FOUNDATION: SEASON ONE
Starring: Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, Terrence Mann, and Cassian Milton
Creators: Josh Friedman and David S. Goyer
QUENTIN
Given the sprawling nature of Foundation and the time period over which it takes place (literally 1000 years), it’s easy to see why this show struggles to stay interesting. It’s a space opera that must do a lot of world building (with constant time jumps) for the planned eight season run. However, in doing so, this season feels like the first act of an 80-hour movie. It might be the best-looking sci-fi show I’ve ever seen, but it feels like a show that one must slog through several seasons before it gets good. I don’t have the time or patience.
JAMES
As an Isaac Asimov fan, I have to wonder what David S. Goyer was thinking when he adapted Foundation. His writers’ room seems to have read Asimov’s books and not liked them because the writing comes across as confrontational towards the central concept of the books: namely, the foundation itself. Only Lee Pace’s Cleon makes the show worthwhile, with the palace intrigues and imperial powerplays milked for all they’re worth. The showrunners were clearly more interested in sci-fi palace drama, so why did they adapt Foundation instead of Asimov’s Galactic Empire? This is a baffling mess of a television series.
