Foundation (2021– ) User Reviews

Very interesting and well-made science fiction show

[DuderinoMcLovin · 9/10 · 28 January 2024]

I was and still am angry that The Expanse was canceled and was looking for a new science fiction series.

Foundation came at just the right time to satisfy my hunger for science fiction. The series is very good and improved with season 2, and you can tell that the production didn't skimp on the money.

I really like the story with the Empire and the 3 genetically identical leaders. I find the individual characters very interesting so far and the cast is also very well done! Seldon, Gal, Dawn, Day & Dusk and Demerzel are perfectly cast.

I just hope that the series won't be artificially stretched out!

An acquaintance told me that the creator of the series wants 8 seasons.

Honestly, I'd rather have 5-6 seasons and tell the main story properly than build up more and more subplots and love stories and then have more seasons.

Why am I writing this?

Given the thickness of the Foundation Trilogy book, I doubt there's enough material for 8 seasons.

I have the book at home but haven't read it yet, so I can't make a comparison between the book and the series.

One criticism I can think of about the series: The LGBT upbringing...there are gay couples in the show all the time.

Please stop educating the public. We get it. And I say that as a completely non-religious and liberal person.

This series deserves better rating

[levanicadrian · 9/10 · 31 January 2024]

I was a bit sceptical before watching it but I'm just going to say that this series deserves higher rating.

People seem to be hating for no reason, mostly those " I read a book" people that hate on every TV series based on a book. I even saw one rating saying that acting is poor and I really don't understand. Some people just get into watching something with too much of an expectation and they make their opinions based on a book which is unrealistic. Looks like IMDB ratings are a lot of time unreasonable.

To finish of, series is well rounded, good plot, great acting and amazing scenery, if you like sci-fi, this is it. I have seen series with the same rating that are no where near as good as this one.

Terrific

[Rob1331 · 10/10 · 12 March 2024]

Foundation is definitely a must watch for any sci-fi fan. I never read the source material and it seems that most of the people who don't like this are mad because it's not exactly like the book. Some people don't understand that these shows and movies are adapted or based off the source material. Some parts are a little slow and throws the pace off a little as it builds its world but not slow enough where it makes it bad. The visuals are as good as anything you'll find on tv. You can tell they put a lot of money into it and it shows. This also has some great characters that will make you invested in the show and actually care about what happens to them. While it's not the best sci-fi you'll ever see, it's definitely worth watching.

Amazing

[Supermanfan-13 · 10/10 · 15 March 2024]

I've been putting off watching Foundation ever since it first came out but now that I've seen it I can say I really enjoyed it. I never read the books so I can't say how close this is to them but I wouldn't care either way as long as it's a good show. It may start a little slow for some but that's because they do such an excellent job at building their world and characters but it does pick up. The CGI is absolutely amazing as this is one of the most beautifully shot shows I've ever seen. It really is a pretty solid sci-fi series and I'm glad I finally watched it. I'm about to finish Season 2 and I can say that without a doubt that Season 2 is even better than the first. Hoping next season keeps up the same quality of the first two because this is turning into one of the better sci-fi series I've ever see.

Masterpiece

[singhsantosh-97773 · 10/10 · 27 March 2024]

"Foundation" captivates audiences with its sprawling narrative, weaving together multiple storylines across vast stretches of time and space. Visually breathtaking and meticulously crafted, each episode unfolds like a work of art, drawing viewers into a world of grandeur and intrigue. The characters, brought to life by a talented ensemble cast, grapple with profound questions of destiny, power, and the nature of humanity itself. While the series demands active engagement from its audience, unraveling its mysteries proves to be a deeply rewarding endeavor. From its stunning cinematography to its haunting score, every element of "Foundation" contributes to its immersive atmosphere, leaving a lasting impression long after the credits roll. In a landscape saturated with sci-fi offerings, "Foundation" stands out as a bold and ambitious masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of the genre to new heights.

Disappointed

[gaspyy · 6/10 · 24 September 2021]

While I love the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov(and the Empire and Robots series), I admit it may be a bit dated. The novels were written during the '50s and Asimov never described the visuals in detail.

It was therefore expected that any adaptation would diverge from the source material. And I don't mind it. A faithful adaptation would not be possible because we wouldn't know how the ships are supposed to look like, for example. I don't mind the gender swap in itself.

