Foundation Season 1 Episode 1 - 2 Breakdown | Recap & Review

[@PetePeppers1]

This is crazy looking for a TV show. It was a good start for a tough adaptation. Was surprised that they did the Demerzel reveal and am not sure where they're going with the character right now. Let me know what you thought and what theories you're working with. Make sure you tag any book spoilers.

[@PetePeppers1]

@Charlamagne Diamond I guess it might of been difficult to keep viewers from getting spoiled. Curious as to how they'll develop the character from here.

[@adriancooper78]

And here I thought the Expanse was something. Wow!! I'm watching the episodes now and I'm just blown away.

[@joshludwig2323]

@@adriancooper78 I need to figure out how to watch it. Know nothing about Apple TV.

[@elvisibra]

the show definitely doesn't have book tone, the show is more about "chosen ones" in search for a hidden map for secret Island where The Key resides, only to realize that "they" are The Key, cause "they" are so special, but there's no "special ones" they will say, in another words, this show will not be a hit, probably not even successful at all, just another fantasy/adventure, with "modern TV and creation" illnesses that, I don't even wanna start with..

[@adriancooper78]

@@joshludwig2323 I can't blame you. Don't want to spend dollar on another streaming service. Someone was telling me about Gen 2 TV. I may have to check into it.

[@joelhenry5489]

I love the concept of the genetic dynasty. It brings home the concept of stagnation. As Seldin said, "same grape". I also like how they keep repainting the same mural.

[@m.e.3862]

I really like the idea that he's basically talking to himself like a schizophrenic with different versions of himself

[@const1988]

Yeah it's the only really good idea in the whole show so far. Everything else is dumd sadly.

[@Nqassab]

@@const1988 good enough to be its own show.. without the need to involve the foundation material!

[@const1988]

​@@Nqassab All the other shows are "good enough to be its own show without the need to involve the foundation material". That's an awfully low plank to hit.

[@Yarblocosifilitico]

yeah but how does it make sense? Why isn't the old one in charge lol? How does the cloning tech exactly works? I don't remember it existing in the books (I might be wrong), and it's a technology that would shape a civilization...

[@billlyons7024]

The original Foundation books have very little character development and the story is mostly told through conversation, inner-monologue and exposition. That's never going to work for TV, so anyone expecting a faithful conversion of the book is going to be disappointed. Asimov himself admitted this. I have read and love the books, and I am fully expecting this to be a remix of the ideas into something watchable. So far, I like it.

[@esecallum]

i can do it and its quite easy using a soap opera format which is painted onto epic background canvas.

[@5iveshot170]

Yeah I think the show so far is better than some of the book fans are giving it credit for. It should be assessed on its own merits and not compared too much with the books. It’s just not workable to adapt it for the screen exactly like the book and I can understand the changes made. Otherwise it would just be a dry docudrama type show. Yeah it’s not the best thing I’ve ever watched but it’s nevertheless entertaining and intriguing enough to keep me interested so far! Not to mention it’s very visually pleasing but also my too over the top cgi. We don’t get sci tv series made very often. I feel sorry for those trying to spoil this for themselves by just expecting to be ‘by the book’ because Asimov said if it was adapted to modern tv that changes would we to be made. To e has that were made were approved by Asimov’s daughter who was an executive producer on the show as well.

[@claudiomarcosmacielleme3668]

While I agree changes must be done, the changes done to the story already made it not an adaptation, but a story inspired by. Spacers were the first colonizing wave humans and were forgotten by Imperial humans. Gravitics is a KEY plot point to Foundation and Earth and should not be present in Imperial Era (as much as the Spacers). Robot Wars is an anathema to Asimov's concept, as R. Daneel Olivaw engineered Robots out of human civilization after making humans leave Earth to preserve them in the long run (not even his own action, but a companion robot who understood humans were doomed if they did not leave Earth, as the Spacers were already a failed human offshot). Anacreon was not as depicted, being a powerful force but very detached from the Empire. The Empire was not brutal nor evil, but just stagnant. Attacks to Trantor only occurred over 300 years after the stablishing of Terminus. Hyperdrive was the only means of FTL, and only took time due the need to hop out of Hyperspasce to correct courses (something the Mentalics from the Secod Foundation cut by using their mental powers) and another important plot point to Foundation and Earth ...well. The Series might be good, but the changes were way more than needed to adapt, as they literally erase the past of Imperial and human history and already null Foundation and Earth story by putting Gravitics and Spacers already out. It may turn into a good series, but it is not Asimov's Foundation.

[@claudiomarcosmacielleme3668]

@@5iveshot170 The real subject is, you can adapt, but when you alter key plot points as Apple did, it is not an adaptation anymore, but its own thing, based or inspired by the book. Foundation is NOT adapted, just used as an inspiration. Also the Robot War theme...that was cheap, cliche and just against Asimov's ideas.

[@esecallum]

@@claudiomarcosmacielleme3668 yes you are right and the that bombardment of the 2 planets never happened. Also its ANNA-CREAON NOT ANAKROEON

[@kevinslater4126]

This is better than I could have expected. The original novels are incredible but very dry and academic. I never believed they could have ever adapted this to television or film but here we are. Excellent job.

[@jeffhashtag5729]

Anything with Jared Harris in it is always welcome. I haven't read the books but the show looks promising so far.

[@blenderjunkyriz]

The production design of this show is outstanding! The CG designs and sets are absolutely beyond incredible. It is movie quality work. I have loved this show so far. Can't wait for next week.

[@elvdell5582]

I thought this day would never come. This was the first Science Fiction series I read that I fell in love with space soap operas and science fiction in general. No one can compare to Isaac Asimov and many have tried. I'm looking at the series with a new lense and taking it to heart, that there are things they will do that will deviate from the books. It's a given. So far I'm impressed and I can't wait to see this play out...

[@MrDannyg77]

Just a minor observation about the effects that caught my attention. The first one is that they used a recently published image of a black hole at the moment that the ship goes into hyper drive. I loved how they incorporated real science developments into the effects. It aludes to the ships entering a worm hole in order to jump light years away. Super cool. The other one is that rather than using a dreaded Death Star type weapon to destroy plantes, they showed a more reasonable attack by many ships to cause severe damage. I always thought the Death Star power was just a little too BS for me. I realize they did not intend to destroy the planet but I appreciated the departure from ridiculously overpowered weaponry.

[@dreamxcviii3249]

I agree about the weaponry, I thought they were gonna activate the jump-drives on all the ships and shoot them at the planets causing them to implode or something, I'm much more happier that they basically just glassed the planets with bombs tho, for some reason destroying a planet and leaving them to rebuild in the ruins seems much more sinister than just destroying the planets completely

[@robertalaverdov8147]

The fleet is also overkill when you think about it. Planetary populations aren't exactly hard to decimate. A single asteroid a kilometer in size could effectively wipe out most living things on Earth. If you don't want to kill everyone, find a rock that's only half a kilometer in size and tow it into a collision orbit. Boom, I just saved the Empire a trillion credits in munitions. Worst case scenario you just need a couple of ships to destroy any sort of asteroid defense system. After that big rock go smash!

[@MrDannyg77]

@@robertalaverdov8147 I’m guessing that it’s easier to fire a rocket than to gently nudge a 100 million metric ton asteroid into the correct trajectory from a fuckton of miles away. Just guessing.

[@robertalaverdov8147]

@@MrDannyg77 Those don't seem like regular rockets. Maybe MIRV antimatter warheads. Though to define something as easier? Let's consider the effort required to build and crew all those ships. The asteroid is several gigatons easier. It's just not as exciting or cool but then again if you're looking to kill a lot of people on a budget Marco Inaros and the free navy have what you need.

