I am grateful for the Foundation series and I know it cannot be easy to adapt into a television series and I hope season two of the proposed eight season story arc covering the seven books in some form though not literally will be great. Personally I find it takes three seasons for a show to hit it’s stride, but if there is one thing I wish the series did better was be more cohesive and faithful to the books. Cleon on the salt planet undergoing the ritual to prove he has a soul was great, but I feel as though the stuff on Terminus has become a bit tiresome. I attribute it all to growing pains and the finale may be so good that it redeems the entire season and has everyone anxious for series two. Some of the long journeys in the story seem like side quests as times when this really should be about how through different crisis, the Foundation becomes a dominant power in it’s corner of the Galaxy. Season two should be the swan song for the Empire with a battle against a strong war general and then by the end of season two, we should finally encounter the Mule. That is what I would like to see anyway.
Please note that this is all speculation for my part and it is just an opinion that could be totally wrong. I just wish the momentum and cohesiveness would kick up a few more notches and we see some more intelligent manners to how Dr. Asimov developed and solved the issues in the book. Right now Terminus feels like the weakest link and it should be the major focus as in I should be looking forward to getting back every week.
I find faithfulness to the book a moot point. I have only heard positive things about the Empire story, including from die hard book fans, and that is made up stuff. You yourself say you wish it was more faithful yet you liked Cleon's story.