Foundation Series (Apple+)

[Marc_C]

A slow burn series. Curious to see how the Emperor fares with the three Goddesses.

 

[pukunui]

I think if I were to make a series based on Foundation, I'd go for a two-parter that focuses on the second half of the trilogy (so the Mule's story and the hunt for the Second Foundation). I'd sprinkle the first half of the story, that spans the biggest length of time, in as backstory.

Both the Mule's story and the hunt for the Second Foundation span shorter periods of time, maintain their respective casts of characters, and have a more typical narrative structure. I think they would lend themselves to film / tv better.

You could have a brief expository "history of the Foundation" bit at the beginning that covers the main points of Hari Seldon --> Terminus --> Encyclopedists --> Mayors --> Traders --> etc etc and maybe go into a bit more detail throughout the series as needed -- and/or include short vignette films / stories on a tie-in website or something.

 

[Zardnaar]

Seems to me the source material isn't great for adaption. You need characters not a backdrop set over centuries.

Basic things like who's your Babyface, who's the heel etc.

I like the show the best episodes have been good but it's not great.

 

[MarkB]

I think if I were to make a series based on Foundation, I'd go for a two-parter that focuses on the second half of the trilogy (so the Mule's story and the hunt for the Second Foundation). I'd sprinkle the first half of the story, that spans the biggest length of time, in as backstory.

That would work better structurally, but what works well in the Mule story is the peoples' sense of shock as Seldon's scheduled Crisis message turns out to have nothing to do with the crisis they're actually facing. That doesn't work as well if you haven't already established the premise.

 

[pukunui]

That would work better structurally, but what works well in the Mule story is the peoples' sense of shock as Seldon's scheduled Crisis message turns out to have nothing to do with the crisis they're actually facing. That doesn't work as well if you haven't already established the premise.

I think it would be easy enough to have an intro that establishes the 200+ year history of the Foundation and how it has relied heavily on Hari Seldon's Plan. It could touch on the encyclopedists giving way to the mayors who give way to the free traders and so on. For one thing, since the original stories were magazine serials, each of them starts with a summary of the preceding stories anyway, usually in the form of expository dialogue or something like Arkady's dictated "history of the Foundation" essay.

It would be similar to how the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy begins with a short intro showing how Sauron was defeated and his ring taken and then lost, and how the Hobbit movie trilogy begins with a short intro that shows Smaug arriving at Erebor and such.

 

[MarkB]

I think it would be easy enough to have an intro that establishes the 200+ year history of the Foundation and how it has relied heavily on Hari Seldon's Plan. It could touch on the encyclopedists giving way to the mayors who give way to the free traders and so on. For one thing, since the original stories were magazine serials, each of them starts with a summary of the preceding stories anyway, usually in the form of expository dialogue or something like Arkady's dictated "history of the Foundation" essay.

It would be similar to how the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy begins with a short intro showing how Sauron was defeated and his ring taken and then lost, and how the Hobbit movie trilogy begins with a short intro that shows Smaug arriving at Erebor and such.

Sure, that works in terms of establishing events, but it's not emotionally effective if you're not already invested in the setting's established premise.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I haven't seen today's episode yet, but I'm pretty sure the Second Foundation has already been mentioned on the show, way ahead of schedule.

 

[Echohawk]

I haven't seen today's episode yet, but I'm pretty sure the Second Foundation has already been mentioned on the show, way ahead of schedule.

It was implied in a line of Seldon's dialogue from last week's episode, when he says to Gaal "you're supposed to lead the first Foundation".

 

[Mallus]

It was implied in a line of Seldon's dialogue from last week's episode, when he says to Gaal "you're supposed to lead the first Foundation".

It's also implied by Gaal (and Salvors) psychic abilities.

 

[Zaukrie]

The episodes are definitely picking up steam. I still say that Empire is the most interesting character. Which is kind of weird given the story.