Can you make a Dune show without Arrakis? Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi work is so deeply embedded in its sandy alien planet and subversive hero’s journey, that it’s difficult to imagine expanding the world beyond that — it’s in the title, after all. But the 23 books (only six of which were written by Frank Herbert) would say different. The world of Dune includes lore so intricate and twists so wild that to type them all out would be like transcribing the ravings of a drugged-up madman. So in a universe where humankind has harnessed mind-altering hallucinogenics to navigate interstellar travel and tyrants transform into giant worms, it’s truly remarkable that a Dune spinoff can be boring. But unfortunately, HBO’s new prequel series, Dune: Prophecy, is just that.
