HBO’s ‘Dune: Prophecy’ Episode 6 Review - Meh

There are shows that, with flabby episodes, overstay their welcome. Then there are shows that trim so much of their substance that you end up thinking they needed more time, more episodes before landing on certain dramatic moments. Dune: Prophecy comes under the latter category. It wastes its potential by rushing through crucial beats, and crucial developments. If it hadn't sketched out Javicco and Francesca's relationship with broad strokes, we would have found some poetry in the visual of these two lovers lying dead on top of each other. Finally, away from all the political shenanigans, they can rest peacefully and love without restriction. Dune: Prophecy, however, displays more interest in considering this affair as a stepping stone to future events (Natalya kills Francesca and screams, "The Emperor's been killed," which means she would pin all the blame on the Sisters). Francesca was just introduced in the previous episode, and the series, with its constraints related to the episodes, gave generic shades to Javicco and Francesca's romance.

If Dune: Prophecy is a thinking machine, it only thinks about moving the plot forward. Tula's connection with Desmond is reduced to a "shocking revelation." The flashbacks try to add emotional weight to this mother-son bond, but apart from filling the blanks in the plot, they do little to make you care for these characters. Their tragedy can only be detected in the expressions of the actors. The cast, as usual, attempts to elevate this vanilla material, but they are crushed by the gigantic force of an uninspired script and images that treat them as pawns in a bland chess game. There is one scene, however, between Javicco and Valya that stings your senses. After spending the entire show looking confused and hesitant, Mark Strong suddenly feels alive for a few minutes. We recognize his pain, feel sorry for his situation, and wonder how Dune: Prophecy managed to summon such intense, palpable emotions. If only this feeling had been consistent.

The visual effects are utterly soulless. When Valya is seen in a windy, snowy landscape, you don't - even as a joke - think about how cold, how chilly the atmosphere must be for this character. The unappealing images, in fact, also undermine Valya's agonizing experience. No wonder the worm doesn't look very scary or ominous. In the movies, at least, it looks big and dangerous. Dune: Prophecy fails on almost every level. During an escape scene, we passively observe characters moving from one place to another place. Mother Dorotea, through Lila, sparks a revolution against Valya, but we have to wait for a second season to see what form this rebellion will take. For now, it serves as a teaser - a lure for viewers to anticipate and then, upon its release, check out the next season. No, thanks.

Final Score – [4/10]