Apple TV’s Foundation is one of the best sci-fi series of the 2020s. Based on the epic novels by Isaac Asimov, Foundation is a series about a dying galactic empire and the team of intelligent rebels trying to save the civilization and the vast knowledge they’ve acquired before everything crumbles. These novels imagine a futuristic world where society is separated into intelligent groups spanning different planets, all ruled by the Empire.
2021’s Foundation is a beautiful retelling of this classic sci-fi story shrunk into two seasons, with the third currently in production. With tons of award nominations for outstanding visual effects, created environment, original scores, and leading and supporting actors, this series deserves the best sci-fi series of the decade title. Here are a few reasons why everyone should be watching this underrated masterpiece!
‘Foundation’ Has a Mesmerising Plot
Foundation follows a psychohistorian named Hari Seldon, played by Jared Harris, who has predicted the end of the Galactic Empire through a series of crises. Before his demise, Seldon sets out to create a Foundation to help reduce the time the galaxy will spend recovering from the post-Empire collapse. He does this with the help of Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell), a brilliant mathematician, on a journey of love and heartbreak that leads her to her daughter after years in cryosleep trying to avert these crises.
Many fans found Foundation Season 1’s plot hard to understand, but it helped set up plenty of what viewers loved about the second season. While some major changes to the TV show were made to make the story more digestible for viewers, it didn’t dumb down much of the story, instead treating its viewers like adults who can decipher knowledge and find the hidden truth without being pointed in that direction. The series takes several liberties from the books, which seems to have worked well to make it more watchable. The book tells the story of the empire’s fall over centuries and with different characters, but probably to prevent several recasts, the TV show revolves around a few characters and their effect on the empire.
The dialogue-rich episodes will also pique viewers’ interest because of the frequent time jumps and how the story is told. The twists in the first season were also a surprise, making the second season harder to wait for two years later. Making viewers believe that Seldon was dead until the last episode was a good plot point, even if they did it again in the second season.
Foundation Season 2 didn’t disappoint either, pulling all the stops while opening up this galaxy with the introduction of more characters and players whose story will impact the Galactic Empire in the third season, like The Mule. The revelation that Demerzel is ruling the empire with the help of a hologram of the original Cleon shocked fans who hadn’t read the books but only thickened the plot. With Foundation Season 3 currently in production, the story will only become more convoluted as things unfold. Add the epic battles, a community of telepaths, and a fleeing empress; this finale was one of the best on Apple TV.
The Production Is Out of this World – Literally
Apple spares no expense when adapting these popular novels to their streaming platform. Showrunner David S. Goyer had a budget of $45 million and wouldn’t play any games with this sci-fi series. This galactic world could be likened to the Star Wars franchise on steroids, and instead of taking decades to create a world around this story, it took only a few years and one season. For sci-fi fans who love grand shows and productions like Game of Thrones and recent hit Apple TV shows like For All Mankind, Silo, and Andor, Foundation does an amazing job of transporting viewers into a new world filled with endless possibilities to explore.
This empire is set in the far future, so the set designs would have to be high-end and filled with futuristic sets and paintings. It is one of the most stunning TV shows produced for TV. It feels like a box office movie split into episodes with its cinematic feel and beauty. It could even distract you from the plot a couple of times. Whether it’s the set, the costumes, the world-building, or the VFX, viewers will be left wanting more.
‘Foundation’ TV Show Is Led by Talented Actors
The cast of Foundation is brilliant. Lee Pace known for various TV and Movie roles is a huge draw for the series. He plays the emperor, Day, and easily portrays the ruler of this vast and rich remote region with ease, thanks to his poise and intimidating posture. While he is imposing, he can also be charming, making viewers think he isn’t the villain the story sets him up to be, especially in the second season, as he gets his bride while changing how things have been run for centuries. Pace’s performance wouldn’t be what it is without the help of his clones, Dusk and Dawn, who form the genetic dynasty.
Another highlight of the series from the first season is Laura Birn’s character, Demerzel. Demerzel is the robotic companion of the emperor. But she isn’t only an advisor. The Second Season gave fans a better picture of who she is and how she started serving the empire at a time when all members of her species had been killed off. While in certain scenes, especially in the second season, she seems more human than robot, Demerzel is captivating and weirdly mesmerising that you can’t take your eyes off her.
Harris is thrilling as Hari Seldon, the psychohistorian who has learned to predict social change and has now become an enemy of the empire for trying to prevent its downfall. Even when you think he is out of the picture, the story still takes place around him. His story is tied to that of his protege, Gaal. Gaal is thrust into this complex new world, and despite Lloubell being relatively new to the acting scene, she does a great job of showing how her character is in a state of panic with all the changes she has to deal with and the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Foundation Season 2 focuses more on Salvor Hardin, played by the talented Leah Harvey, whose life occurs decades later. Harvey is a British actress who is also new to the acting scene with no previous credits before Foundation. But you can hardly tell how good she is at her role. Aside from introducing viewers to new talented stars, the Foundation’s cast is one of the best on TV right now. And it has played a role in giving fans a worthwhile experience with each episode. While Foundation is a relatively underrated show, it is one of the best series of the decade. Here are other sci-fi shows on Apple TV+ to watch if you like Foundation.
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