Foundation Co-Creator David S. Goyer Made An Underrated Sci-Fi Series Featuring A Star Trek Veteran

• Television
• Science Fiction Shows

Apple TV's "Foundation" might be based on Isaac Asimov's eponymous science fiction series, but the credit for its ambitious storytelling goes to series creators David S. Goyer and Josh Friedman. In fact, Goyer made it a point to bring levity to Asimov's epic tale, as the interplay between serious drama and dark humor lends to a more compelling saga. Also, Asimov's "Foundation" was deemed impossible to adapt, but Goyer and co. did it anyway — and the results speak for themselves three seasons in, with a fourth on the way. That said, "Foundation" isn't the first sci-fi series Goyer has adapted for television. He also created ABC's "FlashForward" alongside Brannon Braga (a key creative force behind the "Star Trek" franchise), which is based on Robert J. Sawyer's 1999 novel of the same name.

Sawyer's novel places scientific curiosity front and center. His "FlashForward" questions the arbitrary nature of morality while exploring the concepts of free will and determinism. Complex theories on quantum mechanics are put forward to mull over the state of the world in a dystopian future, with religious dogma interjecting to claim scientific feats as miracles. Goyer, however, doesn't bother with these dense specifics. Instead, he opts for a full-blown mystery-box approach by switching out Sawyer's physicist protagonist for one that works for the F.B.I. 

Special agents Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes) and Demetri Noh (John Cho, who played Hikaru Sulu in the "Star Trek" reboot films) work together to make sense of a baffling phenomenon where nearly every human being loses consciousness for two minutes on a certain date. This blackout period is riddled with visions, or flashforwards, of a possible future shared by all.

While this sounds pretty intriguing, is Goyer's "FlashForward" any good?

David S. Goyer's FlashForward can be quite engrossing when it wants to be

It is not hyperbolic to say that "Lost" changed television forever. "Lost" was all the rage when "FlashForward" premiered in 2009, drawing optimistic comparisons between the two mystery-box shows. Despite omitting the scientific complexity of Sawyer's novel, the series put forward a high-concept narrative where the F.B.I. attempts to unravel the truth behind the mysterious flashforwards humanity experiences as a collective. Mark's flashforward was about the investigation in question, allowing him to dig into clues to figure out what might've transpired. Every individual's flashforward is distinctly different, colored by the possible choices they might make down the line. This triggers several self-fulfilling prophecies, as any attempts to avoid a predestined outcome inadvertently loop back to the path people desperately avoid.

The "Lost" comparisons aren't confined to the mystery format, as Goyer's series delves into the troubled lives of a wide cast of characters who remain interconnected despite their disparate trajectories. There are secrets within secrets, time travel mechanics of sorts, and a dizzying amount of non-linearity. Such a favorable comparison might've set the bar a bit too high, but "FlashForward" is thoroughly entertaining even at its most flawed. The philosophical undertones of the show aren't as profound as the questions put forth by Sawyer's book, but they're worth pursuing nonetheless. The themes of free will vs. determinism crop up, albeit in a flashier interpretation of what causality and time loops entail.

If you're fond of "Foundation" and its ability to turn an acclaimed sci-fi text into a fascinating adaptation, chances are that you'll also appreciate "FlashForward." Whether or not you'll like the "Lost" parallels depends on your relationship with the popular adventure drama, which might be complicated, to say the least.