What to Watch: Dune: Prophecy, Countdown 50, Based On A True Story and Cruel Intentions TV adaptation

Dune: Prophecy

Monday, streaming on Binge

Game Of Thrones, but make it space! OK, so that is simplifying things a tad: this beautiful-to-look-at series is attempting to be so much more. But does it succeed?

In parts, and it’s these parts that make this six-episode series worth sticking with.

It’s set 10,000 years before the birth of the movies’ hero, Paul Atreides, played by Timothee Chalamet (or “10,000 BC, ‘before Chalamet’,” as one star quipped during a recent press interview).

Inspired by the 2012 novel Sisterhood Of Dune, written by Brian Herbert (son of Dune writer Frank Herbert) and Kevin J. Anderson, it looks and feels a lot like the films do. The story concerns itself with the early days of the Bene Gesserit, the mysterious order of women “truthsayers” who work behind the scenes, pulling the strings to keep the Imperium running smoothly.

Much like House Of The Dragon, two powerful female characters are at the heart of what unfolds — sisters Valya and Tula Harkonnen, played by Emily Watson and Olivia Williams.

Whether this will appeal to the “sci-fi bros” likely to be invested in this remains to be seen. But regardless, the world-building is fantastic, and if you can get through some clunky exposition in the first 10 minutes, there are strong performances from the large supporting ensemble, which includes Aussie actors Brendan Cowell, Travis Fimmel and Heartbreak High’s Josh Heuston.

Worth a look if you’re a fan of the films, or just love a good old sci-fi romp through space.

Countdown 50 Years On

Saturday, 7.30pm, ABC

Do yourself a favour and get stuck into this trip down memory lane, as Myf Warhurst and Tony Armstrong present an “epic night of music” featuring, among others, Daryl Braithwaite, Kate Ceberano and Ganggajang (remember them?). This also includes modern acts reimagining Countdown classics, plus behind-the-scenes stories and interviews from the show. Not the same without the Molly of old, but nostalgia freaks should seek this out.

Solar System With Brian Cox

Tuesday, 8.50pm, ABC

We could listen to softly spoken physicist Professor Brian Cox explain science till the cows come home. There’s something so comforting about hearing him explain the vast complexity of our solar system — it’s oddly calming. As always, he’s incredible at simplifying difficult concepts, and it’s not hard to get swept up in it all as he reveals “new discoveries, spectacular worlds and mysterious phenomena” on the planets that orbit our sun. One for science fans.

Based On A True Story

Thursday, streaming on Binge

If you’re yet to discover this hilarious black comedy, you have a few days to binge the first season before getting stuck into its great return. Season two finds new parents Ava (Kaley Cuoco) and Nathan Bartlett (Chris Messina) trying to move on from their true-crime obsession and embark on “normal” life again. But is this even possible given what they got up to last season? Plus, with Matt now growing closer to Ava’s sister, life’s about to get a whole lot more complicated. Delicious good fun.

Cruel Intentions

Thursday, streaming on Prime Video

Capturing the essence of its namesake Nineties movie will be central to the success of this series, which reimagines the story in a modern setting, basing it at an elite university in Washington, DC. You’ll have to wait to see if they pull it off, but if you’ve peeped the promo, you’ll have a sense of what to expect: it’s giving early Gossip Girl vibes — and we are THERE for it. This will launch careers and create lots of buzz. Keep your eye on it as the hype intensifies.