Hello, everyone! Hope you’re doing well. Today, I’m diving into a review of the series Foundation, which showcases David S. Goyer’s ambitious take on Isaac Asimov’s renowned science fiction books. The series explores the decline of a galactic empire and humanity’s quest for survival across the universe.
The third season debuted on Apple TV+ on July 11, 2025, continuing the grand narrative that started in September 2021. With each season comprising 10 episodes of about 60 minutes each, Foundation stands as one of the most visually stunning and narratively intricate series on television. The show boasts a talented cast, including Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell, and Leah Harvey, weaving a vast space opera that covers centuries and various worlds.
Drawing from Isaac Asimov’s award-winning novels, Foundation follows a group of exiles on their monumental mission to rescue humanity and reconstruct civilization amidst the Galactic Empire’s collapse. The series delves into themes of power, fate, religion, and the cyclical nature of societies, while presenting some of the most breathtaking visual effects ever seen on television.
Predicting Human Fate Through Mathematics
In a distant future, mathematician Hari Seldon has devised psychohistory, an innovative science capable of forecasting the future of large populations. His projections indicate that the grand Galactic Empire will crumble within 500 years, plunging humanity into a 30,000-year-long dark age. To safeguard knowledge and reduce this period of darkness, Seldon sets up two Foundations at opposite ends of the galaxy.
Foundation’s brilliance lies in its layered storytelling strategy. While chronicling the Foundation’s mission to preserve civilization, the series also examines the Empire’s decay from the perspective of the genetic dynasty of cloned emperors. Each narrative unfolds on distinct timelines, with some characters experiencing decades and others centuries, thanks to various technological advancements.
Season 3 introduces The Mule, one of Asimov’s most intriguing villains, a mysterious character with unmatched mental abilities that threaten to disrupt Seldon’s meticulously crafted plan. The Mule makes a dramatic entrance in the premiere episode, ‘A Song For the End of Everything’, adding a new level of unpredictability to the series’ exploration of fate versus autonomy.
Hari Seldon: Jared Harris as the Mathematics Prophet
Jared Harris delivers an outstanding performance as Hari Seldon, the psychohistorian whose calculations initiate the entire saga. Harris brings depth and intellectual authority to a character who must persuade both his followers and viewers that mathematics can predict human fate on a galactic scale.
Harris’s portrayal is particularly compelling as he depicts Seldon’s unwavering belief in his science while revealing the personal toll of holding such immense knowledge. Seldon is aware that billions will suffer during the Empire’s downfall, yet he also knows his plan is humanity’s sole hope for survival. Harris beautifully captures this burden, crafting a character who is both visionary and tragic.
Through diverse technological means, Seldon appears across different eras, allowing Harris to explore how the character’s legend evolves and how future generations interpret his original intentions. It’s a challenging role that requires Harris to embody both a historical figure and a mythical prophet.
Brother Day: Lee Pace’s Regal Authority
Lee Pace captivates every scene as Brother Day, the ruling clone of Emperor Cleon I, representing the Empire at its height of power and paranoia. Pace infuses both regal command and underlying vulnerability into a character who governs trillions while wrestling with identity and mortality issues.
The 46-year-old actor unveils his “fat and happy”—and gloriously bearded—new Brother Day in Season 3, illustrating how power and time have transformed the character. Pace’s ability to portray the Empire’s magnificent decay and Day’s personal evolution makes him one of television’s most fascinating antagonists.
The dynamic among the three Cleon clones (Dawn, Day, and Dusk) offers some of the series’ most psychologically intricate material. Pace must navigate a character who is simultaneously an individual and part of a collective identity spanning centuries, creating intriguing tensions between personal ambition and dynastic duty.
Gaal Dornick and Salvor Hardin: The Future of Foundation
Lou Llobell as Gaal Dornick and Leah Harvey as Salvor Hardin embody the human faces of Seldon’s grand design. Both actresses bring strength and intellect to characters who must advance a mission they didn’t choose while carving their own paths through an unpredictable galaxy.
Llobell’s Gaal serves as the emotional core for much of the series’ scientific concepts, aiding audiences in comprehending psychohistory through her mathematical prowess and human intuition. Her character’s journey from Seldon’s pupil to an independent force in galactic events offers one of the series’ most rewarding character arcs.
Harvey’s Salvor introduces a more action-oriented energy while maintaining the intellectual depth that defines Foundation’s characters. Her role as a protective leader demonstrates how individuals can influence seemingly predetermined historical forces, adding complexity to the series’ examination of destiny versus choice.
Visual Marvel: Crafting a Credible Galaxy
Foundation sets a new benchmark for science fiction television with its production design, visual effects, and cinematography. Each frame appears meticulously crafted, from the shining spires of Trantor to the harsh terrains of Terminus. The series develops distinct visual languages for various worlds and cultures, making the galaxy seem vast and lived-in.
The costume and makeup design deserve special commendation, particularly in portraying the various evolutionary stages of the Cleon dynasty and the diverse alien cultures encountered throughout the galaxy. Each world appears unique while maintaining the series’ overall visual harmony.
The space battles and large-scale destruction sequences rival any seen in major films, yet the series never allows spectacle to overshadow character development or thematic substance. The visual effects serve the narrative rather than dominating it.
Thriving on Apple TV+
Despite losing its flawless Rotten Tomatoes score, the third season of Apple’s Foundation is a worldwide streaming sensation. The series has consistently been one of Apple TV+’s premier offerings, highlighting the streaming service’s dedication to high-quality, ambitious content.
Foundation epitomizes the kind of prestigious television Apple TV+ aims to produce. With its substantial budget, top-tier cast, and intricate storytelling, the series shows that streaming platforms can adeptly adapt previously “unfilmable” science fiction works. The show has garnered a devoted global audience that values both its stunning visuals and intellectual richness.
Critics and viewers have lauded the series for honoring Asimov’s source material while making necessary adjustments for television. While some purists debate alterations from the books, most fans appreciate how the series captures the scope and themes of the original novels while crafting compelling television drama.
If you’re a fan of epic science fiction, political intrigue, and narratives that span centuries and star systems, Foundation is the perfect series to immerse yourself in on Apple TV+. It’s a show that proves science fiction television can be both intellectually stimulating and visually spectacular, offering the kind of grand storytelling that reminds us why we fell in love with the genre in the first place.
A masterwork of science fiction television that successfully transforms Asimov’s complex novels into a visually stunning, emotionally impactful drama that explores humanity’s destiny among the stars.
Series Details:
Number of Episodes: 10 per season (3 seasons total)
Platform: Apple TV+ (US) / Apple TV+ (International)
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Genre: Science Fiction Drama
Protagonists: Jared Harris (Hari Seldon), Lou Llobell (Gaal Dornick), Leah Harvey (Salvor Hardin)
Antagonist: Lee Pace (Brother Day), The Mule, and the collapse of civilization itself