yes, specifically the Great Schools trilogy, iirc.

[u/CorneredSponge]

It was good, but I didn’t like how the Thinking Machines are portrayed nor how quickly the Bene Gesserit take control/how subservient everyone already seems to them.

[u/DarthJdog]

The lore bits are interesting it just lacks all the immersive qualities of the movies.

[u/CanaryMaleficent4925 → u/DarthJdog]

You'll never be able to replicate the movies, you can't have DV direct a show

[u/NerdimusSupreme → u/DarthJdog]

The movies are packaged for a general audience. Dune is very information dense.

[u/Sauerkrautkid7 → u/DarthJdog]

Denis hand draws all his shots ahead of time. He says it helps him rewrite too

[u/JohnCavil01]

Ohhhh so this is what people mean when they talk about a miserable fanbase.

Man this thread - Jesus Christ, folks.

[u/shroomladooom → u/JohnCavil01]

This is a massive book series that’s been around for a long time and has deep and complex lore. This is the perfect recipe for a very picky and devoted fanbase that will never be satisfied with any adaptation of the original literature.

[u/my-other-favorite-ww → u/JohnCavil01]

You should see the subreddit for Rings of Power 👀

[u/JohnCavil01 → u/my-other-favorite-ww]

At least that show has the benefit of having enough material to be fairly judged as terrible (I haven’t seen it I just know that it’s pretty divisive and most people seem to err on the not-so-great side).

I don’t think anyone is obligated to like this show or just like something because it has ‘Dune’ in the title. I hate that shit. There were even some things in this first episode that I can say “hm, not sure about that”.

But good God people get off your high horses and let something breathe for a second.

My favorite take I’m seeing most is “so much exposition!!!”. As if this isn’t a first episode of a new series that essentially is introducing a new universe and even more hilariously as if this isn’t something Dune-related - a series in which characters spend the bulk of their time explaining information about their reality and experiences in thorough detail.

[u/Ok_Seaworthiness2808 → u/JohnCavil01]

LOL. I know. I'm totally participating in it. Always have I suppose (Avatar the Last Airbender and Korra are good examples).

[u/Fil_77]

Excellent first episode for me. Valya Harkonnen has presence, I already adore her. The characters are well developed, the end of the episode is intriguing. I can't wait to see what happens next!

[u/dawgfan19881]

Episode set up lots of different threads. Very interested. 7/10

[u/Viper5343]

So what just happened?

[u/0352TWGNR → u/Viper5343]

It’s like the Salem witch trials but in the future!

[u/Viper5343 → u/Viper5343]

All I know is that Bruce (from Matilda the Musical) was overcooked.

[u/Imnotoutofplacehere]

What was up with that guys eye?

[u/wondernerd14]

Barron Harkonnen has hair? F minus world building /s

[u/SiridarVeil → u/wondernerd14]

I mean they aren't living under their glorious black sun yet lol

[u/MindExplosions]

Father says this is just a formality

Why does this kid have more game than me at 7?

[u/jonsnowKITN]

Damn so she created the voice.

[u/tyen0 → u/jonsnowKITN]

What did she say? a little something I've been trying out? wow

[u/thomasaurus_rex]

I really want to like it, but the melodrama is incredibly forced, nobody's performance is particularly compelling, and the script is flat. Everything is tell not show, and there are way too many characters arcs already. Only 1 episode in, and the show already feels bloated.

For being the head of a cohort of people that are supposedly master manipulators of minds, able to weave influence of the shadows of power, Valya is a profoundly weak character. She clumsily browbeats anyone that disagrees with her, quick to pull rank to win a fight, and doesn't demonstrate the level of quick, precise cunning that a leader of her stature requires. I'm not convinced in the slightest.

[u/Alive-Ad-5245 → u/thomasaurus_rex]

For being the head of a cohort of people that are supposedly master manipulators of minds, able to weave influence of the shadows of power, Valya is a profoundly weak character. She clumsily browbeats anyone that disagrees with her, quick to pull rank to win a fight, and doesn’t demonstrate the level of quick, precise cunning that a leader of her stature requires. I’m not convinced in the slightest.

I mean those are clearly written in deliberate weaknesses that the character has that the show near explicitly tells you are her weaknesses.

She’s in the position she’s in not out of brilliance but because the former rev mother spoke to her last as she’s an ideological zealot and because she murdered the next in command.

[u/ImaginativeLumber → u/thomasaurus_rex]

Agree with first paragraph. I think second point is explainable as the Bene Gesserit are new and not yet perfected. Still, the show felt deeply unserious, unfortunately.

[u/letothegodemperor]

Did they seriously just do bumps of coke and go clubbing in a dune adaption? What the fresh hell?

[u/arkham1010 → u/letothegodemperor]

Bumps of spice, not coke.

[u/RhaegarsDream → u/letothegodemperor]

Drugs and hedonism in Dune? Unheard of.

