D Bennett

Where did it all go wrong? Series 1 got off to a great start, but the signs were there towards the end: plot twist forced upon plot twist, nothing what it appears, evil turning into good and vice versa, minor characters and events suddenly turning into key elements. The narrative twisting and turning on itself, losing all coherence, clarity and (within the limits of the genre) probability. Almost like an excessive version of the Foundation trilogy or, more recently, the 3-body problem. Or, probably even more appropriately, the nonsense that was ‘Tenet’. Typical Nolan in the end: overly complicated, in love with itself, muddled and pseudo-philosophical. And don’t get me started on the pompous dialogues! What’s worse, the transparent efforts to try and paper over the glaring and obvious cracks with gratuitous excessive violence. If it doesn’t fit, just shoot them. Which got worse over series 2, where the whole turned into a bloodbath and a farce. At that stage not entertaining, engaging, amusing or clever any more.

Why call this ‘Foundation’? Apart from some basic characters and the premise of psychohistory this has nothing to do with Asimov’s classic (which, to be honest, also isn’t faultless, with its unlikely twists and turns and deadends). It also suffers from the current tendency to re-interpret every work of art and see it throught a political lense, which means every item on the list of current political concerns and sensitivities is ticked of. Which of course makes it very 2023. This would be forgiveable if it was a gripping story, skilfully told and well-acted. But, let’s be honest, it isn’t: the story is so laughably childish and nonsensical it feels like something from 60s and 70s Star Trek or worse: Dr Who. It also sometimes seems like they have employed a different team of writers for every episode, desperately trying to nit it to the previous one and at the same time coming up with twists and turns to drive the narrative forward - towards which end, in contradiction to the principles of psychohistory, unknown. And the acting! Especially the Gaal, Salvor and Hugo characters and Princess Sareth - so stilted and wooden really makes it difficult to muster any empathy or create any connection with them. It kills the time, but no better than the equally cringey Wheel of Time or the LofR prequels.