But the creators take too many liberties with the source materials to the point the story doesn't make sense for any science fiction fan. If Terminus is 55,000 light years away from Trantor and the colonists don't have jump ships, how do they travel? Why does it take 900 days to get there? That would mean they are travelling at 22,300 times the speed of light. This kind of oversight may be OK for a Marvel show, not for a show where math plays a central role.

I was also disheartened by changing Demerzel's gender. Not because of itself, but because in the books Eto Dermerzel is a very special character with a deep backstory. Changing his gender sends ripples everywhere. It's like making Han Solo or Ron Weasley a woman.

Hari's relationship with Raych is also changed for the worse, presumably to make room for Gaal. Sigh.

All these changes leave us with really impressive visuals and a weakened story. Not the Foundation I expected.

Great sci-fi world building. Character development ok

[chinyongphoto · 10/10 · 1 March 2024]

Alot of the negative reviews come from the disparity between the source material and this TV adaptation. Good news is that if you have never read the source material, and you enjoyed sci-fi epics on screen like dune or the expanse, then just ignore those negative reviews and jump right into this series.

The script for some of the source characters are excellent, but sometimes you can see where the modified characters motives/script don't quite make sense and it's in this areas where I think the screenwriters are trying to fit a square into a circle.

The combat scenes are the most illogical sequences in the show (worse than an army of stormtroopers missing their mark point blank). You get important characters in battle scenes just standing in an open field without seeking cover. You get stereotype villains and heroes being caught only to escape again and again multiple times within the same episode. CGI helps but these are done poorly even compared to sci-fi series/movies of yesteryears. (The CGI in scene setting/backdrops are fantastic, but in battle scenes they look like a joke rather than anything truly menacing). They do make an effort but it's so inferior compared to the rest of the show and it's world building that it detracts from what they are trying to accomplish. They need to make it less 'Disney' with their action sequences, more 'Dune' or maybe like many of the newer ww2 flicks, (where there is real risk for the characters rather than them parading around in plot armour).

I Take It All Back

[melcher-2001 · 8/10 · 2 May 2022]

When I read Asimov's 'Foundation' novels I was somewhere in my middle teenage years, more than 50 years ago. What I remembered was the central idea of psychohistory, but not much else.

When the first season of 'Foundation' screened in the Fall of 2021 I was deeply committed to the HBO series by Ridley Scott, 'Raised By Wolves' and the ambitious character driven political allegory 'The Expanse' airing on Prime. Both were challenging explorations into deeply complex ideas living up to the best that literary science fiction is known for.

Whatever my mood at the time, I found the first couple of episodes meeting most of my expectations, but then I seemed to loose the thread of the show as it left a central character behind and seemed to veer into a good guys versus bad guys realm of conventional space opera. I wrote a rather sour critique at the time that expressed my disappointment.

However, I started watching season two and decided to go back and review the first season. This time I was able to not only stay with the plot, but its choices made much more sense to me. I was newly impressed, to say the least, and could barely remember my specific criticisms on the first go-round.

Now I have a taste for what so many critics felt years after they first panned films like 'Blade Runner' and '2001:A Space Odyssey' before they recognized them as pioneering accomplishments. I wouldn't necessarily place 'Foundation' at the level of those films, but as an extended series it successfully tackles some profound questions about time and history and human behavior that are becoming ever more pertinent in today's climate of ongoing political crises.

The show runners project a run of 8 seasons to complete a narrative that even Asimov failed to finish. It'll be a remarkable achievement if all of the necessary factors, corporate, financial and otherwise hold up to make it to the end. Here's hoping.

Watch it! Don't let Asimov's fanboys discourage you.

[multicolorscrewdriver · 9/10 · 12 January 2024]

I started watching without listening to the low rating reviews. Glad that I did because this show is very entertaining and visually simply stunning. I mean, when it comes to CGI is just way superior than some high budget films out there.

Jared Harris and Lee Pace are amazing actors. The story is nice, it's well written but that's the thing: most if not all low rating reviews have to do with the original source adaptation. I can understand it can be disappointing when your favorite book is not adapted as it should, but if haven't read the books, this is a great show worth watching. This isn't a 7.6 score show, but rather at the very least an 8.5.

