Prophecy Sets Disappointing Record on Rotten Tomatoes as Lowest-Rated Franchise Entry

With the premiere of Dune: Prophecy, it is now official that the HBO series is the lowest-rated project on Rotten Tomatoes in the franchise’s history, garnering lukewarm reviews for its lackluster storytelling and uneven pacing.

Dune: Prophecy is one of the most highly-anticipated shows of the year and promises to expand the beloved sci-fi universe. With the massive success of Dune and Dune: Part Two, it doesn’t come as a shock that people had high expectations from the show and were eagerly waiting for its premiere. The HBO series aimed to delve deeper into the complex lore of the Dune franchise and chronicles the journey of two Harkonnen sisters as they establish and nurture the Sisterhood of the Bene Gesserit during its fragile early days. However, it seems the series still needs to prove whether it can meet towering expectations and earn favorable reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Based on over 250+ audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, Dune: Prophecy debuted with an underwhelming audience score of 65%, reflecting a mixed reception. While not terrible, the score indicates some viewers were left unsatisfied. Interestingly, critics have been slightly more generous, awarding the series a 75% approval rating from 55 reviews. This disparity highlights a divide between audience expectations and critical perspectives on the latest addition to the Dune franchise. These ratings also confirm that the title is now the lowest-rated Dune project on Rotten Tomatoes, marking a significant stumble for a franchise known for its high standards. Both movies have received near-universal acclaim and hold strong ratings on the review site. As of writing this, the first movie, which was released in 2021, holds a critical rating of 83%, and an audience score of 90% on RT. On the other hand, Dune: Part Two is the highest-rated project in the franchise with a critical score of 92% and an audience rating of 95% on the above-mentioned website.

The series is still in its early stages and might gather steam as the story progresses. As future episodes dive deeper into the lore and character arcs, there’s potential for it to gain momentum. The first episode primarily focuses on a time when Bene Gesserit was relatively new and offers fans a dual-timeline perspective on its origins. Interestingly, the episode took ample time to set up the foundation and that’s maybe why it garnered mixed reactions from the public. Also, the premiere lacked the high level of action typically seen in the Dune movies. But it would be really unfair to expect high-octane action from the word go, especially when the series has a vast storyline to cover over the course of 9 episodes in the coming weeks. The series will take its time to show its true strength because the story is a lot more complicated than the movies and includes a lot of politics.

Despite the show’s premiere receiving mixed reviews, it is highly unlikely that people would stop watching the show. Fans know that patience is the key here and if they patiently wait for the series to unravel, it has the potential to enthrall them. The next episode of Dune: Prophecy is set to premiere on HBO Max on Sunday, November 24.

The first episode of Dune: Prophecy is available for streaming on Max.

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Source: Rotten Tomatoes