User Reviews

Again, the writers of Foundation have delivered a near perfect example of how to exceed expectations.

THis was another fantastic hour of TV, with excellent acting, great lines, and some amazing scenes.

Really knocking it out of the park. And as I predicted, all the criticism's some have had around the 'comedy' characters have been all proven to be premature. Hober Mallow was not a roguish comic relief - he was central to the plan and one of several tragic endings.

Payoff to plot elements introduced earlier in the series was also satisfying - castling Brother Day out at the last moment, the explanation for the glowing tattoo implanted by the spacers. The deal Seldon sent him to negotiate, the conclusion to how Hari survived the drowning.

There were some elements that were a little too convenient, such as the saving of everyone on terminus - in the vault - which has a danger of becoming the McGuffin to save everyone whenever needed. I have faith in the writers though, as they've delivered ion every front.

As for the NottheBookers, As Hari said (and I'm paraphrasing) - there are an infinite number of ways to reach the same destination.

This series is inspired by the books, takes the characters events, general plot and places, but weaves them into an original piece that works best for the medium it's written for. It's not a 1:1 totally faithful translation from text to screen. It's an interpretation, and re-imagining and stands on it's own two feet now.

Bravo, and bring on season 3!!

...the death of one of my favorite characters. That's the reason why I couldn't give this episode a 10. Also, it felt a bit rushed. But overall, it was utterly satisfying to realize how much of an excellent chess player Seldon is. Gaal is slowly, season after season, also positively asserting herself as a smart player. I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next season.

But Seldon is the BIG winner and Empire, the fat big loser. This episode really revealed how much of a weak and blind idiot Day was. Also how Demerzel is for the first time behind in her fight to preserve the dynasty. She may have killed Dusk but Dawn escaped and she hasn't realized how far superior Hari's tactics are. Foundation is invincible now and will only grow stronger from there. The fact that Demerzel has now the Prime Radiant won't help Empire as Hari gave it willingly to her. I'm sure he did so for a reason. A reason that will benefit the Foundation.

However, I hate that Salvor is dead, she was with Seldon my favorite character. She was smart, strong, not afraid to question everything and anything and most importantly, she was nobody's puppet. I loved that about her. I hope she'll come back somehow. Gaal did not deserve to lose her daughter so soon.

What a great end to a season that started with a struggle and ended spectacularly.

Bel Riose and Hober Mallow stole the show with their closing toast! Becky's a-hole! Lol.

Liked the use of the Vault at the end, really like Brother Constan, but wish Hober had got more screen time and survived!, I'd warmed nicely to his character!

Some of the end scenes returned a bit to meandering, but now you can see season 3 being set up to take us to a new level. Whilst not quite at the level of a GoT or Expanse finale, there's now a lot of potential & to someone who hasn't read the books, there's a hole now in my TV watching until we return to this world and find out more about the Mule.

Overall loved it - great sci-fi TV, hopefully the major streamers continue to deliver to this standard.

It is very interesting how a mathematical computer can provide life and air to thousands of people from the foundation, this could probably be justified by the proximity to the sun and the consumption of its energy using quantum mechanisms, but if the Foundation has such technology, in fact they become an invulnerable sect, without harm Do they do more harm than good in the future?

The thread with the emperor is interesting, I have always supported the law, and the fact that the law is created by a robot could be embarrassing, if not for the fact that the robot was written by a person, moreover, having a predictive machine of the future, the robot will be able to plan the existence of the empire in more detail, but the destruction of everything fleet, will it cause internal wars?

At the end we are transported to the distant future, where we hear shots, we saw this future in past episodes, is this a world war due to the consequences of the destruction of the empire's fleet and betrayal by the navigators?

I can't be sure, but is this a better future?

