Two Wolves

The Drama is unfolding the chips are starting to show, The last innocence and naivety from the characters seem to be holding the show back a bit, but maybe that was a stylistic choice. The first episode had some CW vibes i couldn't shake off but this episode was able to shrink those vibes and the adults are finally taking over, i hope they did all that CW stuff to emphasize the journey through maturity and its necessity in the Imperium. There are casts that were a bit bland, the mix of high caliber and unknowns are most of the times great but there are just some characters who can't carry the weight or are being a drag into the chemistry of the story, Some of the casts are carrying double time, but maybe there will be improvements in the next episodes, I can't wait. I'll keep reviewing per episode cause these kind of shows are something i want to watch and continue to. The music this episode was going in its way to meet that of the movie, The visuals are picking up too.

Episode 2 is much better than episode 1, it's obvious. Yes GOT is the template although it's closer to Amazon's Wheel Of Time with the women coven and female fighters intrigues. The biggest issue as mentioned before is some of the mediocre cast. The teen drama vibe is completely at odds with DUNE. Travis Fimmel is the best character and should be the lead and heart of the show. Very different from the movie but brings a rugged dark desert vibe much needed. The club scenes are a disaster, so contemporary in tone with actual EDM that takes you out of the sci-fi element. I would accept it in a campier, less serious show but here it sticks out like a sore David Guetta thumb. What the show really needs is compelling female characters, the one thing GOT absolutely nailed .

This episode was really good, overall. There was not enough bad stuff in it for me to call it a bad episode, but that doesn't mean it was perfect. To get the bad stuff out of the way, I think everything with Constantine and the club, sucked. Really unnecessary, and only there for one plot point. I think most of the Bene Gesserit scenes were not really intriguing, especially the ones with the younger women, same goes for the Princess Ynez character, and the Rebellion plot line, but none of that really ruined my enjoyment for the good. As for the good stuff, I like everything that takes place with the Emperor, Desmond Hart, the Empress, and Valya Harkonnen. The Emperor is especially complex because you can see his turmoil in working with a certain other character, yet he feels he needs to so he can retain his grip on power. Valya is also interesting to watch because at home she seems so powerful with a strong grip on things, but out of her element, you can see how fragile her grasp truly is, much like the Emperor. Overall, this episode felt like an early GOT episode. Some stuff could've been stronger, and I'm hoping it does get strengthened later on in the show.

The second episode is strong and focuses primarily on events in Emperor Javicco Corrino's palace. Part of the episode feels like a murder investigation from a police drama, providing background on what happened in the first episode. It also reveals that nearly everyone in this series harbors more or less questionable intentions, pulling us deeper into a world of political chicanery. I've never been a fan of that sort of thing, but it's clear that scheming and diverse personal motivations are crucial here. The good part is that much of this is made explicit, so we don't have to guess at the characters' motivations and intentions as the story moves forward. The sisterhood also rides in, reinforcing the idea that they're central to the series, but they bring some troubling news for Valya and her plans. I suspect later episodes will build on the tensions established here.

Most of us read Dune when we were young, and remained appreciative fans into adulthood. Why deny young fans of today this fascinating expansion of the recent exceptional Dune movies by shoehorning sex and nudity into it.

Good storytelling need not resort to such cheap and gratuitous distractions, as evidenced by the best HBO productions, including From the Earth to the Moon, Band of Brothers, The Last of Us, Chernobyl, The Penguin, and others (not to mention the many others from other premium and streaming services).

Dune is dense and complex and interesting all on its own, without the need for cheap titillation targeted at a demographic lacking the intellect to understand and appreciate Dune to begin with. Don't bring the rest of us down to serve their disinterested and easily distracted tastes. It's the worst kind of pandering and diminishes the entire show.