[@dare2liv_nlove]

@@robertalaverdov8147 I don't see it as a matter of practicality, it was all a show of overwhelming force for the Emperor, a fear tactic. The bigger the numerical spectacle, the better, wasteful or not.

[@datacorz]

As someone not familiar with the source material, I thoroughly enjoyed the first two episodes. The visuals are indeed on another level, can't wait to see the rest of the episodes.

[@PetePeppers1]

That's good to hear. I'm with you, can't wait to see the rest.

[@wesleymons]

In the official companion podcast to the show, showrunner David S Goyer has stated that they have 8 seasons planned and when he pitched the show to Apple he pitched a full 8 seasons that covers a period of one thousand years. Im sure having 8 seasons will depend on the success of the first season, but the show looks incredible!!! so excited to see where it goes!!!

[@rustknuckleirongut8107]

Problem is that the books dont cover 1000 years. They speak of a 1000 year period but never cover more than about 500 years before the story concludes if I remember correctly.

[@TueSorensen]

@@rustknuckleirongut8107 That's probably why Goyer & co. want to do the full 1000 - they can invent the entire last half of the Interregnum story themselves. Problem is: what are they gonna do about Gaia/Galaxia? Personally, I would just leave it out.

[@filster2]

@@TueSorensen hell, they’re inventing most of the first half, so why stop there.

[@PetePeppers1]

Haven't listened to the podcast yet, but that's what he's been saying since the beginning. He mapped out 80 hours and that's what they're writing towards. Have never been sure what structure he was using. The original plus the sequels and prequels cover about 550 years and Asimov didn't really end it. He went back and added the prequels because he couldn't figure out what the ending would be past Foundation and Earth.

[@TueSorensen]

@@PetePeppers1 I know. The thing that stopped Asimov in his tracks about the series was the emergence of chaos theory in the 80s. Foolishly, he thought that chaos theory undermined his psychohistory, so he took the plot in the Gaia/Galaxia direction and abandoned the whole millennial Foundation project. Worst decision of his career. David Brin, in Foundation's Triumph, at least mentioned and retained the possibility that Foundation was stronger than Galaxia, so he saved it a bit. But the crucial point really is when Trevize has to choose bewteen the Foundation and Galaxia. The man who is never wrong made the wrong choice.

[@MorganVsTheInternet]

I love the human stories in the show. With the three Cleon having to act like ubove humans but still being a family unit in their own way, and Hari who is disturbed by the idea of losing his all see all-knowing stuts as Dr. Sheldon to Hari.

[@romuloromero2268]

I think that Hari arranged to get killed, and the device behind his ear downloaded his conscience so that we will see him as an AI construct in the vault.

[@orni7770]

I agree, I think that’s also why he was mad at hari, because he knew he would have to kill him in order to continue on with the next part of the plan which involves the vault.

[@otakarbeinhauer]

I think so too.

[@patricofritz4094]

I am fissed Raych killed Hari and blamed it on Gaal . I haven't read the book so I don't know

[@andreioarcea7784]

@@patricofritz4094 It's all their ''smart liberties''.

[@patricofritz4094]

@@andreioarcea7784 I guess I have yet to find out

[@ast0nv8]

Man if they ever make Warhammer into a series I hope it'll be of this level of quality... But so far blown away by the 2 episodes and already addicted to the story.

[@ltmmunday]

Oh my gosh I loved the book Warhammer! I never knew anybody besides myself who read it!

[@LetsBuildThatApp]

The brits deliver their lines with such grace. Fantastic cast for this show with very strong char development.

[@jvgorkum]

really love these recaps. you pointed out some details that I did not notice. I hope you will do this for the future episodes also.

[@PetePeppers1]

Planning on it. Thanks for watching.

[@Richard-fx6go]

@@PetePeppers1 I concur, great recap and as i said in a post above. They needed both Trantor and Terminus to lose the study of Psycohistory from the knowledge of the populus for it to work, that's why Gaal was dumped from the ship.

[@jordannainoca230]

I was mindblown by the hyperdrive tech. If im not mistaken they create a black hole as the energy source needed for a "jump". That was f***ing amazing

[@williamdaniels9728]

Event Horizon, I thought that was amazing too.

[@pllpsy665]

So they rip off Romulan tech ?

[@jordannainoca230]

@@pllpsy665 bitch please Romulan tech is to the empire what a horse is to a formula 1 racecar driver 🤣

[@derekofoma5120]

@@pllpsy665 Yeah, imperial space travel is probably the most advanced I've seen in sci-fi.

[@hakansaribal5093]

I wish they would’ve used an amazing music with it and make it a little longer. When the black hole appeared it gave me chills but it was too short like a glimpse ☹️ it’s a tv show after all but all I see is a ruined show by the woke! The details are important. Some complain how stranger things is long but they took advantage of every little opportunity to use it effectively. This show made me dissatisfied every time a black girl showed up, presented as a savior, chosen one shit, spiritual shits, etc… The show supposed to be a science fiction instead of fantasy 🤦‍♂️

[@sherri_925]

Thank you for your very informative breakdowns/recaps. As someone who is unfamiliar with the books, they are a great companion piece to the series.

[@ilianabarrera5505]

I have not read all the books, but I like the series so far, the visual effects are amazing. There is one thing for sure, I will definitely read the books.

[@Abmotsad]

Dear Ms. Barrera, The books are utterly, utterly different. The series is a cheap soap opera; the books are about ideas. I think (and I am absolutely happy to be wrong here) that if you are enjoying the series, you might think the books are unbearably tedious. I'd be interested in hearing what you think about the books.

[@fabienso5889]

I second the person telling you the book are really different To give you an idea the two episodes are basically 10 pages in Asimov really didn't care about the character at all everyone you see in the serie will be dead or irrelevant in a few pages(when not totally different) However if you ever read the book maybe start with prelude to foundation instead of foundation

[@chongli3007]

I came to read this exact comment. I know for sure the characters of course will not be the same as the book because you can’t have that in this day and age got a check all the boxes

[@snarflcat6187]

As I remember it, the Foundation is not a rebel faction. They have no need to work against the Empire....they already know its doomed. They work hard to do two things on Trantor: build a society that can survive long term, and preserve Sheldon's future history. Other than that, what's best for the Foundation is to become a distant memory. Best thing that can happen is for the Empire to forget Trantor exists

[@kristopapazo1229]

Foundation was under the protection of Emperor

[@SapphireStars]

Admittedly, I've never read the books. However, I gotta say I love this series so far🤷🏽‍♀️.

[@theunhappygamer1744]

They are definitely worth reading. The author tends to go off on scientific tangents from time to time, however its written in a simple and easy to read manor. Its not as heavy to read as the Dune series for example.

[@Gizmo1st]

@@theunhappygamer1744 The first three were greart. He lost himself with the latter ones though. But the prequel, 'Forward the Foundation' was epic.

[@SapphireStars]

I may try them. I usually don't read a lot of male author's as they tend to narrate rather than use characters and dialog to move the plot. However, I loved Dune, The Wheel of Time and the Mistborn series so it may be worth a shot 🤔

[@theunhappygamer1744]

@@SapphireStars yeah you probably wouldn't like the Foundation series then because the characters take a backseat to the plot over thousands of years of human history. To the point that for decades every one said the Foundation series would be impossible to portray on screen and it seems like this television portrayal willl be a loose adaptation with characters and dialog added.

[@TheMusashisan]

you ARE my foundation guy! liked & subscribed!