Speaking about the concept that there is inevitability and everything strives towards it, regardless of choice, and here I agree that there is an end point in the universe, and the universe moves systematically, which means the movement has an end, not today but maybe in billions of years, if we speak about the future in the context of the survival of all humanity in general, probably then the Foundation is puzzled by a more complex concept, namely attempts to stop the endless entropy of the universe, stop the destruction of stars and the formation of black holes that destroy the matter of the universe after the detonation of a star that has exhausted its energy.

If we speak in the context of stopping time or putting it back, stopping the destruction of the universe, then it is clear why the Foundation not only exists but should also exist, then it simply turns out to be a double interpretation with a lost context, because the quote

"the future has many possibilities in pursuit of the inevitable"

If we are talking about life as such, this is an absolute, we see it, we know about it.

Then the question of the destruction of the Empire could have been more obvious throughout the series, because any legal or illegal power is unlikely to give up its own control in favor of the survival of all humanity, and even more so is unlikely to believe in it. And then here the Foundation is the one who tears away the veil of imperialism in front of the harsh reality that the empire is not able to fight even one planet, it is simply not able to withstand technologically, and therefore survive the total death of the universe - it had no chance.

Thank you very much for such a clear quote from Seldon, if it had not been said, I would never have understood why Isaac is so zealously planning an organization that believes in an infinite mathematical plan, contrary to existing ones.

And now it becomes clear why Seldon is confident in what is happening. This probably remains behind the scenes, but we see points, so-called "crises," in the "virtual machine of the universe," but no one tries to compare this with the destruction of stars.

Feofan Prokopovich, there is a legend that he was able to describe the lunar movement and the movement of the stars and, comparing them with the dates of events, predicted future revolutions and uprisings, there is also a legend that he was killed for this and all his works were burned.

Hypothetically, Seldon could act as a kind of heir to this philosophy. However, Feofan Prokopovich, according to legend, based his conclusions on the stars and their condition.

If we talk about the universe as a very large system, we are obliged to admit that the destruction of one or another star in one part of the galaxy, the formation of a black hole, has consequences in another part of the universe, the so-called butterfly effect, however, due to the distance between the epicenter of the explosion and the place of historical (human) events may be billions of light years away, and the butterfly effect comes over time, it may be that stars are constantly being destroyed (and this is a fact), and their explosions constantly affect the masses of people, their consciousness.

Then, the obvious goal of stopping this process may be an explanation for why we are still haunted by some kind of internal craving for space, as if there is something there that we must solve.

Sometimes when I program at night, I go out to look at the stars, and I get the feeling that somewhere out there there is such a serious problem that I can't even imagine it, but right now, by developing software, I am contributing to its future solution , I have the same situation with playing the piano.

So that's what I'm talking about, I've gone a little off topic, I'm talking about the fact that crises are probably the destruction of stars in the galaxy, which change the galaxy itself after the explosion, as if causing the explosion to "resonate" the cosmos in response, provoking other explosions and so on down the chain .

If you look at it from the point of view of science and philosophy, this is a very significant observation, which indeed partially describes the phenomena in space.

Then, if Seldon did not understand this right away, but guessed the same way as Feofan Prokopovich, this could become a very significant explanation of the importance of the "cult of the life of all", which is what "Foundation" is in this sense. After all, the problem is not that the empire will disappear, no, the problem is that the entire universe will disappear and with it the empire and people and life.

If the goals of the Founding are much further than the goals of ruling over people, that explains a lot.

But now Dimerzel also has a prediction machine, the universe is pushing everyone to solve a problem, a task that is an absolute necessity, the task of saving life and the universe by stopping the destruction of the stars, and thus creating a future for everyone.

If you look at the current situation from this point of view, it explains a lot.

Interesting, looking forward to the next episodes/seasons.

Wow, I've just wrapped up the finale episode, and oh my goodness!

It absolutely blew me away, especially those first 10 minutes - they had me absolutely spellbound. The way all those intricate mysteries started to unravel, and the suspense that's been building up from previous episodes just had me on the edge of my seat. It's pure genius.

