Foundation was a slow burn of a TV show when it made its Apple TV Plus debut in November 2021. The prestige sci-fi series was undeniably gorgeous to look at, but glaring narrative and universe-building issues plagued it at every turn. Until such problems were rectified, Foundation wouldn’t be viewed by many as one of the best Apple TV Plus shows.
Thankfully, towards the end of its original 10-episode run, Foundation settled into its stride. A pleasing equilibrium was reached between its captivating drama, high-stakes action, and sci-fi sensibilities; stability that offered hope for the structure of future installments. So, could Foundation season 2 build upon its predecessor’s cornerstones and deliver a more complete, rip-roaring entry in Apple’s burgeoning sci-fi franchise?
Based on its first episode, ‘In Seldon’s Shadow’, the answer is a resounding yes. Foundation season 2’s opening gambit is a visually arresting, exciting, fast-paced, and action-heavy entry that proves it’s learned from past mistakes. There are clear character and plot deviations from Isaac Asimov’s seminal book series, which the show is based on, that may irritate some long-time fans. But, those deviations from the source material aside, there are no stains on an otherwise intergalactically stunning adaptation.
Crises on multiple worlds
Over 100 years have passed since Foundation’s season 1 finale. And, as we learned in that episode, Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell) and Salvor Hardin (Leah Harvey) have just met for the first time. Not only that, Gaal is Salvor’s biological mother – remember, Gaal froze some of her embryos in season 1 episode 2, one of which grew up to be Salvor. The pair individually entered cryosleep at different points in Foundation season 1, too, which allowed them to finally meet on Synnax – Gaal’s homeworld – decades later.
It’s this somewhat awkward family reunion that season 2’s first episode largely focuses on. There are other just-as-important narrative, well, foundations to lay in its opening salvo, which involve Hari Seldon’s (Jared Harris) digital consciousness and the Cleons, aka the ruling trio of the Galactic Empire. But, considering we’ve waited eight episodes to see Gaal and Salvor cross paths, Foundation season 2 doesn’t delay their gauche-like first social interaction.
Pace’s more brazen and comedic turn as Day is delightfully the highlight of the Cleons' rapidly freestanding personas
Indeed, the duo’s acquaintance is understandably uneasy. Gaal’s attempt to process the fact that she has a daughter, coupled with Salvor’s overeagerness to prove her worth, creates an underlying layer of suspense as they try to navigate this newfound familial bond. The pair are clearly grateful for each other’s presence on Synnax’s otherwise barren, oceanic surface. Even so, the initial discomfort the duo feels, particularly Gaal, is unavoidable, and Llobell and Harvey’s fascinatingly delicate performances only help to further elevate that uneasiness.
Thanks to each character’s smarts and skill sets, though, it isn’t long before they’re bonding over their niche but surprisingly similar experiences.
As Gaal’s biological daughter, Salvor’s intelligence and problem-solving matches her mom’s. The duo’s individual strengths, such as Gaal’s ability to breathe for longer underwater and Salvor’s mastery of tech, are particularly useful when paired together to determine how to leave Synnax, whose oceans are rapidly rising due to global warming. It’s this natural, almost telepathic co-operation, coupled with Salvor and Gaal’s respective abilities to see into the past and future, that’ll make them a formidable dyad throughout season 2. And, frankly, I cannot wait to see them team up with Hari and their other, as-yet-unknown allies to take the fight to the Empire.
Speaking of Hari, the deceased psychohistorian’s digital consciousness spends much of season 2 episode 1 trapped in an Escher-style prison. Revealing where he is exactly and who he might encounter in this realm is a big spoiler, so I’m hesitant to discuss it at length.