[@PetePeppers1]

welcome

[@gregiverson38]

Good summary and I feel about the same. I simply have to suspend my 'Asimov Puritanism' while watching it - but I admit to not finding that an easy thing to do, being such a huge Asimov fan. I like the look of it and think they're (so far) doing an ok job. I also agree that some changes are need to translate a 1950's story to today's senabilities - but all that said, some of the changes are disturbing to me and I couldn't help but think occasionally "Why in the hell do they need to change that part" or "That is simply NOT what the great man wrote" - especially in that 2nd episode!! Your comments here about why Gaal is put into the (possible) suspended animation though (as in, so there is a character that can be carried through - which is not in the books) help make sense of that change for me. Hard to tell the story in a visual medium without that character continuation for a viewing audience - not so much in the written medium. I know that I will end up watching the whole thing though - it may end up like a car wreck that you cant look away from - or it may end up coming back to a more true version of Asimov's writing - which in the end, is what I am hoping for.

[@Zorro33313]

I'm trying to decide if i want to watch the show and you seem to be a rational person - what can you say about it now? (i assume you're up to the latest episode). How is it going? Is it actual Sci-Fi or a fantasy? isn't it ruined with political agenda? I took pretty hard what they've done to star trek, trying to avoid similar disappointments now. Your feedback would be really helpful.

[@craigdrennan5868]

I stopped the youtube video because I have not seen the second episode yet. i am just so excited to share somewhere that I came here. The first episode was so beautiful and grantor was so amazing. Just the small intersection of the show and the book had me so hooked. When Harri was on the stand and mentioned probability and psycho history, I saw my life flash before my eyes. I got out of 4 years in the military and started reading the books. I also started my education. It lead to my graduate studies in optimal controls and modeling at an analytical level. This was me pursuing math the way Issac Asimov had laid it out in the Foundation. Oh I AM GOING TO LOVE THIS SHOW IF IT ONLY INTERSECTS THE BOOKS AT A HANDFUL OF POINTS. Thanks for letting me share.

[@dimmazeen]

Interesting to see how this develops. First 2 episodes weren't perfect by any means, but I still see this has potential to develop into something special. Really liked Demerzel.

[@Gauntlet1212]

Empire was kino. But I started skipping most romance scenes and the main character by the mid of ep2.

[@romuloromero2268]

Yeah I didn’t really care for the romance storyline either. It’s fine I guess

[@esecallum]

@@romuloromero2268 it was stupid and gross 🤢 and pointless and made me the actors even more for diversity casting and gender swapping

[@paladinsmith7050]

Harry on the ship was a clone, the original Harry is a prisoner being held by the emperor to use psycho history to try and stop the fall. Raych noticed something was wrong at dinner when Harry brought his past up.

[@TueSorensen]

Haha, unlikely! Cloning a body is easy, but you can't copy a mind to such perfection.

[@alanpennie8013]

@@TueSorensen It would be a way to keep Jared Harris in the show, so I'm all for it.

[@badmusicchannel5519]

Yes. And maybe they iced him too.

[@arldoran]

Do you realise that you re talking about a story nearly more than 80 years old, written during a period of 50 years life time of Asimov, right? And somehow, with all the lack of respect, you re just creating some ideas like it was written by some mediocre screen writer... I doubt you ever read any of Asimov's works. What Apple did to this masterpiece is alltogether vandalism.

[@jean-claudelol563]

The visual effects are good, the story is decent, the casting left much to be desired, the actors don't pull it off. I haven't read the books but I bet they are way better than the series. Once TV studios knew how much depended on having the right casting, you can't pull off a series, no matter how good it is if you do not have the right cast that can pull off the role. These days they miss the mark more often than not on casting.

[@grey7513]

Well this is an amazing and fresh show. A lot better than the current Star Trek / Wars that have either semi or not at all interesting characters searching for a good story.

[@freeyourmind4ify]

Great recap mate

[@AA-mz3ig]

Loved Foundation! And this new actress, Lou Llobell is Incredible. Love her as Gaal and love that David decided to have female characters.

[@c1ph3rpunk]

For those that say this “started slow” never read the books, there are something like 500 pages on what a Foundation is. This is the challenge, they should never have attempted this in a series of fewer than 25 episodes. 10 seasons, 25 episodes each and you might have a chance at it. “They said Foundation couldn’t be filmed, and it still hasn’t been” - Gizmodo, 2021.

[@Szminsky]

they could at least focus on SOME of the important storylines from the book… but their “creative freedoms” basically scrapped Asimov’s ideas, in favor of extravaganza, swapping of genders and the focus on stuff completely absent in the foundation trilogy.

[@vincentdesun]

They made up the entire episode 2 out of nothing! The episode 1 has pretty much summed up everything in the prologue of the book, episode 2 could start 30ish years later when the first crisis looms and the vault was about to be opened. Instead they dragged it so long that almost nothing happened in the first 40 minutes or so.

[@Szminsky]

@@vincentdesun and they also added a load of absolute redundancy which Asimov never talked about. Space travel is entirely different in the books - the thing about the “jump” was how anticlimactic it felt, just a little tingling. Here they added “spacers” and all this strap in stuff because “gravitational field” nonsense. Gal Dornik has a MINOR role in the first chapter of the book, Hari Seldon never travels to terminus. Anachryon isn’t bombed by the empire, but stagnates and devolves over the generations. The emperor has no “clones” (but I guess they need the same actor to stick around for a thousand years. There are no religious detours happening on Trantor (though religion plays a big role later on for how the foundation grows in power)…. Etc etc. Huge missed opportunity, and frankly quite disrespectful to Asimov’s stories.

[@balasubramaniana9541]

Gaal Dornick, Salvor Hardin characters were gender swapped. This is unacceptable. They Scrapped asimov's imagination

[@Szminsky]

@@balasubramaniana9541 I could even tolerate that, IF they at least followed the original storyline. But no… they put a sticker of “Foundation” on a generic sci-fi drama with clichéd and superficial characters. An example would be the emperor (and the empire as a whole) being portrayed as a supervillain… when that was not the point at all in Asimov’s ideas. The empire didn’t bomb Anachryon or mass- execute diplomats for instance. It was a centralized power system which crumbled under its own weight. Asimov likened the fall of the empire to the historical fall of the Roman Empire.

[@seaconfused]

I'm not familiar with the books so my impressions are just from the series. The photography, the visuals are stunning! Jared Harris (as always) phenomenal, pleasant appearance from Alexander Siddig. I liked very much the rest of the main cast. My only disappointment was the music! Coming from Battlestar Galactica and The Outlander I expected something unique from Bear Mccreary. Unfortunately the music was something between ST Discovery and the Expanse. Overall a great start and I'm looking forward for the next episodes.

[@AllisonRoadWest]

The slower music elements worked better but I totally agree with you - even the intro had 007 James Bond old school vibes that didn't work at all for me.

[@MrSidney9]

You echo my feelings.

[@krixpop]

Jared Harris: they killed his character early (granted Hari Seldon died in the books as well) anyway They missed a great actor for the long run. Casting Sean Bean as Hari Seldon dying, would have been more appropriate. And keep Jared Harris as a main character for as much as possible, a character that does not die (!) would have been wonderful ... but yeah ... ps: not that I dislike Sean Bean but dying is his best ...

[@otakarbeinhauer]

What are you saing? It isn't similar to the Expanse OST in any way. But I agree - I didn't like the music either. It felt too triumphant to me. Which wouldn't be a problem if it was placed in a triumphant situation, but instead it sounded triumphant almost all the time. The only track that stood out to me was when the star bridge was falling. That was pretty epic. Other than that it was distracting me and seemed generic. Out of place.

[@Gizmo1st]

I agree, although the style fit this show much more than Star Trek Disaster. In fact, this felt more like Star Trek than actually start trek. I had the same exiliration when they were docking at the Star Bridge as I did when Admiral Kirk docked at the Enterprise A. I thought it worked here, where it doesn't for Discovery.