Great sci-fi, some great and weak casting

[jon-oivind · 8/10 · 12 January 2024]

A true epic and just what the doctor ordered to fill the void left by The Expanse ending. This review is based on season 1.

Great production values, design and in most parts storytelling. The weakest parts are mainly Gaal and Salvor. Gaal, especially, is jarring. I have not quite decided whether it is the London accent at odds with everyone else (except Salvor), the writing or the acting. She just comes across as too immature and spoilt/entitled for someone with her upbringing. Salvor is less annoying, but it does jar that a mission like this would not have an actual security expert that would not be so easily mislead and could more convincingly hold their own in a fight. Let's face it, the warden (orig mayor) is supposed to be a man for good reason. Apart from this I think the actress playing Salvor is mostly fine like most of the rest of the cast.

The actors playing the Empire are exceptional!

All in all, one of the best and most epic series in any genre of recent years.

[6.7] X years before, Y years after!

[cjonesas · 7/10 · 20 March 2024]

A deep, beautiful mumbo mishmash drama sci-fi series, "loosely" based on Isaac Asimov's Foundation trilogy. The most problematic matters in the show are its flow and truly uninteresting flow of characters, really destroying the more or less interesting though erratic storyline plots and the dedication put into the CGI & visual effects.

Aside the character of Demerzel played "beautifully" with depth by Laura Birn, the other characters are just to extended degrees cringe-worthy cardboard characters.

You either like space sci-fi or you don't. I usually don't, but gave 'Foundation' a chance and though deep and beautiful, it did not live up to my expectations.

• Screenplay/storyline/plots: 6
• Development: 8.5
• Realism: 7
• Entertainment: 6
• Acting: 7.5
• Filming/photography/cinematography: 8
• VFX: 9
• Music/score/sound: 7.5
• Depth: 7.5
• Logic: 2.5
• Flow: 5.5
• Drama/sci-fi: 6.5
• Ending: 6.

Terrible adaptation but good sci-fi show

[simongrierson · 9/10 · 28 July 2023]

As an adaptation, this is poor. It strays from the source in dramatic and jarring ways and invents whole new plots that don't exist in the original books.

There have been much more faithful adaptations of books in other series and films.

However , if one has never read the books, and judged in isolation, this is a decent, albeit slightly cliched sci-fi epic space opera that is vast in scale, and has a compelling story to tell.

I understand why particularly readers of the books are very negatively reviewing this series, but some of the critiques seem overly negative because of the deviation, rather than about the actual story told here.

This is more like Dune, or Babylon 5 than Star Trek or star wars. It's not quite as good as The Expanse, but better than a lot of the recent Star Wars series or Star Trek:Discovery .

Not a Foundation

[michalklebs · 6/10 · 24 September 2021]

So far it has very little to do with its source material... It is barely "inspired" by Asimov novels, definitely not based on them. It has ambition to be a new Game of Thrones in space, but it is not as epic nor as intelligent. Good production value but it focuses on random stuff. A shame...

Found A Major Winner

[thesandfly77 · 9/10 · 2 February 2024]

Okay, you know the score - no direct faithful adaptation of a classic trilogy, BUT...

... An INTERPRETATION that enhances and swashbuckles hard ci-fi concepts and prose into living futuristic adventure.

High-adventure at that, as we time and galaxy hop across an enthralling universe as Foundation gets all Star Wars-ey but in a GOOD original Star Wars manner with added gravitas and sinister undetones; quirky characters betray darker sides, roles turn out to be not what they seem, events take shocking turns, evoking many a wtf?

It could be said Apple did with this what Lucas did with Dune, but with added Kubrick-esque class.

Top craftsmen Jared Harris and Lee Pace chewed up space-time continuims and spat out thrilling drama.

JH is sublime in whatever he turns his skills to, but a special nod to Lee Pace playing multiple versions of the same character - the nuances he applies to distinguish Day from one incarnation to the next are the tools of a special actor.

He also had me laughing out loud at an incredibly powerful moment of great epic melodrama with the finest juxtapositioned facial expression ever cut to in such a monumentally emotional scene; just a classic 5 seconds of genius from him and the director.

Undoubtedly the most wickedly amusing villainous character since Negan rocked up in the Walking Dead. Also took part in the most watchable fist fight I've seen in any drama for years; a hell of a scrap in S2Ep9.

