The futuristic special effects are top notch. Sadly the degree of characterisation necessary to power a fairly static storyline is missing. With limited action, performances need to be riveting in themselves. Imagine Anthony Hopkins as Hari Seldon. Tilda Swinton as Demerzel. Maybe a Mel Gibson as Cleon. These are people that can hold the screen with the slightest word or gesture. Foundation onscreen needs such characterisation as the plot itself is quite dry and action limited for the sake of concept.
Instead of this, producers have introduced fairly trivial backstory interludes of PG romance woke-friendly characters. A child genius out of nowhere - or rather out of a primitive unevolved society and who becomes a galactic class mathematician overnight. A Cleon who is as convincing as an Emperor as might be an overgrown schoolboy. Predictable fillers - the man falling off a ladder is over-queued for the attention-weary - and cliffhangers which are timed to suggest a modicum of plot development. All very manufactured and not very 'Asimov'.
Die-hard fans will be waiting with baited breath for The Mule: the main point of the novels and the challenge to the basic algorithm of the whole plot's 'psycho-history'. It doesn't appear. At least not in the first series. Apparently produces want that in reserve if the series does well enough for a second season. Fast forward on the snooze button, such manipulative programming is maybe unlikely to warm the hearts of many Asimov fans.
Instead of this, producers have introduced fairly trivial backstory interludes of PG romance woke-friendly characters. A child genius out of nowhere - or rather out of a primitive unevolved society and who becomes a galactic class mathematician overnight. A Cleon who is as convincing as an Emperor as might be an overgrown schoolboy. Predictable fillers - the man falling off a ladder is over-queued for the attention-weary - and cliffhangers which are timed to suggest a modicum of plot development. All very manufactured and not very 'Asimov'.
Die-hard fans will be waiting with baited breath for The Mule: the main point of the novels and the challenge to the basic algorithm of the whole plot's 'psycho-history'. It doesn't appear. At least not in the first series. Apparently produces want that in reserve if the series does well enough for a second season. Fast forward on the snooze button, such manipulative programming is maybe unlikely to warm the hearts of many Asimov fans.