Okay, I know this is Asimov's premise for the whole thing, and I have no problem with that--I mean, it was short story in a 10cent magazine back in the 1940's. But in a million dollar series that is going to be several episodes (not a short story in a pulp mag), at a time when we have some amazing scifi television series (like The Expanse) that try hard to be logical and consistent....shouldn't the writer of this series have given more thought as to WHY the Emperor almost executes Hari for this?
The nominal excuse we're given in the first episode is that Hari has influence and is going to shake up the Empire with his predictions. But...
(1) There's trillions of people on Trantor and trillions more in the galaxy at large. How much of an influencer is Hari that he'd worry the Emperor? Hari seems to be a reclusive mathematician who is famous only among other mathematicians. (How many followers does he have?) He's not a Pope or popular world leader or famous or super charismatic or anything...so, why execution/exile?
(2) Hari's only proof that his predictions are true is math so obscure and difficult that only a rare genius who solves a problem that's never yet been solved can attest that it's true...If climate change scientists, who have a ton of data that can be understood by laymen have a tough time convincing people, think how hard a time Hari would have...so why worry about him convincing a lot of people?
(3) And in answer to that question: yes, there's a long history of people predicting the end of the world, no proof needed. And a long history of people believing those predictions. losing their minds and doing weird stuff. But how much of this is getting out to the public at large? Is Hari making galaxy-wide speeches about this? Did he put out a best selling book/documentary that was beamed into everyone's home on every planet?
Which brings me to the real question here...if there is ANY explanation as to why the Emperor is seriously worried about the influence of Hari's predictions to undermine the Empire...why hasn't the show presented that explanation?
Oh, I agree the Emperor is worried, which is why he exiled Hari. But what I don't understand is WHY he's taking Hari seriously at all. The problem here is the scope of the Empire. There are all these planets and they have trillions of people. TRILLIONS. Out of those Trillions there must be billions that send letters to the Emperor every day saying "I can predict the future!"
And I'm sure there's a billion imperial offices whose job is to read such letters, cull out the crazies, and send the rest up to the next million offices to be culled, and moved up to the next million offices, and culled and moved up....until they reach high officials.
How did Hari's letter get to the Emperor? His thesis had to have been read by those in lower positions first...why didn't they toss it out? Why let it get into the hands of the Emperor? Did the prizes and acclaim he won as super-math-genius get him friends in high places and given him a direct line to the Emperor? Or was his following loud enough to gain that kind of attention?
And even so...why did the Emperor take Hari's predictions seriously over all BILLIONS of predictions he has to get every day? I'm sorry, but it makes no sense. There's no hint of why the Emperor would ever take Hari's precitions more seriously than if Hari was basing them on astrology. Not if Hari's formulas read as nonsense even to other mathematicians.
And if he has taken Hari seriously, that raises another question: why the public trial which gave Hari a pulpit to spread his predictions? Why not get rid of Hari quietly (execution or exile) if the goal is to make everyone forget about Hari and his predictions?
Hari's famous enough that the barbarians blame him for the destruction of their worlds. It seems a very big blunder by this this super smart Emperor to have given Hari that kind of lasting fame.