What I can say, though, is scenes involving Hari give a disorienting, Shakespearean, and almost horror-imbued flavor to season 2’s opening entry. This realm’s monochromatic palette, fused with Hari’s rage and confusion, make for incredibly claustrophobic and mind-bending sequences that are sure to unsettle some viewers. For someone of Hari’s intellect, however, this reality is nothing more than a temporary jail cell. Once freed, his subsequent reunion with his protégé Gaal (and first encounter with Salvor) is as astonishing to them as its cliffhanger ending is for viewers. Again, no spoilers, but expect a highly entertaining barrage of verbal fireworks from the get-go in season 2 episode 2.
The Empire strikes back
Okay, so the Gaal, Salvor, and Hari storyline doesn’t sound too action-packed. What about the other major narrative in Foundation season 2, which focuses on the Empire side of the equation?
Unlike season 1 events that transpired on Trantor, the planet at the center of the Empire’s galaxy-spanning kingdom, season 2 wastes no time getting into fight-based territory. Eight minutes is all it takes for some rebels to try to assassinate Brother Day (Lee Pace), aka the Empire’s tyrannical ruler; a frenetic, pulsating close-quarters skirmish that nearly results in his death. Luckily for Day, his trusty robot advisor-cum-secret lover Eto Demerzel (Laura Birn) is on hand to save the day again.
Salvor and Gaal’s respective abilities to see into the past and future will make them a formidable dyad throughout season 2
Day and Demerzel’s secret romance isn’t a plot thread that should be readily dismissed here, either. Remember, nearly 140 years have passed since we visited this universe, meaning this version of Day – and his siblings/fellow rulers Dawn (Cassian Bilton) and Dusk (Terrence Mann) – are entirely new clones of Cleon I. Given the shocking revelation that came to light in season 1’s final episode concerning Cleon’s clone lineage, too, Day and company aren’t actually identical replicas of their forebear or each other.
Season 2’s versions of Day, Dawn, and Dusk are more distinct (personality-wise, anyway) than previous versions of their characters. This dissimilarity gives Pace, Bilton, and Mann the opportunity to bring individualistic flair to their characters – Pace’s more brazen and comedic turn as Day is delightfully the highlight of the trio’s rapidly freestanding personas – and explore the varying levels of autonomy they possess. That includes Day’s pursuit of a no strings attached relationship with Demerzel and the looming interstellar war between the Empire and Hari’s Foundation he will surely instigate.
But Day has other plans from a de facto ruler standpoint, which involves getting married to Cloud Dominion’s firebrand Queen Sareth, who’s portrayed with stunning vibrancy, playfulness, and strength of character by newcomer Ella-Rae Smith.
Indeed, Sareth’s arrival on Trantor drops a proverbial hand grenade into the mix. It’s a visit that threatens to further destabilize the tight bond between Day, Dawn, and Dusk, which is already on tenterhooks and adds a gratifying dose of royal paranoia to proceedings. As with the season’s other main storyline, the steady breakdown in relations between the three Cleons will make for riveting viewing. Sareth potentially tearing the Empire apart from within, as is teased in Foundation season 2’s first Star Trek-inspired trailer, is also sure to make for a compelling spectacle.
My verdict
‘In Seldon’s Shadow’ is a cosmically exciting start to Foundation season 2. The new partnerships and dynamics introduced in its opening episode, in addition to its tighter narrative focus and pacing, deliver a more even, beguiling exhibition of Foundation’s prestige sci-fi universe.
Season 1 was messy in its makeup, but it’s clear now that Foundation’s first 10-episode installment walked so its successor could run. With the character, story, and universe-building groundwork laid in the show’s first outing, Foundation season 2 bursts out of the traps with a highly satisfying premiere that shows how much it’s learned from the relative failures of its predecessor. If the nine episodes that follow are as excellent as this one, Foundation will not only cement its place as one of the best Apple TV Plus series but confirm one of the world’s best streaming services as the place to go for any sci-fi fan’s needs.
Foundation season 2 launches exclusively on Apple TV Plus on Friday, July 14. New episodes release weekly until the season 2 finale on September 22.