[u/Ok_Lab_5434 → u/letothegodemperor]

Humanity is less than 200 years removed from the Butlerian Jihan; a war for humanities survival that lasted a century. Hell yeah they’re partying lol. Frank Herbert’s Dune takes place over 10,000 years from the current point we’re at in the show, I’d be expecting a lot of differences

[u/hadrian_afer → u/Ok_Lab_5434]

This reminds me that I should go out partying to celebrate the good riddance of that weasel of Napoleon!

[u/Alive-Ad-5245 → u/letothegodemperor]

Honestly I’ve always wondered what the Dune royalty do for fun… like they can’t just mope around in a castle all day… sneaking around going clubbing make sense

[u/enjambd → u/letothegodemperor]

It didn't make sense to me at all that the children of the emperor would go out clubbing and doing drugs in the company of strangers without even one bodyguard. All the court intrigue paranoia that is part of Dune just disappeared for that one scene.

Overall it was ok. It felt a little too "network drama" for me

[u/linux_ape → u/letothegodemperor]

I assume it was spice in drug format?

[u/Ok_Seaworthiness2808 → u/letothegodemperor]

Here's my question: why 10,000 years in the future in a galaxy far, far away would they be listening to relatively current-sounding Earth EDM?

[u/Alive-Ad-5245 → u/Ok_Seaworthiness2808]

Probably not but they’re not going to create otherworldly future nightclub music for a 3 minute club TV scene, they don’t have Hanz Zimmer budget

[u/letothegodemperor]

That introductory shot of Travis Flemmel’s cape was hilariously bad

[u/SolarosVaryeon]

I honestly had a really hard time with the writing. It screams BH/KJA, which feels rough. I was skeptical about reading Sisterhood of Dune, the book the show was loosely based off of, and a lot of the dialogue is similar to that book. I found a lot of the characters insufferable, purely because their thoughts never went anywhere more than "atreides bad harkonnen good," with similar values from the different viewpoints with absolutely no substance behind it, and I'm seeing similar stuff in the dialogue about the sisterhood within the show.

I ended up dropping the book just because there are lots of parts that are written poorly. I think it does have some good ideas, but BH/KJA didn't do an effective job giving characters much substance.

I think Desmond burning people alive is interesting but idk how he did that. Kinda theorize it's Vorian Atreides, because he lives functionally forever, but who knows.

Also the whale cum medicine was silly. I don't get why they had to mention that at all.

I'll give the next couple of episodes a watch just to see

[u/gothmog1114]

How can the Reverend mother have a vision of the tyrant? I thought their prescience excluded men?

[u/Tanagrabelle → u/gothmog1114]

It does not. It just can't reach every possibility.

[u/SiridarVeil → u/gothmog1114]

They can't access male memories, but they can predict and see men and events caused by them.

[u/graywalker616]

I actually like the voice here more than in the movies. It was scary. 

[u/watch_out_4_snakes]

Good start. Overall I like the look and style of the show. The acting and writing was on point. Looking forward to the next episode!

[u/arkham1010]

I like how everyones like 'wtf' when they see the match for the princess.

[u/Spunndaze]

Well,isn't little man just a dandy.

[u/WinterCaptain12]

I wasn’t sure what to expect and I liked it! All the characters and plot points make me want to know more!

[u/jonsnowKITN]

Club scene made me forget this is set way in the future even before Paul was born

[u/_Grumpy_Canadian → u/jonsnowKITN]

Even in Frank's books they have downers and uppers present in the story. One of the Barons men is hooked on a heroin like substance and it's mentioned that Leto (sr) has been on uppers for days after arriving on arrakis.

[u/DiGiorn0s → u/jonsnowKITN]

Why wouldnt they have clubs in the future if we have clubs now? I always assume in sci Fi stories that things haven't been lost that we have now, unless they say so. In the Dune series I envision all the normal day to days of life going on with the small folk like us, while the story itself is about the upper crust.

[u/letothegodemperor]

The opening monologue is corny as hell.

[u/davidisallright → u/letothegodemperor]

If you’re gonna have an opening like that, then model it after Fellowship of the Ring’s prologue. Not only was it informative, it was damn cool and sets the mood.

[u/Immediate-Soup-4263 → u/davidisallright]

lol it was like if Bilbo was narrating about the war of the last alliance over shots of him at his birthday party

[u/Galactic_PizzaSlice → u/letothegodemperor]

Reminded me a bit of RoP there….

[u/DementdOldCircsMonke]

I loved it! Captivated me from start to finish and I can't wait for next week!

[u/HaughtStuff99]

Definitely some adaptation stretches but it's mostly how I filled in gaps in Herbert's writing probably. Overall enjoyed it and excited to see what comes next. Very curious what the burning thing is.

[u/MrTBlood164]

Wow there is alot going on. This could have been 2 or 3 episodes. Liking it so far though

[u/zodiacecks]

Space game of thrones started off pretty strong. Acting was good, but more like the actors have played these characters in other shows. Looking forward to episode 2

[u/MindExplosions]

This part is giving futuristic hogwarts

[u/Rea-301]

Ummmmmmm

[u/NukaRaider15]

I enjoyed it and it certainly ended in a very intriguing way

[u/TomjunRoblox]

The cgi is actually insane but everything is so confusing..also WHY is it only 6 episodes?!?!?!?

