Science fiction on TV is entering a new era, and one long-running series could really benefit from looking at what’s working with a surprising hit on Apple TV+. This show expertly brings Isaac Asimov’s stories to life, crafting a sprawling narrative that spans thousands of years while staying true to the powerful ideas of the original books. After three successful seasons, it’s on track to become one of the greatest sci-fi shows of all time.
The success of Foundation offers a valuable lesson for other big science fiction franchises that haven’t quite hit the mark with their TV shows. This is especially true for Star Wars, which is now largely driven by television with series like The Mandalorian and Maul: Shadow Lord. Despite positive reactions to many Star Wars shows, the franchise often finds it difficult to consistently maintain audience engagement.
Foundation Is Beating Star Wars at Its Own Game
While Foundation doesn’t yet have as many fans as Star Wars, it’s quickly becoming just as popular. The show delivers the excitement, grand visuals, and thoughtful themes that viewers love in science fiction, all in a television format.
The series explores complex themes like who we are, what’s right and wrong, and whether our lives are predetermined, all while staying true to the spirit of Isaac Asimov’s work. It’s a surprisingly engaging show that consistently draws viewers back for more.
For a long time, adapting this story seemed impossible, much like many other complex science fiction novels. It spans millennia and explores intricate psychological and political ideas that are hard to capture on screen. Movies couldn’t adequately tell such an expansive tale, and until recently, television lacked the necessary resources to do it justice.
However, as streaming services have grown and television budgets have increased, a new series has emerged. It centers on Hari Seldon (played by Jared Harris), a psychohistorian who foresees a galactic catastrophe that threatens to destroy civilization.
He begins a quest to save valuable historical and cultural artifacts, hoping to give future generations a strong base for rebuilding society. At the same time, the three emperors of the Cleonic dynasty watch their empire crumble, ultimately witnessing the disaster Hari Seldon had foreseen hundreds of years before.
Despite a complex starting idea, Foundation is actually quite easy to enjoy. Apple TV+ has successfully made a sci-fi show that tackles big, challenging themes while still being entertaining for everyone.
The original Star Wars in 1977 was founded on a simple idea: entertain a wide audience with compelling and heartfelt stories. For many years, the franchise successfully did just that. Recently, Star Wars tried to replicate that success with TV shows, but series like Foundation have proven more popular.
Sci-Fi Is Changing (and Star Wars Can’t Be Left Behind)
Science fiction is evolving quickly with the rise of streaming services. We’re seeing a major move away from blockbuster sci-fi movies towards longer, more detailed stories told over many episodes and seasons of TV.
Lucasfilm and the team working on the project deserve recognition. However, not everything they’ve tried has worked out as planned.
Disney+ is where you can watch all the original Star Wars TV series, including popular shows like The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Andor, and The Acolyte. While these shows have had varying degrees of popularity, they haven’t quite become the major cultural phenomena that Lucasfilm and Disney were aiming for.
Generally speaking, these shows don’t stand out as much as other science fiction series, like Foundation. They tend to be less memorable overall.
The show The Mandalorian quickly became popular, largely due to the pairing of Din Djarin and Grogu. It seemed like a great way for Disney to adapt to the growing trend of sci-fi shows on television. However, now Disney is moving away from that success by making a theatrical movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, focusing solely on these two characters.
All of the other live-action Star Wars shows were either short-lived or ended after just one season, meaning the franchise didn’t have any continuing series until recently.
Without a consistently running series, Apple TV has quickly become a major force in science fiction. Shows like Foundation and For All Mankind are innovative and redefine classic sci-fi themes for the small screen.
As a sci-fi fan, I’ve seen a lot of great shows, and these ones really stand out – they clearly had the resources to bring their stories to life. It’s a little sad to say, but Star Wars feels like it’s lagging behind now. It used to be a leader, but it’s having a tough time keeping pace with everything happening in the streaming world these days.
What Can Star Wars Learn From Shows Like Foundation?
Surprisingly, the first live-action Star Wars television series was the most successful the franchise has ever created. Despite this, Star Wars hasn’t managed to achieve that level of success again, while other shows, such as Foundation, are still performing very well.
Disney+ has become known for short, limited-run TV series – usually six to eight episodes – that often aren’t renewed for another season. This strategy isn’t working well for the streaming service, even with its biggest franchises. Fans are losing interest in Star Wars series that feel incomplete or don’t connect to a larger story.
As a big TV fan, I’ve noticed something interesting: shows that stick to the old-fashioned, multi-season, longer-episode format seem to do really well. We’re seeing that with a lot of Apple TV+’s original series. And honestly, if Star Wars wants to stay relevant and lead the way in sci-fi, it needs to reconnect with what made it great in the first place – learn from its history!
Viewers are really enjoying in-depth stories that unfold over several seasons, ideally each year. Instead of being hesitant and turning popular movies into films, Star Wars should focus on continuing the successful TV shows and letting those stories develop over multiple years.
Initially, The Mandalorian set a high bar for Star Wars shows. However, recent series like The Acolyte and Obi-Wan Kenobi haven’t quite reached that same level. These shows could have been more successful if they had been allowed to develop over several seasons, as many shows need time to find their stride. Unfortunately, the current streaming landscape doesn’t often allow for that kind of long-term storytelling.
Star Wars isn’t failing, but it needs to adapt to stay competitive with other science fiction series. The recent show Foundation demonstrates the potential of sci-fi on television, and Star Wars, with its dedicated fanbase and significant resources, is capable of reaching that same level. While the movies are still great, the future of science fiction lies in television, where stories can be developed over a longer period.
Foundation is available to stream on Apple TV+.
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2026-04-06 19:45