I am dying to know how the whole story behind the mule unfolded. Seriously, I'm on the edge of my seat here. No spoilers, of course, but everyone needs to see this. And while the ending could have been a tad better, that teaser for what could potentially be a season 3? Mind-blowing. I have this feeling that Tellum might still be alive and have a crucial role in the creation of the mule.

Welp, after the best episode in the whole series so far which was S2E9 I fully expected the next one to be worse, but this was quite a surprising amount of disappointment. Super-technology that no one ever had the chance to build undetected just pops up out of nowhere at just the right moment; an antagonist that's an absolute caricature with a weaker excuse for 'motivations' than even a comic book villain like Thanos; certain people refusing to die and staying in the story for yet more hundreds of years; mentalics arc gets resolved through what feels like a cheap last-minute retcon... my hopes for the next season are now much lower than last time, when even knowing they weren't following the books I thought they still had enough possibilities open to make their version good. But with S2E10 things are taking a distinctly stupider direction than I expected. (And can we please kill Gaal Dornick soon, or at least her useless personal-drama dialogues? Now that Salvor Hardin is finally gone only Gaal remains to massively drag down this show's character roster and dialogues.)

As of 16th September, no Third Season has been confirmed. But many have seen this season as better than the last.

It is of course very different from what Asimov wrote, but still very entertaining.

And with many plot twists.

When Harri Seldon reappeared, I assumed he was actually a humanoid robot. I still believe that there are more beside Demerzel, which she anyway hinted at in the last episode. It would explain apparently dead people appearing again. And I'd have preferred it to the slightly improbable way his death was faked.

I had been finding it hard to believe that Terminus was gone. They chose to say it was, but the people saved. A handy machine to serve as 'Deus Ex Machine'.

And of course Empire is back - too good a set of characters to lose. A lot to work out, including the run-away Brother Day. But with the Imperial Fleet destroyed, there should be a lot more successful rebellions. It should be more like the fragmented galaxy full of warring states that Asimov describes before the rise of The Mule.

I assume they introduced this character early, to improve chances of a third season, since the first was less popular than had been hoped.

I was dismayed that they chose to make him the huge physically powerful character with blue glasses to hide his terrible gaze - actually a false report from the books. But later in the season, we learned that Mentallics can look like someone they are not, and also do damage by making the target think it is real. So maybe the real Mule will be more like the original vision.

Not at all like the original vision is Gael and Hari being bowed down to by the rescued Mentallics. Not saying that this is excessive. Asimov's version is notably egalitarian, with the First Speaker having limited powers.

Still, I really enjoyed this season, and very much hope we get a third.

Every time I see Lee Pace's, Day, I think of Galadriel's words, "Terrible as the Morning and the Night! Fair as the Sea and the Sun and the Snow upon the Mountain! Dreadful as the Storm and the Lightning! Stronger than the foundations of the earth. All shall love me and despair!" I was a fan after the Hobbit movies, well done sir!

Regarding the Seldon plan it is now clear that the empire is in steep decline, they lost their entire fleet, and the genetic dynasty is now in disarray.

Foundation clearly accelerated the process and took away Empire's space weapons with minimal collateral damage, making Empire very vulnerable. This story parallels the fall of the Roman Empire. It will be very interesting to see what more Empire tries to do next to prevent its fall. Whole episodes could be devoted to the interesting philosophical discussion of this alone.

This is a masterpiece, but terribly sad it is now over, and we have to wait so long for the next season. Thanks again for bringing Asimov's Foundation universe to our screens. Admittedly new story elements have been added, but they only enhance the story.

What a fantastic way to end the second season! Such a rich and compelling finale. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to what would happen.

Unfortunately they are a few viewers who can't stand watch complicated female characters who aren't on screens to be eye candy or whatever game of thrones fantasy they want (I say this a GOT fan).

