Sci-fi fans: check out Foundation’s excellent season 2 while it’s free (for now).

Oh, do you think that’s hyperbolic? Well, I’m just getting started. Foundation (season 2) has one of Lee Pace’s best performances, has the best starship designs this side of Villeneuve’s Dunesince has the best romantic villain type Han Solo The empire strikes backand has the most bombastic television finale since the Red Wedding. It’s all backed up by an inexplicably lavish costume, set, and CGI budget that can’t be explained as anything other than a nine-figure tax write-off. And you don’t have to have seen a single episode of the first season or read a page of the book to enjoy it!

This is about Isaac Asimov Foundation: It’s an odd choice for a television series, one that requires a lot of adjustments to function as episodic storytelling. There were clearly some kinks that needed to be worked out, and it seems like it took one mediocre season to iron out all those wrinkles. Fortunately the series Also functions a bit like an anthology, with a cast of largely new characters for the second (and upcoming third) season. All you need to know from the first season is that (spoiler warning) immortal clone emperor Lee Pace is extremely angry about a group of nerds (led by Ed Harris and his protégé Lou Llobell) who keep saying that his galactic empire is going to collapse (and they’re absolutely right, because mathematics). There I have summarized the mediocre first season and now you are ready for a prestigious sci-fi drama full of pulpy adventures, palace intrigues, steamy love stories (gay and otherwise), and whatnot really good explosions.

Still not convinced? Well, there’s that naked Lee Pace ninja fight in the season 2 premiere.

Hurry now, you have 10 incredible episodes to watch. You can thank me later!