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Theres no reason whyDune: Prophecyshould fail.
AndDune: Prophecyis fun!
Why notDune: Prophecy?
Why notThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, for that matter?
Or HBOsThe Penguin, which is a little bit likeGarfieldwithout Garfield, except for Batman?
Or Disney+s recentStar WarsseriesThe Acolyteor its even more recentStar WarsseriesSkeleton Crew?
But it is the year franchises stopped delivering on their promise of expansive, continual growth.
The franchise is built on the classic tech-utopian belief that growth can be infinite.
Why should it ever stop?
Growth forever, baby!
(Or not; there are so many TikToks to watch.)
The high-penetration cultural impact ofThe Mandalorian(Baby Yoda!!!)
ButDune: Prophecyhas become an unintentionally helpful illustration of what giant fantasy franchises now promise on TV.
Its just like the vast majority of television today.
Being part of a franchise is no longer an important or even all-that-notable distinguishing feature.
There are too many other shows, too many other cinematic universes desperate to be born.
When most things become a franchise, it no longer matters when anything is.
Daniel, played by Himesh Patel, fights a constant war of pragmatism versus creative impulse.
The lines between the satire and its satirized object wouldve been clear.
The giants are now merely, stubbornly, life-size.
