Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck in Dune Part Two
A six-part sci-fi series by HBO is fine in its own right, but it is the weak link in a franchise that is close to perfect. HBO's reputation for prestige TV is well-earned, with the network among the leading producers of excellent small-screen stories.
Be it older shows like The Wire and The Sopranos, or modern projects like Game of Thrones and The Last of Us, HBO has been known to craft some of the best TV shows of all time. If the network is known for anything above the likes of Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video, it is that HBO creates TV masterpieces. That said, not every show created by the network can live up to this incredibly high bar. While many are hoping some of the most exciting shows of 2026 will do so, others are wondering whether some of HBO's rare misfires can right the ship. One such example of the latter is Dune: Prophecy, a sci-fi series that is the weak link in an otherwise near-perfect franchise. Dune: Prophecy Is Nowhere Near As Good As The Movies Dune: Prophecy was released on HBO in 2024, serving as a prequel to Denis Villeneuve's soon-to-be Dune trilogy. Despite being set 10000 years before 2021's Dune and telling a story mostly unrelated to the characters involved, Dune: Prophecy was always going to be compared to the movies, fairly or unfairly. Although many elements of Dune: Prophecy were intriguing, there is no denying that the HBO show could not come close to matching the quality of the Dune movies. Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two are renowned as modern sci-fi masterpieces, telling a story that adapts a book that many thought was impossible to bring to life effectively. Both movies were nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards after earning acclaim from critics and audiences alike. The upcoming Dune: Part Three has subsequently become one of the most anticipated movies of 2026, due to how near-perfect the preceding two installments were. Given the sheer level of acclaim these movies accrued, Dune: Prophecy somewhat pales in comparison. The show is undoubtedly enjoyable with some truly excellent lead performances, but the overall story, tone, and quality felt lacking when placed next to the Dune movies. As alluded to, this is arguably an unfair comparison, given the budget and scale with which the Dune movies were crafted. However, HBO's penchant for quality TV and the links to the wider franchise were always going to lead many to assume that Dune: Prophecy would translate the movies' success to the small screen. Evidently, this did not quite happen. Dune: Prophecy received a critical score of 65% on Rotten Tomatoes, with its audience score sitting just below that on 63%. Conversely, Dune: Part One received critical and audience scores of 83% and 90%, respectively. Dune: Part Two went beyond that, earning a 92% critical rating and a 95% rating from audiences. All of this proves that Dune: Prophecy was not close to being as good as the movies, unfortunately, solidifying its fate as a weak link in a franchise that is as close to perfect as possible. Dune: Prophecy Season 2 Can Fix HBO's TV Spinoff All of this being said, Dune: Prophecy season 2 can begin fixing HBO's series. This is easier said than done, but the promises of season 1's ending had potential. For instance, the second season will move to Arrakis, the setting of the Dune movies, teasing a deeper exploration of the endlessly intriguing planet that gives the franchise its title. Another positive update about Dune: Prophecy season 2 is that it has eight episodes, as opposed to the first season's six. The recent trend of six-episode seasons often results in TV shows having a strange sense of pacing. They often feel like stories that could have been told in a two-hour movie, but were dragged out over four to six hours. Paradoxically, these shows often also feel like they could have benefited from more episodes to delve into character arcs and narrative themes more deeply. Dune: Prophecy had this exact sense of pacing. With season 2 having eight episodes, the possibility of leaning more completely into the Dune universe via the intriguing yet rushed characters of season 1 is enticing. This could all allow Dune: Prophecy to find the balance between the familiar and the new. By heading to Arrakis, Dune: Prophecy promises to be more of a direct prequel to the movies. By extending its runtime, the show has more time to delve into the aspects that make it unique within the franchise. In this sense, the Dune franchise's weak link can, hopefully, improve. 172 8.3/10 7/10 Dune: Prophecy 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Sci-Fi Adventure Fantasy Drama Release Date November 17, 2024 Showrunner Alison Schapker Directors Anna Foerster Writers Diane Ademu-John, Kevin J. Anderson, Brian Herbert, Frank Herbert Franchise Dune Cast See All
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