[@stevenjones6780]

Excellent review and as you say 'A good start'. Makes me think maybe Dan Simmons 'Hyperion' COULD possibly be adapted for the screen...

[@marshinz5696]

Beautiful Show. I'm not super into Sci-fi but you can see that this could be THE Show after TWD is done. It's nice to actually have something besides Servant to watch on AppleTV+ .👍🏾

[@petemacky4889]

The fact that Dors was one of the biggest characters (Prelude to Foundation and Forward The Foundation) in Hari's life, I would have expected to see more of her. And the fact she was a robot, she wouldn't age, and that would make her perfect for the long run as a consistent character. I think there was a small glimpse of her?

[@aoldham29]

I have a bad feeling they combined her character and Eto Demerzel. 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@Abmotsad]

Perhaps unpopular opinion. I read the books decades ago and again recently. Best science fiction ever written. So I'll say this about this series: Apple TV just took a huge, firehose-diarrhea shit all over Asimov's work. This is the worst adaptation I've ever seen of anything. Basically, Apple TV took the name Hari Seldon and the idea of Spychohistory and dropped them unceremoniously into a hackneyed soap opera. I could not believe that at one point I was actually watching two of the characters discussing whether of not to have children. Am I watching Days of Our Lives? WHAT IN THE HELL DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH FOUNDATION????? I made it 2/3 the way through the second episode and had to leave. Worst thing I've ever seen. I was furious they did this to Foundation.

[@Spock1234]

I couldn’t have said it better myself (but read my comment anyway). This show took a huge dump on Asimov and his fans. I hope it flips and gets canceled.

[@historyandmoviemom]

This video was so helpful. I was a reluctant fiction reader as a kid and science fiction movies fostered a new interest in this genre . Your review of the first two episodes cleared up a lot of confusion for me. The visual beauty of the first episode along with the world building has me eagerly looking forward to watching future episodes and equally looking forward to picking up the books to read. Thanks for a helpful recap and review !

[@deanblaze2000]

Looooooooooooved it!!!...omg it was good. I haven't read the books which avoids disappointment...but ive watched and read many many breakdowns on the source material. I could've watched this literally all day....please sir can i have some more!!!

[@vroyen]

Excellent, I don't think you gave too many spoilers away and it gives a nod to your intelligence to keep the video concise and not at all confusing and at the end raising some questions for future episodes does give this series a much needed push for more. The books are extremely complex as you have to know the other books somewhat to understand the laws of robotics and how they apply. Glad you brought that aspect into the commentary and explanation as well. We shall see where this one goes and hopefully it will spurn a plentiful fan base.

[@ParleyFamilyVideo]

If I remember the books (WARNING), psychohistory only functions if the population doesn’t know psychohistory…which would suggest Hari knows he can’t be there (hinted in his statement that he never expected to make the journey) and why they had to get rid of Gaal (book readers might guess where she ends up going and using that knowledge).

[@VladPalacios]

The people on Terminus do know about psycohistory, in the books as in the show the trial is public. But I completely agree with the rest, Hari needs to be a martyr and an inspiration, before he lives long enough to become a villain

[@Richard-fx6go]

@@VladPalacios They know about Psychohistory but don't KNOW Psychohistory, which will allow it's knowledge among the general populace to die out, encouraged by Empire. Similarly, the knowledge will disappear from Terminus population now that Gaal has gone.

[@HevonCZR]

Im loving the adaptation so far. I think the changes they are doing from the books are to create more relatable characters and to enrich the worldbuilding.

[@Bland-79]

I'm hooked and no nothing of the books. I hope they can keep up the momentum.

[@kevinpatrickcarey3741]

well Gaal is actually a man so there is that lol lol

[@Craig91214]

@@kevinpatrickcarey3741 Oh shut up already with that, and no one cares whether it was supposed to be a man.

[@joaco8442]

@@Craig91214 I do. I have cared since I was a kid. I care to respect the material bequeathed to us by people who are no longer alive to say if they would have these things be otherwise.

[@smiley2474]

bro i didnt read the books so your review has helped me even understand it more

[@johnallen4304]

I love the hooks to Robot Wars and how even though this is post Robot Wars, Empire uses robot technology and has a robot serving them.

[@mikezappa]

According to the books, only Hari worked out that Demerzel was a robot. The Emperor/s never knew

[@dennisbuskenstrom9291]

This perticular robot is working for itself, it's work involves protecting and saving humanity. It's also quite old, more than 20,000 years old in fact...

[@kevinvanhorn2193]

By the end of the second episode the series seems to be diverging quite a bit from the books. Feels like they just decided to rewrite everything and only use the name.

[@locutusdborg126]

I agree. I don't mind gender-swapping, etc. But episode 2 was not at all in the book. Complete rubbish IMO.

[@blurgle9185]

@@locutusdborg126 Ok. But was the alteration bad, or do you simply think it's bad because it was altered? Because, as a someone who hasn't read the books, the second episode was by its own merit a great episode. I think it's a pity this show wont get renewed very likely because there's a hoard of hive mind people just deciding it's bad because it doesn't mimic a book by the letter. That, and people who hate "ethnic" female leads acting in stead where a white person typically would seem also high on the list of negative reviews. Forget the books and try to see it with new eyes.

[@MyDrago45]

@@blurgle9185 It's already been greenlighted for a second season man. The show is extremely successful and most fans of the series don't mind the artistic liberties that have been taken. It's been so successful that by the third episode it was approved for a 2nd season.

[@RenlangRen]

@Blurgle it is infuriating to some fans when a classic work of art is dumbed down and twisted to where it is no longer recognized. I signed up to watch The Foundation. It feels like a shady bait and switch tactic to name something after a classic, and then change it so much that I have to forget the work of art I want to watch for it to be bearable.

[@RAMMSTEIN4HIMMER]

I completely forgot about your channel, but I just stumbled on it again tonight (2/15/2024). That makes me happy. It would always hype me up so much, watching your videos, in anticipation for the next episode of The Expanse to release. 2021, and 2022 man. God, it's crazy how that already feels like such a different time.

[@whiteblackhole]

I've been mentally preparing myself for this series for months. As someone who has read the books it's essential to remember that this is only inspired by the books and that's it. So far everything has been super different. I’m just happy to finally see the universe that I love so much and simply enjoy the ride.

[@zariumsheridan3488]

But its not that universe )) It's Apples Foundation, only remotely inspired by Asimov's work.

[@mondomacabromajor5731]

A really good series so far ... just a breathe of fresh air to see something epic and original for a change. Way better than other silly sci-fi series... Well worth watching.

[@salmanjets718]

Just finished episode 3 today. Episode 4 up next. I was waiting to watch these videos. So far I like it. It’s a bit confusing but I expected it to be. Never read the books. I’ll be honest tho. When I started the expanse, I was more hooked and excited to hit the next episode. Mainly because I was really interested in those characters

[@samahirrao]

Holy sh*t this actually exists. Awesome work whoever had the balls to make this series.

[@Deamon93IT]

Adapting the Foundation is quite a challenge but they seemed to have found a way to do so. Granted it's just the first couple of episodes but they look promising

[@kevinpatrickcarey3741]

yah apparantly they cant even get Gaal Dornick being a man lol lol lol what a joke this is already....they just cant avoid that SJW crap ANYWHERE anymore can they?

[@josephharte]

@@kevinpatrickcarey3741 Yeah, because it's vital to the entire thousand year Seldon project that Gaal Dornick was a man. I assume it's going to spoil your enjoyment even more when the characters don't sit around after dinner smoking cigars too?

