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Reviews
Foundation: The First Crisis (2021)
It's pretty damned good
I've read the books and I've seen the show, and I think the books are great (well the original trilogy, less so the sequels and prequels) and I'm very much enjoying the show. I'll be bereft after the season finishes, so long to wait!
Reading the comments it's interesting that someone can write a long post explaining in some detail why they like the show, and get a majorly 'unhelpful' rating, while someone can write something to the effect of 'this show sucks' and somehow this pithy response is rated very helpful indeed.
Clearly there are a lot of people on here with axes to grind. I'd say to anyone looking in who hasn't seen the show yet - don't let 'em grind their axes on you, watch the show and make your own mind up.
It's not perfect, some of the dialogue is a bit clunky, some of the action scenes are a bit rushed and maybe overcomplicated, and there are a few points where you think, well that wouldn't happen. Grist for a nitpicker's guide mill perhaps, but there's a sweep, an overarching story, and some great imagination at work to realise this. And Asimov's story is always there behind everything.
At least give it a chance. This is series one. I'd say as season ones go, this is a pretty good one.
Foundation: The Mathematician's Ghost (2021)
Pretty solid
I've seen all three episodes and read the books, and I'm impressed so far - though I could see that this episode 3 might confuse some people.
They had to make major changes to the books to make it viable for TV, thats a no brainer. The clone dynasty plot is new, but interesting, and brings interesting consequences. For the purpose of the series, it gives some much needed character continuity which is absent from the books, so it has to be a plus.
Also, think of it, these guys have to live out their lives without marrying or having children, as to do so would undermine the dynasty. In that context, having a female Demerzel makes sense. She can of course make them love her, and thus not stray - but at the same time the fatal stagnation in the Empire is propagated.
This thread may not be present in the original books but it is entirely consistent with Asimov's overall theme of the Empire's decline.
The scenes on Terminus again were consistent with Asimov's themes, even if they were different in detail. We see Hardin's conflict with the complacent encyclopedists. The primitivism of the Anacreons... bows and arrows! We see the future with the merchant princes. It's all there, all Asimov's themes, just presented in a more modern and televisual manner than strictly following the books would allow.
I'll be in for the duration.