Starting in this episode, until the end of the first season, the series "adapts" the two "Salvor Hardin"-centered parts of the first Foundation book: "The Encyclopedists" and "The Mayors." It's only a very loose adaptation, as only Salvor Hardin and Lewis Pirenne's characters are retained, entire subplots are made up (all of the ones related to the Emperors to boot), and basically two Seldon crises (one 50 years after the start of the Foundation and one 80 years) are compounded into one, happening 35 years after the start. Also, the entire story of the Actionist party is completely removed, as is the Science religion one (well, only postponed actually), and Salvor Hardin is supposed to be a shrewd politician, not a smart individual with special powers.