Special mentions too for the 3 main actresses, particularly Demrezel; evoking memories of both Daryl Hannah and Rutger Haier in Bladerunner; chillingly engaging.

Yes, I had a thoroughly great time with this, revelling in the high concepts and marvellous production; tech designs, ships etc, absolutely tremendous.

For sheer thought-provoking entertainment and visual delights, treat yourself to a Foundation binge.

Only problem is, after 20 roaring episodes, I'm now a year out from season 3 and there's no damn cryo-pods or jump-ships to get me there quickly enough...

Not Foundation

[ncentia · 6/10 · 24 November 2021]

I like the TV show and I like the books, but they are not the same story. The TV show should just not be called Foundation.

The show is visually appealing, well cast, well acted and an interesting story. But it is not the story of Foundation. I can understand diversifying the gender of characters, but the other story changes were just not necessary. A real wasted opportunity.

Season 2 Episode 9 blew my mind

[rpaulseymour · 10/10 · 8 September 2023]

Foundation is inspired by the classic sci-fi novels I read decades ago as a young teenager. It follows the epic saga of exiles who try to save the legacy of humanity as a galactic empire crumbles. Yet, this isn't even close to a 1950s version of that. It's modern, and everything I'd want it to be for me now. The series is mind-blowing phenomenal, with superb direction, a remarkable cast, absolutely stunning effects and unparalleled world building. The writing captures the essence and scope of the novels from what I remember feeling after reading them all, yet I hardly remember the details I read 30+ years ago. So, I won't even try to nitpick where the show diverges from the source I loved - it really doesn't matter. The cast is composed of supremely talented actors who portray complex and diverse characters. The effects are impressive, creating a realistic and immersive world of the far future. Foundation is an absolute must-watch for any sci-fi fan who wants to enjoy a contemporary take on what perhaps defined what sci-fi is, through a thrilling and intelligent story of human destiny. Wow.

Just Spectacular - Isaac Asimov at His Best

[BornKnight · 8/10 · 12 February 2024]

Managing to put a series of Books into a series is no easy task especially when it covers 1000 years.

It isn't a series for everyone when you consider this, and that Isaac Asimov isn't just an advanced sci-fi writer but also a visionary almost one century before us. It is a case of love or hate especially when it involves two types of media, a filmed streaming series (with no easy task at hand) and a series of written books (with more two sequels and two prequels in a total of 7 books).

Do not attach to most of the characters as many of them obviously won't live the 1000+ span of years of the saga of the original trilogy.

The books are just magical, complex and transcending - if you like the series go read them. There are many differences of course but to go into full fidelity runs into that case of a "book that is impossible to make a film".

The actors are top notch into their roles and the budget that Apple spent on this one is comparable to a big budget movie (around 70M a episode), with effects on CGI and sound that should be viewed in IMAX.

If you love true sci-fi do yourself a favor and go watch it: my score is 8,7 out of 10,0 / A.

Far and away the best Sci-Fi series I have ever watched!

[markwilson-83672 · 10/10 · 1 February 2024]

I have always been an avid Sci-Fi fan. I am blown away and the beauty and complexity of this show. It is both visually stunning and intellectually stimulating. Wonderfully conceived and flawlessly delivered. There is an absolute elegance to the way that all of the individual character arcs seamlessly feather into the overall storyline. Any true Sci-Fi fan will appreciate this show for all of the reasons that draws one to this genre. I truly hope that this show will have many more seasons to follow the first two. I am already recommending it to all of my friends and family. Bravo to the creators.

Luke Skywalker is the best Star Trek character

[nansjune · 6/10 · 21 September 2022]

Foundation the TV series. It's a fine piece of sci fi television. The writing is good, the effects are good, the acting is good (mostly). Except...

IT'S NOT ASIMOV'S FOUNDATION!

Possibly the greatest sci fi anthology in history, winner of multiple awards, loved by generations, written by one of THE greatest ever sci fi authors. I've got an idea, let's use it as a backdrop for whatever hashtags are trending.

The sheer HUBRIS of the clowns who thought they could "improve" upon it, change it, twist it. There's a special place in hell for those people, alternatively they'll end up at Disney where they can wreck other much loved stories.