[@yaxiongzhao6640]

No, they already show that they cannot appreciate Foundation's scope and depth, and are quite startling that they actually are going to pretend that they know what's going on. Foundation at its core, is built on the concept that things inherently break down when its complexity grows beyond certain scale. That has nothing to do with an emperor, robots, or some other individual factors. It's a property of the whole that can only manifest as a whole. When the path on breaking down is treaded, it's beyond anyone's capability to reverse the course significantly beyond the inherent limit of the system. For example, if you were to brake a car, you cannot do it smaller than certain speed, otherwise the car itself breaks. Asimov wants to gently tell everyone that natural laws are everywhere. Even in everyone's mind. Asimov, through Hari, happens to set the story at this juncture where the course of history is on a path that declination is inevitable, but chaos is still avoidable. It's like a dozing driver just discovered that he is driving on a slippery lane, but he can still steer the car off it. Albeit there will be damage and bruises to the driver. What Hari set out to do, is to regrow an empire in such a way that it assimilates the part of the empire that are on the brink of chaos. Largely manifest the idea that when everything is about to go chaos, Foundation would pop into the scene and becomes a destabilizing factor, but really is the neutralizer. In all the crises, removing Foundation would effectively render the situation into a chaotic conflicts between planets that are equally matched, but also lack the social/political constructs to defuse the tensions through non violent means. And this process is done through technology. At the beginning by preserving empire tech in areas that degreated. Then gradually it grows into a significant block of planets that all share similar ideologies, and can therefore spread peacefully for 1) they are more advanced in all aspects; 2) they are strong enough to protect themselves against any foes. The hidden gem in this whole setup, is that Hari truly believed that it's only psychohistory approach that can save the galaxy. So he not only are not going to leave any instructions, but he actually setup a hidden observer: the second foundation to provide the nudge if necessary, but at the same time make itself unaware to any actors. And sometimes to neutralize the exotic threat like the MULE. And this whole thing does not need Hari's involvement at all. Not only that, this whole setup inherently repels a prominent figure, as the regrowing is about newness. One cannot reinvent himself. One is replaced. In the psychohistory approach, the key is to set up the actors in large quantity such that the overall behaviors are progressing into the designated path, not because some grand will, but because the inherent mechination of the whole. If Hari is to be made into an AI, then it's not only a stupid adaption, it's a slap in the face on Asimov's whole idea.

[@josephharte]

@@yaxiongzhao6640 And again, we've got a fundamentalist approach. 'You must tell this story exactly as Asimov did, even though he himself changed the entire thrust of it over the course of the forty years he spent writing it'. You claim this production doesn't appreciate the scope and depth of the story, even as they include oblique nods to more complex concepts that didn't occur to Asimov until decades after the source material they are covering was published.

[@yaxiongzhao6640]

@@josephharte Your comments contain contradiction that is hard for me to follow: I dont like the adaption because I think they didn't appreciate the scope and depth. That's not to say it must tell this story "exactly as Asimov did". Obviously, Foundation lacks a lot background, and the narration unfortunately lost the touch to today's author, because it's written many years ago. Your interpretation of my statement, and label it to "fundamentalist" is a very annoying way of communicating on line. As it easily shuts down exchanging of understanding. Please refrain from this style. I can assure you that stop doing that can automatically broaden your perception of human knowledge, by just exposing all the perspectives that already are known to you but not aware to you. > even though he himself changed the entire thrust of it over the course of the forty years he spent writing it I actually don't know this. Mind providing the details? I do know that the books were not written in the chronical order. Preclude to Foundation was written last, and other things. That's another thing I am quite annoyed. Preclude to Foundation has a Gandalf-like Hari, authentic, raw, kind, strong passion, righteousness, and a sense of mission. Jared Harris is great, but he kind of become the actual hero that Hari never attributes himself. But again, I am not saying everything has to be exactly as the book. But this "hero" style of charater is simply too boring nowadays, don't you agree? > even as they include oblique nods to more complex concepts I think they include more concepts. Not more complex concepts. Like Gaal's awkward recital that there are different counting bases, such that if they dont take into account of that, how can they preserve the culture. Come on, counting is counting, a number does not change because it's in base 2, base 5, or base 27. And for god's sake, the encyclopedia supposes to record them anyway... But please include the examples that you have in your mind. > didn't occur to Asimov until decades after the source material they are covering was published Please share them. I am not aware of these.

[@captainyossarian388]

I loved it. I was also hoping a robot would show up, and I was not disappointed. I'm surprised the Emperor didn't realize or let his desire for violence blind him to the likelihood that neither world was to blame. As was stated a few times, they hated each other more than the Empire. There's no reason for them to make a coordinated attack on the Skybridge. Those outer worlds and the Empire are being played against each other by some third party, and the Emperor unwittingly handed that third party a second victory in his bombardment of both worlds, and executing their diplomatic delegations save for the leaders.

[@weckuptothis]

I'm thinking Gal's bedroom was inspired by the original "Ghost In The Shell" anime

[@afromaximus]

thought the same thing

[@SicilianStealth]

Alexander Siding who played Dr Bashir in Deep Space Nine I noticed is in this.

[@daxbashir6232]

Yep, he's there. :-) He's been pretty busy during the last several years. Good for him.

[@jrrtoken9474]

Personally I liked the first episode and thought that it had a real deep feel going for it as it began. However, halfway through the second episode it began to focus on little plot points like the emperor blowing up the two kingdom’s worlds, and the interpersonal relationships of people on the slow ship that is meant to create the foundation. The writers had to add in that “oooh the calculations about the end of everything are incomplete and so Harry seldom is actually kind of a let jerk/faker” tidbit which was completely unnecessary and the way it was executed detracted form the focus of the plot.

[@spjones463]

There's a point in episode 2 were Harry is reviewing the equations and I think he realizes that if he or Gal make it to Terminus the plan will fail. I think that this is realistically clever plot writing. Because if we accept that Psycho history is predictive mathematics then it realistically follows that the equations will change over time based on events. Pretty close to how it works in the original books if I recall. The plan is always on the brink of collapse. I think Harry realises that if He and/or Gal get to Terminus they will be seem as leaders, almost messiahs. The strength of their leadership would SKU the actions of the group to far in a direction that causes the plan to fail. He realises that they both need to die. He know this, which is why the bit with the white shirt happens in the laundry. The shirt he is wearing when Raych apparently kills him, and who else would Harry turn to to get ride of him and Gal for the good of the plan, but his most trusted associate, his adopted son. I think the whole scene were they argue is part of a set up, either Harry is dead or he must be seen to be dead for the success of the plan. I think Raych was probably supposed to kill Gal to, but because he is in love with her, he ejects her in one of the ships life boats instead (result is the same, she's not around to lead the group) . Or maybe there needs to be martyrs for the plan to work, Harry dies, Gal dies Raych dies for the crime of killing them. Harry's plan never gets questioned, he never gets discredited as a leader so the ideology remains intact. One or the other or possibly both of these are needed for the plan to succeed until the first Seldon crisis. (enter Salvour Harding). In the books I recall Harry doesn't leave trantor, and just dies of old age. Only Gal goes to Terminus. But the books often don't have much dimension to the characters, I think because of the span of time they cover, this wouldn't work on screen so good job, so far, bringing the characters to life. Be interesting to see if Gal does a Dylan Hunt and gets picked up after a 1000 years of floating in suspended animation in a life pod. (Well Dylan Hunt was not in a life pod but a super star ship, but you get my drift) Also the spacers, so many Scifi stories have them, they reminded me of the chimeras from Reynolds books or the belters from the expanse by Corey. To live in space all the time needs humans to evolve in a different way, eventually they are a different race. as for the robot, cool nod to robots and empire there.

[@theuselessdrunk]

it's not clever plot writing, it's in the source books. terminus had a "NO PSYCHOHISTORIANS ALLOWED" big banner

[@Sir_I.I_William]

I've never read the books. I just read some review on imdb, book lovers seem really angry. But I must say that my wife and I really enjoyed the first two episodes. Can't wait to watch more.

