‘Foundation’ (Season 2)

Based on the short stories of Isaac Asimov, psycho-history and the thousand-year saga of The Foundation, rebels who discover that the only way to save the Galactic Empire from destruction is to defy it, continues splendidly unabated into its second 10 part season.

The confusion of season one and its many-pronged genesis tales lay the foundation to a much clearer season two with its focus on separate but interlinked narratives that are concurrent and decades apart.

In essence set 100 years after the end of season one, many of the characters remain – the world-building of Foundation and the technological chicanery facilitates such quantum leaps of faith. Pyscho historian and mathematician Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) with his algorithmic science that allows him to predict the future in terms of probabilities is the gel, remaining central to all plots and subplots. Hari’s prodigy Gaal (Lou Llobell) finds herself with daughter Salvor (Leah Harvey), who is the same age, on the planet Ignis. A copy of Hari Seldon’s consciousness within the Prime Radiant is in Gaal’s possession – and it’s hot property.

Meanwhile, Emperor Brother Day (Lee Pace) struts his royal stuff looking to protect the Empire and create his own lineage by marrying feisty Queen Sareth of Cloud Dominion (Ella-Rae Smith) whilst on the planet Terminus, Hari has been deified and two of his followers – Poly Verisof (Kulvinder Ghir) and Brother Constant (Isabella Laughland) – find themselves drawn into the conspiracy against the empire.

Foundation is a whipsmart, classy sci-fi extravaganza of worlds regarded at one time as unfilmable. Requiring personal investment, as an epic saga it continuously captivates as it navigates new territory and develops new or returning characters with the revelations of Demerzel (Laura Birn), the wholly loyal robot and, so it turns out, sexual partner of Brother Day a memorable plotline. Greater clarity in its storylines (and less of them) ensures that whilst there are a few caveats, season two outsmarts and outdoes season one.

Rating: 68%

‘Foundation’ (Season 1)

The much-anticipated ten part Foundation, based on Isaac Asimov’s series of short stories and novels, is a sumptuous sci-fi of a narrative that is, sadly, inconsistent in delivery and clarity. A confusion of time, place and character, humanity is widely spread across the galaxy living under the rule of the Galactic Empire. But, like all empires, from Ancient Rome to 19th century colonialism, from Star Wars to Game of Thrones, there’s an air of inevitably to their demise.

With psycho-historian Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) using math to forecast the end of current empire within 500 years followed by 30,000 years of chaos, steps need to be taken to prove him wrong. Insurrection across the universe follows as Empire: Day (Lee Pace), one of the four genetically cloned descendants of the orginal emperor, destroys planets in an attempt to stamp out dissidents. Both the brilliant young mathematician Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell) and destined Salvor Hardin (Leah Harvey) set out separately from their respective planets not wholly certain where their futures lie.

In telling it now, Foundation appears to be a derivative science-fiction narrative. Yet, originally published in the late 1940s/ early 50s, it precedes the likes of Star Wars (1979). But it’s a clunky telling with inconsitencies of scale and acting. As Empire: Day, Pace struts like early Chris Hemsworth as Thor, overly pro-noun-cing lines whilst puffing his chest like a peacock: Llobell is a mature young adult one moment, spoilt brat the next. But it’s her story that, in the first two episodes, is the most engaging (and beautiful to look at), only to be replaced by the more adventure-laden and derivative Salvor Hardin tale. But why invading armies from different planets seem to be evenly spread with 20 or 30 troops apiece is an oddity not fully explained!

Lavish in places, Foundation‘s pulp fiction surprisingly lacks suspense or significant sense of wonder.

Rating: 58%