But you know what? It's good TV. But you have to ignore the title and every time the name Hari Sheldon mentioned pretend you heard Barry Shelton because then you can pretend that this isn't what it's purporting to be. If you can manage this feat then it's enjoyable sci fi TV but if can't do this, and you know the books, run a mile.

Apple's Foundation is like listening to your mum tell everyone her favourite Star Trek character is Luke Skywalker.

Its a gem for Sci-fi nerds!!!!!

[DanielPoladzade · 10/10 · 16 February 2024]

This show deserves wayyyyy more attention!!! I have no idea whats wrong with people.. this show??? Is a gemmmm for every sci-fi fan out here! I really enjoyed the very first few episodes and it turned to one of my fav tvs ever very fast! In my opinion everything about it is perfect! The script and dialogues are well done and thanks to the apple tv team the vibe of the show is nearly perfect and oh this actor Lee pace is making it perfect!!! Dont listen to the hate that im seeing in some reviews honestly i dont get it why all the hate mostly come from book nerds! Give it a chance i just really hope that we get to see more of this amazing content.

Even when detached from Asimov's, it lacks

[olilaflamme · 6/10 · 31 July 2023]

If you put your head in a vacuum and try to watch it as if Asimov's work didn't exist, the good almost doesn't make up for the bad.

The setpieces are impressive. I think the visuals of the shows, environements, costumes and all are quite well done. It stays immersive. And its the one thing that grounds it in Asimov's narrative : very very far in the future without being completely uncanny.

You could even call the plot divergence from the original work a clever play on psychohistory paths : the show imagine a new path.

What destroys it for me is mainly one thing : character writing. We're thrown all the superficial cliches in the book. And a cliche can work, if there's some depth to it. Which there almost never is in the show.

I can't figure out for the life of me why they would make Gaal Dornick such a baby. How long is she going to be throwing useless tantrum in every scene? "I understand evolved mathematics that draws the future of mankind in a series of complex events and crisis the needs to be adressed and corrected, but I won't carry your cube in my pocket 'cause you're mean, waaah waaah!!!".

The only character I feel remotely invested in right now is Demerzel. Maybe because they felt a 11k years old entity couldn't be too shallow. Or maybe because I've read some books in the Robots serie.

In any case, outside of Dermerzel and the visuals, I'm grasping at straws.

Sorry to say that but total disgrace

[aliozhan-70289 · 6/10 · 18 November 2021]

I've waited for this for months and in the end, got none of I was expecting. The story is not linear, you cannot follow the subject. I could not find even just one positive thing to say about this show except CGI.

Not the Foundation

[crsunblast · 5/10 · 24 September 2021]

This is yet another example of someone borrowing a title and character names from one story and making up a completely different story using those names. This show bears very little resemblance to the Asimov books, so if that's what you're expecting, you will be disappointed.

With that said, the first two episodes aren't bad in their own right, and this could end up being an interesting story of its own. I just wish producers would quit ripping off the names and titles of well-known works in a cheap attempt to grab a large audience.

I hate to say it but, nope

[crash_ivo · 8/10 · 3 February 2022]

Its simple. Foundation was the last Grand Master Saga that I haven't read. I decided that I will read the book first and then I will watch the series. OMG, the books ( I read Foundation + Foundation and Empire in one breath. So beautiful, so philosophical, so complex and also so simple at the same time, books that will never EVER EVER get old, not in a 12 000 years.... and then I watched the series. And I am sorry, I always want to find the good things in whatever I watch but in this case its just "NO". This series give the books a bad name, it downgrades Asimov's intelligence so much its just blasphemy.

The visuals are so beautiful and I give these 6 stars only for the effort but you cannot do this to the original, no.

Jared Harris and Lee Pace knock it out of the park

[erikperik_johnsson · 8/10 · 9 December 2023]

This is IMO one of the top 10 sci-fi series ever, the Expanse being number one ofc.

Latest season of the Foundation really took it to a yet another level.

The mysterious start of the series is captivating and the plot is very well thought out.

Some characters you could do without, and some actors could have been better casted, therefore the 8 and not 10 rating.

However, Jared Harris portraying Hari Selden is fenomenal and his acting is as usual: too good!

Lee Pace portrayal of empire Day, is also so well cast and his psychology is very interestingly written

An Epic must-watch for sci-fi-fans!