Why Apple TV’s Foundation Surpasses Star Wars as the Best Sci-Fi Series

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Apple TV+’s Foundation stands out as not only a response to the many Star Wars shows available, but also as the best science fiction series currently on television. Since The Mandalorian debuted in 2019, Star Wars has expanded with several live-action series like Ahsoka and The Acolyte, among others. Despite these additions, Star Wars hasn’t yet reached the level of Foundation as the top sci-fi series.

Currently, Foundation is the best science fiction show on TV. That’s saying something, given the history of great sci-fi shows, even if you don’t include those that have already ended. Apple TV+ itself is known for its strong sci-fi programming, making Foundation‘s success even more impressive. Despite the competition, Foundation stands out as the best.

Sci-Fi Television Doesn’t Get Better Than Foundation

Simply put, Foundation excels at nearly every aspect of science fiction. The show heavily features math and science, but it’s presented in a way that’s clever and accessible, even when dealing with complex ideas. Concepts like Hari Seldon’s psychohistory are logical and easy to follow. What’s remarkable is that Foundation truly delivers on the ‘science’ part of science fiction, something that’s surprisingly uncommon in today’s sci-fi television.

Despite its complex and intellectual nature, Foundation excels at creating suspense, drama, and intrigue – often better than other shows. The series skillfully builds tension as the predicted decline of the Galactic Empire unfolds over multiple seasons and conflicts, focusing on the growing rivalry between the Foundation and the emerging threat of the Mule. Surprisingly, for a show centered around predicting the future, Foundation consistently keeps viewers guessing.

Foundation isn’t just a thought-provoking story blending science fiction and political maneuvering—it’s also visually stunning. Each episode features at least one truly spectacular shot, and the show creates a unique and believable futuristic world. It’s beautifully made, carefully choreographed, and a pleasure to watch.

Apple TV’s Foundation Show Has Transcended The Source Material

People who have read Isaac Asimov’s Foundation books and also watched the Apple TV+ series will notice significant changes. The show alters key elements like the story’s timeline and the lineage of the Cleon clones, taking many freedoms with the original material. Surprisingly, these changes actually work in the show’s favor.

The Foundation series on screen has gone beyond Isaac Asimov’s original novels. It’s not simply a visual adaptation; the story has been completely reimagined to suit modern storytelling. Asimov’s books are known for being slow-paced and literary, sometimes stretching out the plot. They also cover a vast, multi-generational timeline which can be difficult to follow as a single, continuous narrative.

As a longtime fan of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, I was cautiously optimistic about the Apple TV+ adaptation. What they’ve done is really smart: they’ve taken the sprawling, decades-spanning story and tightened it up for television. Things that happened years apart in the books now flow together more seamlessly, which makes for a much faster pace. It’s a bold move to change a classic, but they’ve managed to strike a great balance – it feels both fresh and respectful of the source material. They didn’t just copy the books; they adapted them, and in doing so, created something really compelling.

The way Apple TV+’s Foundation adapts its source material is truly impressive. While Isaac Asimov’s Foundation books work best in book form, the TV series shines as a television show. This is exactly what adaptations should aim for – a thoughtful reimagining that enhances the story when presented in a new medium. Foundation absolutely nails this approach.

What Star Wars Shows Can Learn From Foundation

As we’ve discussed, Foundation is Apple TV+’s take on the kind of big, sprawling science fiction seen in Disney+’s Star Wars series. Foundation truly embodies the ‘space opera’ genre, something Star Wars often aims for, but it’s actually more compelling. It features deeper political maneuvering, conflicts spanning entire galaxies, and a more thoughtful exploration of science and the distant future than most Star Wars shows – with Andor being a notable exception.

While Apple TV+’s Foundation sets a high bar, Star Wars shows can still benefit from how it’s made. The biggest takeaway is the need to confidently diverge from existing stories. Most of the live-action Star Wars series, with the exception of The Acolyte, are too closely tied to the main films. By constantly revisiting the era of the Galactic Civil War, they feel constrained and lack creative freedom.

Just like Foundation successfully did, Star Wars has the opportunity to break new ground with its television series. I’m not suggesting they need to change established storylines or timelines, but they could easily create a show set in a different era of the galaxy, like the Old Republic. Foundation wasn’t afraid to jump centuries into the future, and Star Wars shouldn’t be afraid to explore different time periods either. Unlike Foundation’s relationship to Asimov’s original stories, Star Wars doesn’t need to be limited by the Skywalker Saga.

Beyond what it’s already doing, Star Wars could benefit from taking cues from Foundation. Specifically, it could adopt the show’s masterful pacing and suspense, its stunning visuals, and its attention to the practical details of running a galactic empire. While Star Wars will always blend science fiction and fantasy, the more realistic approach seen in Andor proved incredibly effective, and could be successful again. Ultimately, Foundation offers valuable lessons for the Star Wars universe.

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2025-12-07 14:59