[@joaco8442]

I read the books. I don't think it an exaggeration to say that this project is a dessecration of the memory of the author.

[@Sir_I.I_William]

@@joaco8442 You might be right from that perspective, but it's still a good show judging it on the first 2 episodes ...

[@billlyons7024]

I read the books. Even the author said that they were impossible to translate onto the screen because most of it is inner-monologue and exposition. This show is a remix of the story, written with a focus on characters. These are necessary changes, books and tv tell their stories in different ways. A literal translation of the book to tv would just be Seldon sitting in different chairs, thinking and talking to flat characters. I think the show is doing a good job so far. I think Asimov would be happy.

[@alanpennie8013]

@@Sir_I.I_William This is actually a remarkably faithful adaptation, given that they have to adapt both the Asimov of the 40s and the Asimov of the 80s ( who naturally had a very different attitude to his Rome - in - Space set up).

[@PeloquinDavid]

I just re-read the first book in the trilogy after 3 decades or so, during which I often thought about the "Big Ideas" in the trilogy. I understand the attachment old fans of the series (like me) have of a mind-bending book they first encountered in their teens and twenties. But in re-reading it, I couldn't help thinking Foundation hadn't aged particularly well - imo much less well than Dune (which I also re-read recently). That will be heresy to some, but Asimov himself (in "Foundation" itself) is pretty scathing about those whose thoughts and beliefs stagnated (like those archetypal generals always "fighting the last war") while the universe moved relentlessly onwards. I find it fully within the spirit of successfully navigating each "Seldon crisis" (through adoption of vigorous new strategies to replace tired old ones) to adapt the book to new media and new audiences by adopting new ways of presenting Asimov's Big Ideas to them and also creating new audiences for the source material itself.

[@Rosebuddz_Revenge]

Thank you for your recap, now onto episode 3

[@billc.4584]

Good stuff, thanks. As with 'The Expanse' I think that I will continue my habit of watching the episode and then your summary to point out all of the things I missed. :P Hats off to anyone attempting to adapt Asimov. While he was brilliant and imaginative his characters were typically wooden and unengaging. So far, so good.

[@berniemarinakis4953]

"wooden and unengaging" like university professors.

[@esecallum]

I can do a better job

[@robcannon]

I really like the first two episodes. I read most if not all of the books a long time ago, so long I really don't remember much, so I am along for the ride. I really like that the empire is not a cookie-cutter evil empire. I get the sense that the emperors really care about keeping everything peaceful and prosperous, even though that sometimes requires brutal action. This is definitely a cerebral story and I hope enough people watch that Apple doesn't pull the plug. I know they have 8 seasons planned, but if the viewing numbers are dismal, even Apple deep (endless?) pockets won't save that.

[@scpatl4now]

I feel like a lot of this is the writers trying to fill in the gaps between book chapters, and all in all, it worked for me as I just finished the first book last week

[@PetePeppers1]

Seems like they are closing the gaps and trying to lessen the shock of introducing all new characters with each story.

[@joelhenry5489]

The mentioning of the Mule also stood out. That's very important foreshadowing very early in the story.

[@PetePeppers1]

Yeah, that was a nice touch.

[@666mwj]

*** warning - LOTS of 'book spoilers' *** To anyone else like me who loves the books - I strongly suggest you skip this (or completely erase the books from your memory before you start). I had the misfortune to watch episodes 1 and 2 of this and my vain hope that they wouldn't have trashed Foundation has turned out to be just that - vain. To list everything that's wrong with this so far would take a week but for starters: there is one emperor not 3, Gaal Dornick was male and featured for about 20 pages in the whole series (and whats with this stupid 'counting primes' caper), Salvor Hardin was a hulking great Trader not a skinny woman, Eto Demerzel = R.Daneel Olivaw = male, he is the central character of the entire 'Robot' and 'Foundation' series, and nobody (other than, eventually, Seldon) KNEW he was a robot, Raych Seldon was a short, stocky, well dressed Dahlite with a black moustache not tall, slim, scruffy and Dornick's 'love interest' , neither he nor Dornick ever went to Terminus (the only Psychohistorian to go to Terminus was Bor Alurin) , and he most certainly did not murder Seldon, the Vault is a building not some weird object floating in the sky... etc etc ad infinitum. As has been said elsewhere: they said Foundation was unfilmable - well it still is

[@jogatavid]

Love to see more women on the story, and not only that, especially as main characters. and also glad the show has changed sone things like the clones and added some concepts like black holes for traveling,etc.

[@theuselessdrunk]

honestly dornick is so irrelevant to the story that i dont care for the gender swap. although the hardin change is shit on a complete different level

[@Greatblue56]

What is troubling me is that the prime radiant is heading toward Terminus. The whole separation of the two foundations is key to the plan. So maybe they are skipping the second foundation or just creating major plot holes right out of the gate. And the Eto Demerzel reveal as a robot is for what exactly? That’s like the whole series spoiler right up front. I’m keeping an open mind but some aspects of the story are kinda important to to fudge up. Lots of unnecessary side plots seem to muddy the water around this great story. Too early to call but lots of WTF moments so far. And spacers? Whaaaat? Different series. I can only hope they don’t completely mess it all up. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@frasermanley9903]

How did the Encyclopedists reach Terminus in such a short time without jump tech? Is there some other form of FTL in Foundation? Obviously Jump tech is like the best, but sub luminal travel at the distances they're talking about in the timelines they're staying seem inconsistent.

[@Psykldoc]

Lazy filmmaking.

[@atlanta2076]

Always a pleasure to visit your channel after the fact because you have a unique way of summarizing episodes. I was very engaged during this premiere. Apple casted the show well and did show us the money. I great to see that - along with Dune - big epic scifi is finally back!

[@Datan0de]

Agreed. As objectively awful as things are in the world right now, getting high quality adaptations of two of my favorite works of sci-fi is a welcome bright spot.

[@magister.mortran]

The series has nothing to do with the books of Isaac Asimov with the same name. It's a totally different story with different characters. The books are about the effort to restore a benevolent galactic empire, the TV series is about fighting an evil triumvirate of clones called "Empire". There is no connection between both except for some recycled names invented by Isaac Asimov but applied to some unrelated people. Asimov's Hari Seldon is an old man in a wheel chair, in the series it is a middle aged rebel leader. In the books Salvor Hardin is the mayor of Terminus, in the TV series some lone female desert warrior. None of the events in the series have anything to do with what happens in Asimov's books, which are based on Edward Gibbon's "History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" but the story transferred into space. They should have used a different title for the series to avoid confusion.

[@marknovak6498]

The second episode went way off-script. I hope they are trying to stay closer to the spit than that. the point of the foundation was the planet was on the edge and very smart people would form the colony. this one was 'drama and romance and revenge' I was happy with 90% of ep 1 and WTF with episode 2.

[@dguisinger]

revenge... not sure thats what you really saw. i'd do a rewatch, there are indications that it was planned

[@marknovak6498]

@@dguisinger Seldon could have arranged his death to look like a crime of passion to step out of the way. I was referring to the revenge of the Empire against two of the four core Kingdoms of the Foundation tie (in the books). It seemed over the top and those kingdoms were not damaged just abandoned in the book version story. It seems they gave one character powers the second foundation will be known for.

[@SFKelvin]

I've read the prequel .... Demerzel is a robot.

[@zhollamychalis4252]

BOOK SPOILER. Am I to assume Doornick is a 'scowlerr"(scholar) ?