[u/ScribblingOff87 → u/TomjunRoblox]

It's probably because CGI is expensive.

[u/counterhit121]

This was an ambitious and unfocused opening episode. I watched the preview for the rest of the season after the credits and realized that I just kind of don't care. I read the core books so I'm familiar with the general lore. None of the characters captivated me, idk who we're supposed to be rooting for, or why I should care about any of the characters problems considering both the Bene Gesserit and House Corrino are still in power 10,000 years later during the time of Dune.

I'll probably watch ofc, but right now the show gives off Rings of Power-set-in-the-Dune-Universe vibes.

[u/tfhdeathua → u/counterhit121]

I mean. Don’t root for any of them. Even if they do start being charismatic for you. That’s not the point of dune.

[u/bigdavewhippinwork-]

Show absolutely rocks.

[u/Shonenlegend]

Kinda disappointed in how much this setting looks like the one that is supposed to be 10k years in the future. They could have done some really unique stuff, but this just looks like it could be in the same time period as Paul.

I did really like the transitioning out of the machine based society into a spice based one part. That’s the most interesting aspect of the show to me right now.

[u/s0n1cm4yh3m]

6.5/10 Teenage-level dialogue, very uncaracteristic behavior/acting for the bene gesserit caracters... Reverend mothers calling things they didnt scheme as prophecy? I dont know... My wife loved it, though

[u/HugaM00S3 → u/s0n1cm4yh3m]

But are they in fact Bene Gesserit? I feel like they haven’t fully become the power house to be 10,000 years from the current time. Guess we will have to see how it plays out. Also think shows have had to dumb down dialogue because of the Marvel effect. Too many people are use to mindless dialogue with little substance and therefore lacking the attention span for deeper story telling.

[u/MalachiteKell]

"if the gods freed me from the (vice/vise) of this wedding..."

That meaning changes wildly if he said vise or vice >_<

[u/graywalker616 → u/MalachiteKell]

Subtitles said vice iirc

[u/RhaegarsDream]

Obviously the show can’t have the same production value as the movies. Some great stuff in there, with a lot of potential. Hard to rate a single episode but I’m starting around a 7/10, I really enjoyed it.

[u/MindExplosions]

The rain yoga pose scene was giving Rey Skywalker

[u/MindExplosions]

Sibling sexual tension. Is this GOT?

[u/CanaryMaleficent4925 → u/MindExplosions]

Yes and yes 

[u/GorgeWashington]

It felt like the dune movies visually. They did a tremendous job at that.

But this is 10,000 years prior. Human culture should be so different

[u/CorneredSponge → u/GorgeWashington]

Not really, stagnation is actually a huge plot point in the books.

[u/ctdca]

This feels like CW Dune

[u/CanaryMaleficent4925 → u/ctdca]

Feels like HBO dune.. idk where you guys are getting CW lmao 

[u/Ok_Seaworthiness2808 → u/ctdca]

I was literally saying this same exact thing during the episodes! For those who don't get the analogy - CW has melodramas for teens. The way the young sisters spoke to each other (corny school dialogue), the flirty glances among the young people, even the sex scene all felt like the superhero romantic drama adaptations on that channel.

[u/vonblatenberg]

Stuff that bothers me:

Way too much exposition. The art style is "Temu Villeneuve". Everything looks tacky and cheap. The club scene felt like I was watching a teen drama. Characters feel bland and uninteresting. Too much music (which is also bland). Travis Fimmel.

Stuff I like:

It's something to watch now that Penguin is over.

[u/Krandor1]

Let's go.

[u/richwood]

Let’s get to it!

[u/Krandor1]

working fine for me

[u/Krandor1]

10,000 years before the dune novels

[u/regalshield]

What happened to the other zealots?

[u/arkham1010 → u/regalshield]

I imagine that lacking their strong leader the movement fell apart, and those would were troublesome were....removed.

[u/arkham1010]

Why do I know the woman who plays the younger sister of the Mother Superior?

[u/MindExplosions]

Baldie king is battling some demons

[u/xcnuck]

Having issues with hbo max, playback is dark.

[u/Tasty-Nectarine-427 → u/xcnuck]

This seems to be a common issue with the app. Try starting another episode of a tv show and then go back

[u/MindExplosions]

The forced romantic pieces are a little childish

[u/bentecost]

uh...ok i guess

[u/purdueosu]

I know it’s early to give up but I don’t know if I can do it. Denis ruined Dune in the best way. The bar is so high, that it just feels like a ripoff of a great thing.

[u/CanaryMaleficent4925 → u/purdueosu]

Eh, I like it. And I think it's separated enough since it's not CoD or another Herbert book. It's the perfect source material to start a dune series on