Apple TV+ has become the home of science fiction. While it’s a genre that has always had an intriguing presence in the world of series, the major sci-fi offerings from platforms like HBO Max or Netflix have often fallen short. However, Apple TV+ has been consistently championing the genre since its inception, as demonstrated by shows like “Silo” and “Invasion.”
However, the best science fiction masterpiece on Apple TV+ is one that premiered two years ago and is now entering its second season: “Foundation.” Based on the books by Isaac Asimov, this series created by David S. Goyer and Josh Friedman has achieved the incredibly challenging task of staying true to the vast scope of the writer’s creation. Here is the trailer for Season 2:
An epopoeic series to understand science fiction
Foundation is Isaac Asimov’s magnum opus, and he is considered the creator of science fiction as we know it today. It is entirely based on the concept of psychohistory – a method through which historical movements can be predicted thousands of years into the future using mathematics.
Building upon this foundation, Foundation is an epic story that spans multiple generations and revolves around the concept of time as the core of its plot and metaphors. This is why it seemed impossible to adapt it well, yet Goyer and Friedman have done an exceptional job that clearly showcases the golden age of television series.
Throughout the first season of Foundation, the series takes us to Trantor, the capital of the Galactic Empire – yes, just like in Star Wars, as George Lucas drew significant inspiration from the Foundation universe. Here, the concept of psychohistory is explored. We are transported 12,000 years into the future to witness the fall of the government, and later, we are taken to the post-humanity barbarism that occurs 30,000 years after its collapse.
Translate to English: All of this is done from Hari Seldon’s point of view, the protagonist responsible for ensuring that everything eventually comes to be understood in one way or another. Since it is an anthology of short stories, it was not clear whether Foundation was going to go for something like Black Mirror or maintain the thread of the story intact. In the end, it has opted for the latter but with the structure of the past and present from the original book.
This causes Foundation to be a series in which it is necessary to pay close attention since all the threads are part of a much larger plan. However, the creators have adapted it with enough progress so that it does not seem like a book written in 1951. Furthermore, it blends the theoretical conception of what it proposes with unprecedented visual epicness perfectly.
It is this last point that makes the series stand out even more. Foundation is a beautiful series in which CGI and practical effects blend together to dazzle us with incredible landscapes and settings. Every philosophical conversation is complemented by stunning visual accompaniment, and the initially complex story is detailed thanks to its incredible resources.
In the second season, it appears that we will see a narrative even more focused on the events of the empire, delving fully into the inner novels of Foundation and continuing to explain its story from Seldon’s point of view. Furthermore, everything indicates that the investment will double, and although it doesn’t seem to have been the most-watched series on Apple TV+, the platform’s investment has only increased.
Undoubtedly, whether you are a fan of Isaac Asimov’s work or not, it is worth taking a look at Foundation on Apple TV+, always considering it as an independent product from the book and not expecting a literal adaptation… because that certainly seems almost impossible. Without a doubt, the platform continues to excel at portraying science fiction, a genre that it increasingly embraces with ease.
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