[@alexandros.lordos]

My thought also. Notice the telepathy hint when she thinks that the someone was speaking to her on the ship to Trantor. Telepathy + Ability to use the Prime Radiant = Second Foundation material ... maybe even its founder! I suspect she will end up being the First Speaker of the Second Foundation in the TV series!

[@j.dunlop8295]

Peter Turchin, maybe our Harry Sheldon, in this time frame! 🌐🌗👨‍🔬👩‍🔬🔬🔭

[@SjaakSchulteis]

I saw both episodes and I liked them very much. I read the book(s) about 50 years ago and they belong to the introduction to the world of sci-fi. But I read that it was compared to a modern version of "Game of Thrones" and that it might be as popular. I doubt it. Though very well made, you might as well compare it with the Mandalorian or series like Battlestar Gallactica... nothing more... I even started to mix it up with "Dune".. Nevertheless it looks like an impressive series.

[@kewins1234]

Battlestar Galactica was a great masterpiece.

[@TtJCIL]

This is a wonderful explanation. I just found this series and I love it

[@alfonsorodriguez6437]

Read them all over 30 years ago. Favorites of mine along with the Dune series which I read at about the same time. With a story that can be very complicated and simplistic at the same time, a film adaptation cannot follow the books precisely and many plot holes need to be filled. It is always good to update a story and in fact that is what Asimov did with the prequels and sequels. As long as the story follows the same line in the general narrative, it will be good. based on the first two episodes, it promises to be a good series. In the books Harry dies but he comes back every so many decades in a pre recorded hologram to deliver general hint and predictions to insure the following generations of members of the Foundation or Foundations (there is more than one) do not stray from the set course. The addition of females characters is a positive since back in the 1940's when the original stories were written there characters did not include any women. Asimov included women in the subsequent books with Seldon's love interest as a young man being a female robot passing for a human. lets see what the other eight episodes bring to the table. I am hooked.

[@kristopapazo1229]

The Mule defeated by a woman

[@dennisbuskenstrom9291]

@@kristopapazo1229 Bayta Darrell

[@edortapacubos1779]

Harris siempre imprime un gran carácter y seriedad a todos sus personajes. Gran actor.

[@StewartCB]

Terrific breakdown. The books were my favorite sci-fi of all time. So far I love the show, the visuals are stunning and the acting is great as well. My wife and I will watch your recap after every episode so that we can absorb the details.

[@MarkJonesisjustaman]

R Daneel will always be the most interesting character. I was disappointed the series did not approach the books from that vantage point. Still, I love what they have done in the series and I can't wait to see more.

[@billlyons7024]

I thought the same, we didn't get to see one of the most important events involving Chetter Humman from the first book. But they have planned 80 episodes, so I suspect we will see it in a future episode as a flashback.

[@billlyons7024]

@@soupergenius8597 Probably because the book has almost no women in it, and they want women to watch the show.

[@tishardnatthaniel8047]

I dunno how things gonna play out but I'm excited. First 2 episodes were really good.

[@alanpennie8013]

Don't get too attached to Gaal. She may get written out soon.

[@crimnvL]

Now that I read the books I'm actually impressed with this adaption so far.

[@עידוכסלו]

I was CONVINCED I will be so disappointed by this. Everything hinted to that. But after the second episode? I’m thrilled, this is extremely good. And I’ve talked to some screeners who got to see the whole 10 episodes. They said that 3 will be even better, and the last two will rap it up like the last two of Westworld that made it a masterpiece after a confusing season. Can’t wait to next Friday :)

[@SerPapus]

Yayyy

[@Skabanis]

I just started watching this show so lost thank u for this!

[@sto3359]

I've only just finished reading book 1, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Watching the first 2 episodes are kind of meh! I may watch the series after I've finished reading the books.

[@otakarbeinhauer]

Putting an exclamation mark after "kind of meh" is a beautiful oxymoron.

[@sto3359]

@@otakarbeinhauer Thank you for sharing.

[@estuardo2985]

generally if you read the books you won't like the show.

[@numerics77]

I think the emperor gave Saych a choice, kill Hari, or they destroy the ship. Hari may not have known this, because it seems like a brutal way to die. Can't wait till episode 3 to find out.

[@theuselessdrunk]

nope. seldon made raych kill him and get rid of dornick because his big plan doesnt include psychohistorians

[@Amazingsloth]

Thank you so much for your amazing work. As soon as I finished watching both episodes I went to find this video and was NOT disappointed. Bravo

[@PetePeppers1]

Glad you liked it

[@Pintheshadows]

I like Lee Pace. Honestly, that's about it.

[@m.e.3862]

I know some don't like how it strays from the source material, but I still find it appealing. Maybe it's because I haven't read the series in years so I can't remember what Internet critics are angry over. great production values, epic scope and Jared Harris FTW 😊

[@esecallum]

We need to get it reshot with proper actors and do a Zack Snyder

[@claudiomarcosmacielleme3668]

I really got disappointed to know Foundation keeps not really adapted. But I enjoyed the series by itself....though it gives an acrid aftertaste seeing those names and references on a non Asimov's Foundation story...

[@esecallum]

@@claudiomarcosmacielleme3668 the 2nd episode was really bad. genderswapping and diversity casting with below average charm free actors ruins it. A siddig was awesome and i wish there was more of him

[@claudiomarcosmacielleme3668]

@@esecallum You see, as Asimov wrote the story plot driven, the gender swapping would not bother me much as even a harsh guy as Salvor Hardin could be a harsh woman...but what did bother me are the key point changed, some of those really changed it all forever

[@esecallum]

@@claudiomarcosmacielleme3668 WOKENESS IS RUINING EVERYTHING

[@bacoffee]

Something's odd about when Dusk was speaking to the delegates. Their wine changed colors from red, to white, and then back to red. Also, the two delegates were sitting in the same seat when he talked to them and when it would pan out only one of them was in the room at a time. They then show Day above him talking about how Dusk is losing it, so it seems to imply that maybe that whole thing was an illusion.

[@Bacchian]

I think he was just bringing them both in one at a time and giving them the same spiel.

[@Datan0de]

I went in with trepidation and found I really, really like it so far. The Emperors come across as a little too cartoonishly evil, but beyond that it was very well done, and the look of the show as a whole is simply gorgeous. The thing that struck me the most though is just how far it deviates from the book. Thanks, it's been about 35 years since I read the series, but *most* of what we saw beyond the broad strokes didn't ring a bell at all. I don't think that's bad, however. They added a ton of material, detail, and characterization without ever contradicting the book in meaningful ways. It's almost like the show takes place during the book, but focuses on different things. What I'm looking forward to the most is Salvor Hardin. Reading the first book as a kid, I wanted to be him when I grew up. They obviously made some bold choices with changes to the character, and I think that can lead to some interesting new aspects to explore. I don't need a hero to look like me to be a hero, and I can't wait to see where they go with her.

[@esecallum]

the younger actors were too teenage ish and spoke in a bad way.also too much sex/love stuff. was annoying.

[@VonJay]

The idea of emperor clones is sound, yet their presentation is very cartoonish and laughable at times. The strongest out of the three is the child, followed by the older one and then day. Day's outfit isn't fitting at all in my opinon. My biggest problem with the look of the show is that they don't allow many of the scenes to breathe. In the beginning of the first episode, the editor did several cuts within the same scene for no aparent reason at all. The scenery, set design, lighting, everything was perfect except for the editing. As beautiful as the landscapes and landmarks are, we have no idea what they represent and it kind of makes them feel like cgi castles instead of real buildings. For instance, in Avatar, all of the major landmarks on Pandora are given meaning within their first few seconds of screen time. That way those cgi images can create some sort of emotional traction with the characters and appear more real.

