Foundation Season 1 Episode 5 review: Gaal Dornick returns to save the series from its rut!

3/5

Story:

This is the only episode so far in the series that does not feature Trantor and the Empire. Instead, it focuses on Gaal Dornick’s life before she met Hari Seldon, while also focusing on the Foundation 35 years into the future at Terminus and the imminent threat of violence in the colony.

Review:

Despite being a significant improvement from the previous episode, it continues to be riddled with exposition that is bordering along the lines of being tedious. However, there are signs that the narrative is finally taking shape even though it has taken nearly five episodes to get to this point. The subplot revolving around Terminus is likely where the overall story of season one will conclude.

The flashback to the Synnax provides context into Gaal's transformation from an acolyte of the religious cult to an idealist and a genius mathematician. Synnax’s unique topography and its environment offer excellent visuals and also serve as an excellent plot device to further flesh out its story. There are also subtext layered about climate change and religious fanaticism - topics that are relevant to contemporary socio-politics across the globe.

Gael’s arc in this episode finally offers some much-needed insight into her character and why she chose to leave her family, her religion, her beliefs, and even her planet to pursue a career in mathematical research. This is an interesting aspect considering how people who devoted their lives to research, philosophy, and science are executed in the name of dubious religious beliefs, but a young woman showing courage to defy the system and pursue higher learning, os symbolic of several atrocities committed by rulers from the dark ages to the post-World War II era in the real world.

The episode also throws in an intriguing question about Hari Seldon’s prediction, and whether he may have inadvertently created a paradox that acts as a catalyst to future events that he predicted. However, despite numerous bright moments throughout the episode, it is inconsistent in its pacing. The ‘Rain Man’ moment Gaal has while trying to outwit an AI, after she wakes up from cryosleep, was poorly reproduced on-screen and affects the immersive experience of the narrative.

Verdict:

The episode is undoubtedly an improvement but is simply not enough for Foundation to be regarded in the same bracket as some of the acclaimed TV shows that debuted this year, well at least not yet anyway. The episode ends on a cliffhanger that keeps the intrigue alive. Hopefully, the best is yet to come from the series, which promised so much more in its pilot episode.