Foundation

starkaos

Just watched the first episode of the new Foundation series from Apple TV+ and recognized a familiar face, Alexander Siddig or our favorite Augment doctor from DS9, Julian Bashir. What are your opinions of this TV series adapted from the novel series created by the great Isaac Asimov?

mustrumridcully0

I've watched the first two episodes, and I liked it so far. Looks really good, they have a great cast, and so far I liked the story they told. Time will tell if it can keep up, though some reviewers seem pretty happy.

It's been a while since I read the novels, so I don't remember much of the details. I expected them to deviate a lot, since the way Asimov tells his story just isn't so good for TV shows. He's more the big picture guy and less into the character details, and for a TV show, you really need that. (And especially you need characters that exist for more than one Seldon crisis). And I think they did pretty well on that so far.
If you've never read the Foundation novels, it doesn't matter, I think the series introduces you into the concept.

Seeing Alexander Siddig again is nice, even if it was probably the only episode he will be in giving his role. It's fun to consider that Bashir and the genetic rejects were basically was Star Trek's take on Foundation's psychohistory.

If anyone wants to check out Apple+ and can't get any free subscription (comes with apple devices I tink), consider subscribing for just one month after all episodes hit, assuming it stays as good as it was.
You might also want to look into "For All Mankind", especially if you like good old Ronald Moore (Star Trek, BSG), Joel Kinnaman (First Season of Altered Carbon with him was amazing) or Michael Dorman (Patriot on Amazon was fantastic). I've heard good things about some other series on Apple+, too, but I haven't checked them out yet.

joshmaul

mustrumridcully0 wrote: »

I expected them to deviate a lot, since the way Asimov tells his story just isn't so good for TV shows.

Which is why a lot of the things I've heard about this series (I don't have Apple TV, nor will I, so alas, hearing is all I'm doing) is usually prefaced by the question "didn't they say this was the story that couldn't BE adapted for TV/film?"

starkaos

As far as differences between the TV series and novels go, Gaal Dornick is a male in the novels, but female in the series and a bunch of other changes to the character like their home planet, age and academic accomplishments. Gaal earned a doctorate on a world more developed than what we saw in the first episode. The warden on Terminus has also had their gender swapped and was originally the mayor in the novels. The android Emperor advisor has also been gender swapped. Raych was only mention in the prequel novel.

The Emperors in the series were hardly mentioned in the novels and the Skybridge doesn't exist in the novels. The major incident at the end of episode 2 involving Hari Seldon never happened in the novels.

Had to look up a bunch of the information since it has been years since I last read this series.

phoenixc

starkaos wrote: »

As far as differences between the TV series and novels go, Gaal Dornick is a male in the novels, but female in the series and a bunch of other changes to the character like their home planet, age and academic accomplishments. Gaal earned a doctorate on a world more developed than what we saw in the first episode. The warden on Terminus has also had their gender swapped and was originally the mayor in the novels. The android Emperor advisor has also been gender swapped. Raych was only mention in the prequel novel.

The Emperors in the series were hardly mentioned in the novels and the Skybridge doesn't exist in the novels. The major incident at the end of episode 2 involving Hari Seldon never happened in the novels.

Had to look up a bunch of the information since it has been years since I last read this series.

You are doing better than me, I remember having read them (or at least started anyway, I am not sure if I even read the whole thing (or even finished the first book of the trilogy for that matter) because I hardly remember the story at all. It doesn't matter to me though since I don't have Apple TV and don't plan to get it anytime soon.