[@esecallum]

@@VonJay i could not stand the diversity casting and gender swapping woke nonsense. the only decent actors were seldon, day,and siddig as the advocate. ryach has less personality then a shoebox and the other 3 'womun' were awful and charm free

[@VonJay]

@@esecallum thank God I'm not triggered by those things. People are people.

[@esecallum]

@@VonJay ugly charm free charisma free actors with no screen presence. And the way they spoke might as well have been from the Bronx....horrible. we need to demand a reshoot with proper actors.

[@YTjndallas]

It’s been a long time since I read these books. I don’t remember any of this.

[@renatus6883]

The books arent like this. adaptation for TV

[@VladPalacios]

I believe he killed Hari because he ask him to. He never expected to be on the ship, with him on terminus people would expect to much of him, his plan only works If he becomes a martir. He ask his son to kill him

[@marachdrifter]

I liked the show so far, and I was going to it a bit backward, because I’ve read the book so often. I really liked the trial witch was more faithful’ to the book than I expected. I think the child of the girl on the ship that is kept secret will be Salvor Hardin. The clones emperor is a neat idea I think, and even if I still have reservation on where they are going I will give the show a chance. Now a few things bugged me. First space travel. Why space jumps seems so much complicated. It’s suppose to be a really easy thing after 20 000 years of space travel. And how a sublight speed ship can cross the entire galaxy in 4 years. That thing doesn’t make any sense. They should have gone with space jump lanes, so that some ship can use faster lanes and some ship don’t. Also robots. There’s not supposed to be any robots. Demertzel being openly a robot is a problem to me, but let’s see where they go with it. Now book spoilers How can they name drop the Mule, if there is no sign of the second foundation ? Obviously Seldon doesn’t seems to have discovered telepathy, outside of Gaal witch obviously is. The second foundation is the only thing that keep the plan on it’s rails. But there’s is no clues that Seldon have even think about it.

[@afromaximus]

why would they give away the second foundation so early? got something against plot twists?

[@marachdrifter]

@@afromaximus because the twist is how the second foundation operate, not it’s existence. The danger is that by not establishing it’s existence at all, and bring it fully operational later, it will look more of an deus ex machina than a plot twist

[@clarkkent7973]

I fell asleep during the first episode.

[@beautyan5309]

It’s slow paced show especially the beginning

[@daxbashir6232]

In this aspect, it is akin to the books. :-)

[@Wolfhound223]

Damn you break it down well, and thx for not spoiling it.

[@PetePeppers1]

No problem, thanks for watching!

[@OneEyedMonkey9000]

I’m glad I watched it. The decks in the space ship being the wrong way around annoyed me a little. I guess The Expanse has spoiled me

[@OneEyedMonkey9000]

@@sephiroth533 indeed. And physics will be different then 🤣

[@Simon-e23]

Gaal realised the plan was flawed. For it to work people have to follow it without knowing what is going to happen next. In order for everything to fall into place then the two people that you couldn't have on Terminus are the only two people in the galaxy who can read the plan, namely Hari and Gaal, so they had to go.

[@alanpennie8013]

Simon Just so. If humans know what The Plan is they are bound to change it.

[@tiagomaqz]

Can we talk about the costumes, the special effects and the amount of money poured into this?

[@fine93]

wasted, becouse that doesnt make a good show... lots of movies these days have insanely beautiful costumes and sets and designs but they lack a well thouth out road map of the whole story, full of plot holes, abandoned plot lines lack of build up and poor dialog that makes you cringe and not want to watch another episode of it game of thrones had cool costumes and cgi, but ups, the last 2 season were stinky pile of shits

[@tiagodagostini]

When I read the books, I always imagines Harry as the old man from Up movie.

[@bellcurve0]

Idk looks incredible but also missing something like the characters you’re suppose to care for aren’t interesting. Pace’s emperor is great though. Just seems like they spent a lot of time on things in the episodes that probably don’t matter? Like That whole religion thing, synnax and her leaving it.. that romance that felt forced.. seems pointless. Ive never read the books so maybe I’m missing something. In the future I guess everyone is super serious.

[@TheGetfunding]

the book does not have gaal as a character. Salvor Hardin is a character in the book - "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent"

[@ИннаКотаева]

They just added it to the book stories, it actually has nothing with the Foundation.

[@Szminsky]

It seems they added and focused on a lot of things in this series (so far), which has absolutely nothing to do with the books. I just don’t understand why they simply can’t follow Asimov’s storyline, it’s a goldmine.

[@_AutoCoder]

@@Szminsky Because Apple needs to have "strong female characters" and a whole bunch of other checkboxes. This is a pretty CGI soap opera with love and explosions that's nothing like the books.

[@Szminsky]

@@_AutoCoder yeah I guess. I just don’t understand why they can’t do something original then instead? Why steal the “Foundation” title, when practically nothing pays respect to the original work? It’s like they want the title and author reference and that’s all.

[@4aidiotfreeworld]

Disappointed. Nevermind the clones and Gaal, Demerzel, Hardin being different and i understand how big of a task would be to accurately follow the book(s) but the whole thing is a big salad. It's like the director(s) and writer(s) read the books 50 years ago and then they went to work with faded memories of characters, timelines and even mixing up the books altogether.. - Emperor having a personal shield? No such toy until the Traders! - Hari being exiled? - The Mule, Mallow and Hardin mentioned by Gaal?? Psyhohistory could not predict individuals. - The Vault inaccessible? - Demerzel (R. Daneel) in the Foundation trilogy? - R. Daneel leading a raid followed by human deaths? What happened with the Laws of Robotics? - Raych and Gaal???? Why not Seldon and Demerzel instead of Dors? - And Raych on his way to Terminus? Wanda started the second foundation quartered in the only building that survived the destruction of Trantor, the Great Library of Trantor. I'll keep watching and try to lower my expectations but i think they should have started with a few episodes of the Robots series and slowly go towards the Foundation.

[@planetoftheatheists6858]

You could tell by the trailers they utterly bastardized the canon

[@4aidiotfreeworld]

@@planetoftheatheists6858 yeah when i saw the clone crap.....why not stick with Linge Chen?

[@remo27]

@@4aidiotfreeworld : Chen? Doesn't that sound like a Chinese name? I think that is your answer right there.

[@jiminfested]

Ok as much as I skipped the robot series I like the implication of the other foundation, and robots early. It’s probably a better way to incorporate early

[@oliversmith9200]

Ehhhh...

[@PetePeppers1]

I wonder if they just thought it would be hard to keep people from getting spoiled about Demerzel being a robot.

[@dguisinger]

@@PetePeppers1 more likely if the 3 emperor clones were a device to keep the cast the same over time, people would be wondering how Demerzel survived along with them for hundreds of years.... so better to just address it up front

[@PetePeppers1]

@@dguisinger the clones and pulling Demerzel up from the Pelude timeline were definitely a way to keep recognizable characters involved throughout the centuries

[@jiminfested]

@@PetePeppers1 I'm thinking they will keep 2-3 timelines, so it's an easy transition to the new characters. You see the setup in the earlier timeline and then the payoff later

[@lorensims4846]

This show is surprisingly well adapted. I liked how math was front and center throughout the first episode. That eye candy was an analog for the graphs used by contemporary mathematicians. Clearly Chaos Theory. They gave us a solid reason for Gaal Dornack to leave Synnax. But how could The Fault select Salvor Hardin when psychohistory deals with the actions of large groups of people, not specific persons? I don't care for that 'Vault' yet. Also, no psychohistorians were to be included in the group who went to Terminus so as not to meddle with The Plan. I don't really understand why Hari and Gaal are even on that ship. I was surprised to see the robot, but this IS Asimov after all. If they turn all the secondary characters into black women I think that's a good thing. That second episode didn't make a lot of sense to me, but it covers events not included in the books.