Parents' Guide to Foundation

Foundation immediately pulls viewers in with its immaculately polished production values and immense sense of scope. Packed with massive starships, sprawling vistas, slick technology, and incredibly imaginative costumes, it's a big -- and clearly big-budget -- affair that could easily stand up against any silver-screen sci-fi epic. But unlike the Star Wars saga and its ilk, the series -- based on Isaac Asimov's famously complex, un-adaptable novel -- is far more focused on dialogue-heavy character interactions than clashing lightsabers.

Thankfully, the cast and performances are all fantastic, ensuring the show's more talky, cerebral take on the genre generally remains engaging throughout. Harris and Llobell are especially good, as an unlikely pairing of protagonists who rely on their brilliantl minds rather than blasters to save the day. And Pace, who sits -- literally and figuratively -- at the center of a cloned-emperor triumvirate is deliciously sinister. His relationship with his younger and older selves makes for some of the series' most weird and watchable dynamics. Foundation's sizable cast, complex lore, and massive scope can be daunting in the same ways Game of Thrones' early seasons were. And while it's certainly not without its share of stunning set pieces and reliable sci-fi action, it's a far more measured, weighty affair that won't be everyone's cup of tea. If you favor rich characterizations and layered storytelling over laser swords and space cowboys, however, Foundation just might become your next sci-fi binge.