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Dune: Prophecywas another potential answer to television’s most frequently asked question: which show is going to be the nextGame of Thrones? But as the sci-fi series edges toward its finale, it’s becoming clearer that it simply cannot work as a replacement for the groundbreaking fantasy drama.
Ever sinceGame of Thronesended, HBO hasn’t been shy about cashing in all their chips for the next big escapist TV show. This includesDune: Prophecy, the upcomingHarry Potter TV series, and evenGame of Thrones’own prequel,House of the Dragon. While it may not be fair to compare two distinct shows with somewhat overlapping themes, their cultural impacts can surely be taken into account. That’s whereDune: Prophecystill has a long way to go before catching up to become the nextGame of Thrones.
Game Of ThronesVs.Dune: Prophecy
Comparing Their Premiere Reception
It’s hard to judge and compareDune: ProphecyandGOTsolely based on viewership metrics or general critical response. After all, both shows were released in nearly two different eras of television and streaming. According to internal data fromWarner Bros. Discovery,Dune: Prophecystarted with 1.2 million viewers for its premiere episode. The numbers steadily grew over time as more people now stream shows at their own convenience. On the other hand,GOT’spremiere back in 2011 garnered over 2.1 million viewers.
GOT’sLandmark Status
This number skyrocketed in subsequent seasons, making it HBO’s most-watched show of all time. A more relevant and contemporary comparison forProphecywould beHouse of the Dragon, whose premiere attracted nearly 10 million US viewers. Just likeHOTD’sadvantage of being aGOTprequel,Prophecytoo benefits from the fresh success ofDenis Villeneuve’s two-partDuneblockbusterson the big screen. And yet, it struggles to generate the same word-of-mouth momentum that turnedGame of Thronesinto a cultural phenomenon no one could afford to miss.
IsDune: ProphecyTrying To BeGame Of Thrones?
Political Themes And Similarities
Despite one show being a minimalist affair set in space and the other an epic fight for the throne, it couldn’t be more clear thatDune: Prophecywas intended to be the spiritualsuccessor toGame of Thrones. Many parallels have been drawn, comparing the political, conversation-driven setting of the recent release to the constant power struggle inGeorge R.R. Martin’sfantasy series. But Frank Herbert’s novels were published several years beforeA Song of Ice and Fire.
Duneisn’tGame of Thronesin space. In fact, the latter could be calledDunewith medieval knights and dragons. Moreover,Dune: Prophecyis based on the expanded Duniverse novels, such asSisterhood of Duneby Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, and not the original works. So, if anything,Dune: Prophecycould be deemed a sci-fiHouse of the Dragonat best. Inan interview with TheWrap, showrunner Alison Schapker addressed comparisons of her show toGOT:
It may be a very apt comparison. On the other hand, I do think there’s a lot of aspects to Dune that are specific to Dune, and I hope that when we get beyond just the sense that who’s on the throne matters – which it does – that there’s other aspects that’ll start to differentiate. The ‘in space’ part should get to be more rounded out for people.
WhyDune: ProphecyIs Unable To MatchGOT
Different Approach To Politics
While both shows are largely associated with power, the political dynamics are quite different. It could be argued thatDune: Prophecyfeels more like a story told by characters operating in the shadows, rather than those who hold real actionable power. A good analogy would be the perspectives ofGame of Thronescharacters like Lord Varys orLord Petyr Baelish, better known as Littlefinger.
Lack Of Eventful Episodes
It’s also evident thatDune: Prophecytries to imitateGOTwith its use of sex, violence, and nudity. But the problem is that the show simply lacks the writing firepower to make it an eventful experience.Game of Thrones’first season was unlike anything the world had ever seen, especially with shocking, iconic moments likebeheading Ned Starkor the Cersei-Jamie relationship revelation.
Hardly Relatable Characters
Another major issue withDune: Prophecyis the way audiences have been unable to connect with or root for the characters.Game of Throneshad no central protagonist, arguably, yet people were able to form connections with characters of their own preferences. This could be anyone from Jon Snow,Tyrion Lannister, Arya Stark, or Daenerys Targaryen. However,Dune: Prophecy’smain characters, likeValya Harkonnen, Tula Harkonnen, Desmond Hart, or the Emperor, don’t evoke the same sense of care. It makes it harder for viewers to invest in what really happens to them in the show.
IsDune: ProphecyWasting Its Prequel Factor?
The Context And Timelines Are Too Far-Fetched
Even the prequel factor hasn’t really worked inDune: Prophecy’sfavor. The show is set 10,000 years before the birth of Paul Atreides and focuses on the formation of the Sisterhood who later become known as theBene Gesserit. This holds little to no consequence in the audience’s mind, especially in the context of how they connect to the twoDunefilms or even the upcomingDune: Messiahproject.
The PenguinWas A Better Spin-Off From HBO
In contrast, this is one of the reasonswhyThe Penguinclicked for HBO. The spin-off cleverly built on the Batman villain and Matt Reeves' universe without actually showing or mentioning the Caped Crusader anywhere. At the same time, it provides a deeper understanding of Colin Farrell’s character from the first film. It also sets up the prospect of an exciting battle between him and Batman inThe Batman Part 2.
NotGame Of Thrones, But Still Pretty Good
Dune: Prophecy’sAccessibility And Future
To be fair,Dune: Prophecycannot be called an entirely bad show by any means. It works as a good introduction to the Duniverse, especially considering how accessible it is to peoplewho haven’t watched the Dune filmsor read the Dune books. It’s heavy on exposition, but still engaging enough to follow. In terms of future seasons, it could go either way. There’s a chance that a great season finale could lead to a massive surge in viewers and turn things around forDune: Prophecy. At the same time, there’s also the possibility of cancelation, especially given itsGame of Thrones-level expectations from HBO.