If you hate the show so much, then why are you watching the season finale? Go complain about the women on the show and proceed to compare this to Star Trek: Discovery of all shows?! I'd say it more Dune or the Expanse but I know these folks aren't coming from a reasonable place. (Hint: sexism and racism fam)

Salvor's death was utterly heartbreaking, she was SO young and she had already accomplished so much! Dying in her friend's/biological mother's arms really twisted the knife. She was a total bad*ss.

RIP Salvor.

The story picked up where things left off in the first season. "Foundation" season 2 saw Gaal Dornick (played by Lou Llobell) putting together disparate pieces of a grand and dangerous puzzle, one which Hari Seldon (played by Jared Harris) had discovered but wanted no part in. They were at each other's throats - a digital ghost and a displaced mortal - for a while, rendering the story suspenseful and thrilling.

This season, the despicably intriguing Brother Day (played imposingly well by Lee Pace) delivered twists, suspense, and grander schemes galore. Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn and Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk did good work as well.

'Empire' comprised three genetically identical men (or "exponents") of different ages (Dawn, Day, Dusk). Day proposed the idea of marriage to carry on his line lest they drift genetically further from their root-gene (the "principium") in the years to come.

All the action choreo was spot on and delivered edge-of-your-seat thrills. Though Isaac Asimov's books are certainly more substantial in these and other regards, this adaptation picked the right cards to show a modern audience.

By this time in the plot, Gaal (Lou Llobell) had revealed a most risk-ridden truth to Salvor (played by Leah Harvey), telling her she was Salvor's mother. Age-wise, it made absolutely no sense. But given cryostasis and old-fashioned (relatively speaking) embryo donation, this seemed normal in the "Foundation" universe.

The planet-city of Trantor and the exiled one of Terminus were back in full focus, and hurtling toward war. Alternate timelines, assassination attempts, cross-galactic politics, strange new religions, relentless zealots, fascinating fauna, and factions with agendas rolled out in earnest.

Some noteworthy flashback sequences featuring Hari (Jared Harris) set a good tone from the very first episode itself, taking us deeper into his personal tragedies and travails - his madness, as it were. Kalle (played by Rowena King) later reincarnating Hari was an inspired touch. It was the last thing I saw coming.

Foundation - particularly the significance of Hari's now-sabotaged idea for a second one - established a notable thematic tone this season. It became Empire's focus as well, because they wanted it gone. It promised a level of consistent control over the future, one in which Empire would gradually cease to exist.

Plenty of captivating performances carried the script across the finish line in season 2 of "Foundation". Special shout-out to Laura Birn whose portrayal of the sentient A. I. Demerzel was a testament to nuanced acting and emotional depth.

Kulvinder Ghir brought heart and passion to his role as High Cleric Poly Verisof. Bel Riose was back, and played exceptionally well by Ben Daniels. The psychic Tellem Bond accrued great intrigue thanks to Rachel House's outstanding performance. The villain this season - The Mule (played by Mikael Persbrandt) - was also memorable, but his real contribution is yet to come (in season 3).

This larger-than-life story continues to captivate. The cinematic pace and quality of the entire show, particularly the last two episodes this season, have made an excellent case for another innings. Has it only been two seasons? I hope they greenlight a third one, and fast.

I am utterly disappointed in this episode. Especially after watching an amazing episode 9, this wasn't the ending I was expecting. Nothing remotely interesting happened here and the scenes were just ridiculous. When you have to accept whatever happens simply because it's what they claim it is rather than logic, you know it's a flop. None of the scenes made sense. From the jump ships colliding, to a whole Empire being whooped and thrown out of the ship, to how Hari was rescued by Gaal and wasn't detected, to how Salvor was killed by a dead Tellem inside a boy, to how Brother Dawn escaped with the Queen, to how the people of Terminus were rescued from Terminus and inside the Vault. To how Brother Dusk was able to find green ink to mark Dermezel and she didn't notice. Nothing made any sense, but sure we just have to play along. Horrible.

Anyways, I was more interested in Dermezel and what she was going to do back at Trantor but unfortunately that was also a major let down. All she did was talk and talk and talk some more.

