39/20
Whether they’re exploring the stars, escaping dystopias, or making the world a better place, these women are what science fiction is all about. The Great Schools of Dune trilogy is a collection of short stories written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. A prequel to the original Dune, it tells the story of how the Sisterhood of Rosak evolved into the Bene Gesserit. The incident with Valya Harkonnen using a voiceover is from one called “Mentats of Dune.” All three books intertwine the development of the Sisterhood, the Mentats, the Navigators, and the Suc Doctors. It’s a pretty good production. The effects work, the story works well enough, and it’s engaging. I’m hooked, that’s for sure. However, if there’s one thing that bothers me, it’s Travis Fimmel. First, I have to say that I absolutely love him. He brings an intensity that’s hard to match. As good as he is, he’s extremely one-dimensional. We saw him in the Warcraft movie and he was raised by wolves. He’s basically always Ragnar Lothbrok and it’s extremely distracting. I really hope his character gets killed off ASAP because that’s the only thing that’s subjectively negatively impacting this TV series. I have to give the casting credit when it comes to the younger characters. They did an excellent job there. The actors playing the younger versions of Valya and Tula are extremely well chosen. It’s on the "dark" level and should be commended. This review is based on the first 4 episodes. Definitely worth watching, especially if you haven’t watched any recent shows starring Travis Fimmel.