The first chapter of Apple TV Plus' most ambitious show came to an end with FoundationFoundation's season finale.
The sci-fi show, based on a series of novels, has grown far beyond its quasi-magic space math from the initial episodes, spinning out different storylines ranging from drama in the Foundation's newfound home of Terminus to the byzantine imperial politics.
Chaim and Andrew are going back to see what worked and what didn't in the second season of the show.
The entire first season of Foundation is about to start.
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Chaim is really of two minds about Foundation. The first season of the show is interesting and high-concept. The story that is being told here is different from the Foundation books.
I understand that there will be differences in adapting a seven-book series that was retroactively forged into books out of numerous short stories aiming to tell a story that spans 1,000 years of human history. The Foundation just seems completely disinterested in exploring that concept past the first episode, because it seems like they just borrowed the basic premise.
The individual stories are interesting on their own. The highlight of the show is the genetic dynasty of Lee Paces ruling the crumbling empire with an iron fist, thanks in part to his dynamic performances as the cloned Brother Day. The cat-and-mouse game on Terminus with the Anacreons is enjoyable.
The third leg of the story, the lengthy drama of Gaal's shuttling in and out of cryo as the show hints at her mysterious powers, is less compelling.
The show is affected by practical concerns of running a multi-season TV series. Some characters, like the Demerzel robot, play well into the themes of the series and help give weight to the Empire. The finale felt like the show was trying to keep key characters like Hardin and Gaal around for the next season so that the actors playing them could offer some continuity for the next season.
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Andrew agrees with the source material. Foundation picked up in a lot of ways after the initial worldbuilding and discussion of future-predicting math was over. The worldbuilding is still incredible. All of the cultures and planets have a lot to offer. It goes for the big things, like a desert planet with incredibly detailed religious beliefs and ceremonies or the sheer scale of the landscapes you see, to the smaller moments, like the scratches on an old spacesuit or the way each culture has its own style of dress and armor. There was a huge budget here and it was used well. The special effects that seem out of place, like a robot skull in the finale, look amazing.
I didn't know who any of the cast was. It was all setup and very little character development. Foundation's structure made this a struggle as the story developed. In terms of the stories it is focused on and the timelines, it jumps around a lot. The plan seemed complicated at first, but the many layers and lies it ends up involving made it even harder to follow. It's even harder to follow because of the multiple generations of the emperor, all played by the same three actors. The show is too serious all the time. Foundation could use a sense of humor to lighten the mood at times, and let me connect to its cast, but I get that the fate of the universe is important.
I felt like I was finally getting to know these characters when Lee Pace's emperor faces a life-threatening trek through a desert in episode eight. The show was more focused on the universe as a whole than it was on the individual people. It really worked once it slowed down and allowed viewers to watch longer and quieter moments with the cast. Even when they don't have much to work with, the cast here does a great job with what's in front of them. The grand huntress of the planet of Anacreon is focused on vengeance above all else, while the cold calculating menace of Pace borders on sociopathic. T'Nia Miller is a religious leader who is against the empire.
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Chaim, I will join you in praising the worldbuilding: Foundation always looks incredible, from claustrophobic hallways on a ship to the sweeping salt deserts to the stark stone of Terminus.
The slower pace and steadily built-out cast help flesh out the characters more than the first two episodes. We get to know her, the often contentious relationship she has with her parents and the Foundation's leadership, and her romantic fling with the Han Solo-esque Hugu, thanks to the extended screentime.
The show uses the time to raise some thoughts about the idea of religion and faith versus science and human effort, and the blurred lines between them, as Seldin's elaborate plan is revealed to help establish himself as a mythical figure in the history of the Foundation. Foundation doesn't fully dig into these parallels, but hopefully the show will explore them in season 2.
Foundation's pace and added fillip has me raising some eyebrows at the show's future. The original series skips through time to show snapshots of the fall of the Empire, the rise of the Foundation, and Seldon's ability to predict the future. Foundation is stuck in the early stages of what it could be.
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If Foundation actually gets the time and Apple agrees to eight seasons of the series, that would justify the occasionally dragged-out pace.
Foundation is going to have to leave some of its cast and characters behind in the future if it wants to tell the story of Seldon's 1,000-year plan.
Foundation really does feel like it is building toward something interesting. In the 10 episodes, it hasn't reached that destination yet. It is more like an extended preview of its own story. The show requires a lot of faith from viewers. 10 hours in season 1 is all you need for the promise of a more interesting story to come.