Am not even sure I'll watch the next season. The mule doesn't look intimidating enough and am tired of Gaal and Hari already. But it looks like we still going to be forced to watch their boring lives in season 3 as well.

Truly a disappointing ending to the season.

I'm not liking this. This series has up until this episode been the best I ever watched, until now. What a terrible episode. It feels like the writers have plans coming up for the season 3 and they needed people to be at certain places. But how they did it so poorly in this episode...

As it the ending of season, I'm ok with them moving pieces to their location. But honestly for someone who watched Foundation up till now, just skip this one. Skip.. and prepare for season 3. I have faith the writers they can write something good, as they had so-far. But dear Lord.

* people killed, then live inside a box*

Yes, some of the acting was brilliant. But we've come to expect this by the actors involved, which is why up until halfway point I actually had some hope this was salvageable. No hope was left by the end of the season.

Pretty much every "twist" was Deus Ex Machina. Since I am pretty sure the fans of the series are not smart enough to know what this is - every seemingly hard/impossible challenge in the plot was solved by a very unlikely, pretty much impossible solution:

Harry Seldon lived...by linking with Gaal, somehow his chains unlocking (magic), drowning his guard, somehow Gaal changes the body of this guard to him (magic), somehow Tellem doesn't realise one of her close people is missing for a day, somehow Harry escapes, then comes back exactly at the right time to kill Tellem, somehow Tellem jumps in the boy, even though she dies in the matter of 2 seconds and very unexpectedly, somehow she waits for hours to then look at Gaal whole holding a gun, then shoots Salvor, who somehow sees the gun, takes out her knife, runs for a few meters and jumps in front of it (pure Bollywood level of reality). Then she dies after holding a little speech, how neat.

Day, who in the previous episode somehow decided that he wanted to personally risk his life and take the whole fleet to a single planet, decides also to engage in hand to hand combat against a brilliant fighter. His security, even before he tells them not to interfere...do not interfere and just sit and watch as a man is beating the most important guy in the Empire. Seriously, if the scene wasn't pathetic, it would be hilarious. Then, the switch happens and Day is dead. Then, Demerzel somehow controls the whole guards, being able to openly command them (they even volunteer!) to arrest the main Empire. Somehow a ship leaves the most secure planet in the Galaxy. Somehow Sareth knows she is pregnant...the day after having sex with a guy.

Somehow one of the most annoying characters survives, and then somehow, all the people on Terminus are fine, because...magic. Also,we are clearly shown the people on Terminus, including Glawen and the chief dude watching as the ship collapsed on the planet. So the Vault saved them all in..a minute time, if not less.

On the very surface, the last few episodes of this TV series have more drama, battles, twists, better acting and scenes with the main characters. But just go a level below, and it is incoherent nonsense, stitched with improbable actions and decisions, a full-on space soap opera. It tries to be a mix between Star Wars and Game of Thrones, it fails miserably. Some of the scenes were quite epic, and the characters (and particularly actors and actresses) of Day, Dusk (even Dawn, the actor is pretty decent), Rue, Demerzel and Harry Seldon are quite nice. The rest, drivel.

At least it made my decision not to watch Season 3 and cancel my Apple TV sub very easy.

This does not seem to bear any relation to the book and the story is vastly inferior. The Mule is made out to be a zapping thug while in the original he is a guy that everyone obeys because they love him, which is a total character reversal. There are unnecessary sex scenes which are really horrid both the homosexual and the heterosexual ones. Too much irrelevant nudity which kind of makes me and no doubt many teenage boys heave. Whatever happened to true romantic love? It appears to have been banned from Hollywood and this makes me wonder whether I should switch to Bollywood. I used to watch the old Hindi Romances which were much more uplifting than this painful abortion. I get the feeling that the ratings and comments are being vetted and manufactured by Studio AIs. Of course our opinion does not matter - we are just plebs Ducky.