News Foundation Adaptation Series Officially Ordered by Apple

[Brobdingnag]

I'm starting to wonder that myself. Instead of a Harry holo at each crisis, will Gaal be woken up to impart knowledge, then go back to sleep?

Plus she is the genius who solved the paradox of whatnow by reading a poem, on a planet where math were forbidden. She also keeps counting primes for no practical reason. I am also told that she's never misplaced her car keys which is truly remarkable... I wonder how people can survive on a planet where there's not a patch of dry land, at best you get water ankle deep.
Plus they keep killing the smart people. I guess that's how the Packleds got started.

 

[Hartzilla2007]

I'm starting to wonder that myself. Instead of a Harry holo at each crisis, will Gaal be woken up to impart knowledge, then go back to sleep?

I think she's there to set up The Second Foundation stuff.

 

[Markonian]

I am enjoying this show.

 

[David cgc]

I'm not sure what to make of Salvor Hardin's character so far. I hope that her propensity for violence is intended to allow a character arc, versus just outright changing the character.

Goyer said it was an arc in this week's episode of the podcast. His thought is that this is Hardin's origin story, leading to the events she (or he) was in during the book, so having "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent" being her father's truism and her dismissing it is setting things up for her to come around on the idea later on. I think I see where they're going, this is explicitly a futile and pointless conflict (props to them for actually going with, "Actually, this wanton act of spite has made me feel better.")

Anacreon was a Greek lyric poet famous for writing drinking songs and erotic poetry. Hell of a guy...

You may also remember him as the patron of a gentleman's club (not that kind) in the 1700s, who's theme song, "To Anacreon in Heaven," was the origin of the music for "The Star-Spangled Banner."

 

[yotsuya]

Yes, there is no trace of a second foundation an the prime radiant is in the hands of the first foundation. I think they may take a different tack on where the second foundation is and it is an idea in the books. That the second foundation is located with the first foundation and doesn't involve very many people.

What we do have is a series created in light of the 7 books Asimov wrote in the series proper. Much as come from the two prequels. They may have rearranged things to make it play out better in the long run.

My issue is that the are straying too far in some ways, but it is not spoiling my enjoyment of the series. I think all parts are intriguing and interesting to watch. I just binged the last 2 1/2 episodes. Good stuff. It definitely departs from the books, but only time will tell if the departure is successful.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

You may also remember him as the patron of a gentleman's club (not that kind) in the 1700s, who's theme song, "To Anacreon in Heaven," was the origin of the music for "The Star-Spangled Banner."

I doubt Goyer is old enough to have been a member and Anacreon was long dead (unless either or both are secretly the Comte de Saint Germain and he was a member) so I'm not sure who the "him" being referred to is.

 

[yotsuya]

I doubt Goyer is old enough to have been a member and Anacreon was long dead (unless either or both are secretly the Comte de Saint Germain and he was a member) so I'm not sure who the "him" being referred to is.

The way the text reads, it's implying that Anacreon was the mascot of this gentleman's club from which came the music that now serves as the US national anthem. It was a drinking song originally.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

The definition of patron is a "person who gives financial or other support to a person, organization, or cause". The word patron is not synonymous with mascot. I was being pompously pedantic, I know.

 

[David cgc]

The definition of patron is a "person who gives financial or other support to a person, organization, or cause". The word patron is not synonymous with mascot. I was being pompously pedantic, I know.

The word is literally in the song, used in the same sense as in the phrase “patron saint:”

To Anacreon in Heav'n, where he sat in full Glee,
A few Sons of Harmony sent a Petition,
That he their Inspirer and Patron would be;
When this answer arriv'd from the Jolly Old Grecian
"Voice, Fiddle, and Flute,
"no longer be mute,
"I'll lend you my Name and inspire you to boot,
"And, besides I'll instruct you, like me, to intwine
"The Myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's Vine."

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Yeah, but as he was a heathen he couldn't be in Heaven to be a patron. He'd be in either Hell or Limbo. Funny interpretation of Christianity they had. I admit that I didn't read the lyrics as I couldn't give a toss about 18th Century gentlemen's drinking clubs. Thanks for putting me straight though.

 

[Brobdingnag]

People often use "patron" as a synonym for "customer". It's kind of abusive but it's a way to schmooze with the clientele.

 

[yotsuya]

Patron has many meanings. In this sense it is more of an inspiring figure. Similar to a Patron Saint, but almost the opposite. It can also mean a person who is subsidizing an artist or a person who frequents an establishment or one on of a group of people funding a larger organization.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Adopting Anacreon as their mascot was an excuse for regularly getting pissed as newts and singing bawdy songs - so basically pretty much like a rugby club drinking session without the rugby.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

The latest episode was a big improvement.

 

[wayoung]

Meh. I'm enjoying the Empire bits, but when they go to Terminus? I just zone out. I don't find it interesting at all. Looks like they are combining the first two crises, since the recovered battleship was from the second.

 

[thribs]

So Gaal can see the future. She's a Jedi now.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

So Gaal has "magic" prescience powers and the plan depends on her - and also apparently Salvor who is probably her daughter developed from a fetus implanted into a surrogate mother? I don't think the people adapting this series have much of a clue about the basis of Psychohistory as described in the trilogy where it's humans in mass numbers that are important, not individuals. This show has now deviated so far that it is its own creature. It's not unwatchable but it's not really Foundation apart from the names of some of the characters and places.

 

[Brobdingnag]

So Gaal has "magic" prescience powers and the plan depends on her - and also apparently Salvor who is probably her daughter developed from a fetus implanted into a surrogate mother? I don't think the people adapting this series have much of a clue about the basis of Psychohistory as described in the trilogy where it's humans in mass numbers that are important, not individuals. This show has now deviated so far that it is its own creature. It's not unwatchable but it's not really Foundation apart from the names of some of the characters and places.

I agree. It's an interesting show but it's no foundation at all. Nothing is like in the original. Salvor Hardin is not Terminus' mayor but its... warden!!! There's no four Kingdoms fighting to get on top, there's no Hardin playing each kingdom against the others. Terminus looks like a shanty town not the center of future scientific advances... The Emperor is barely spoken of in the book until "The General" where he gets a couple of scenes. Here the emperor takes up half of the episodes at least... Demerzel is not a robot hiding its nature from everyone, no she was officially built to serve the emperors... There's that cloning business... Religion everywhere... When in the book religion was just a way to manipulate the Kingdoms.... the list goes on, and on, and on...

 

[Hartzilla2007]

So Gaal has "magic" prescience powers

Feels like they are just foreshadowing the psychics better so The Mule isn't so out of left field.

The plan depends on her

Hardin picking up the slack seems to suggest Seldon just needed someone who was better at managing the situation than the out of his depth academic they were originally stuck with until Hardin came along.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Salem, Ironwood? Isn't that RWBY - not that I've ever seen it?