Apple TV+ greenlights 'Foundation' season two

AppleInsider · October 7, 2021 10:33PM

Apple TV+ original series "Foundation" is getting a second season, the company announced on Thursday ahead of the premiere of the show's fourth episode.

While Apple has not revealed streaming numbers for "Foundation," or any of its Apple TV+ properties for that matter, the company apparently feels viewer interest in the series is strong enough to warrant a sophomore season.

With a talented cast, sumptuous set pieces and copious special effects, "Foundation" is thought to be one of the most expensive productions in the streaming service's slate. A renewal shows Apple has faith in showrunner David S. Goyer, who previously estimated that more than 70 episodes would be needed to adequately represent Isaac Asimov's saga.

"[W]ith season two, our audience will get to visit more of Asimov's indelible characters and worlds, including Hober Mallow, General Bel Riose, and all the Outer Suns," Goyer said in a press release. "I'm thrilled that a whole new generation of fans are reading Asimov's brilliant masterwork. We're playing the long game with Foundation' and I'm grateful to my partners at Apple and Skydance for entrusting me with this epic. Buckle up. We're about to fold some serious space."

Both the written work and television series tell the story of Foundation, an institute created by "psychohistorian" Hari Seldon (Jarred Harris) during the decline of the 12,000-year-old Galactic Empire. Seldon, who predicted the fall of civilization by analyzing complex calculus, places hope in the Foundation to ameliorate a pending dark age by collecting and preserving human knowledge.

Not a strict adaptation of Asimov's classic, "Foundation" on Apple TV+ retains major plot points but places special emphasis on the work's main characters. Due to its timeline and long list of players, a healthy dose of artistic license is needed to bring "Foundation" the book series to the screen.

Apple last month launched a podcast in which Goyer and other production crew members explain changes and deviations from the manuscript. The podcast also provides a weekly deep dive into newly aired episodes.

The renewal arrives after initial reviews praised the show's visuals, but were critical of Goyer's translation of Asimov's narrative.

Read on AppleInsider

lkrupp · October 7, 2021 10:41PM

Asimov’s novels were rather intellectual and strait forward. I understand a screen play has to provide action, sex, flashbacks, etc. to get people to watch. I am reserving judgement so far as to its adherence to the original novels. Let’s give it a few more episodes. Definitely big eye candy production though.

spliceguys · October 7, 2021 10:48PM

I love sci fi and this show is SO boring.

lkrupp · October 7, 2021 11:11PM

spliceguys said:

I love sci fi and this show is SO boring.

Most cerebral sci-fi is. The standard offerings of snarling alien monsters hell bent on destroying humankind, or aliens who take over human bodies (costs less for FX don't you know) is not science fiction. I offer The Tomorrow War as an example with a-lister Chris Pratt blowing aliens away directly copied from Kong: Skull Island. Not boring but not sci-fi either.

edited October 2021

quidnunc · October 7, 2021 11:16PM

I like what I've watched so far

jamster1960 · October 7, 2021 11:25PM

Sorry for those who expected the love child of Game of Thrones and Star Wars. This is more akin to 2001: A Space Odyssey. So far I’m loving the combination of lush visuals and slow burning intrigue. Sorry to those who think it’s not science fiction unless there are multiple scenes involving ‘pew pew’ sound effects fights.

blastdoor · October 7, 2021 11:36PM

quidnunc said:

I like what I've watched so far

Me too — very happy so far

george kaplan · October 7, 2021 11:46PM

jamster1960 said:

Sorry for those who expected the love child of Game of Thrones and Star Wars. This is more akin to 2001: A Space Odyssey. So far I’m loving the combination of lush visuals and slow burning intrigue. Sorry to those who think it’s not science fiction unless there are multiple scenes involving ‘pew pew’ sound effects fights.

Yep.

After being drawn into years of the show, I think many folks forget GoT Season 1 was very slow going, with tons of exposition to lay out. The key difference is GoT would show naked women to paper over the bone-dry narrative for the first many episodes. Once the characters were established, then the storyline took off. And still there were plenty of naked women.

clemynx · October 8, 2021 12:04AM

I am quite surprised that anyone could find the series boring but to each their own as they say.

I find this series really great for the moment and can only imagine it becoming better and better with more seasons.

Every scene in the imperial palace is amazing.

ericthehalfbee · October 8, 2021 12:19AM

I never read the original books so looking at this without any bias or pre-conceptions.

I like what I’ve seen so far and to hell with criticism from purists who aren’t happy with the adaptation. Same as Star Trek or Star Wars “fans” who think their vision of each universe is concrete and any deviation somehow isn’t “true” to the original.

Nothing worse than snobby elitist “fans” trying to force their view on others.

22july2013 · October 8, 2021 12:31AM

I’m not sure when this show will get to Foundation’s “sequel books,” which were books 6 & 7 but they were ABSOLUTELY the best books. They were also the first books of Asimov to hit the NY Times best seller lists.

yojimbo007 · October 8, 2021 12:36AM

jamster1960 said:

Sorry for those who expected the love child of Game of Thrones and Star Wars. This is more akin to 2001: A Space Odyssey. So far I’m loving the combination of lush visuals and slow burning intrigue. Sorry to those who think it’s not science fiction unless there are multiple scenes involving ‘pew pew’ sound effects fights.

its not about the pew pew… rather the story telling and pace and engagement… i find it very slow and and un-engaging from a storytelling perspective.

fastasleep · October 8, 2021 12:57AM

spock1234 said:

But, NO. All we got was an ugly woman who looks like a man (brave, independent, and all that nonsense) to please the woke crowd.

Woke being not racist and mysogynist?

gerard · October 8, 2021 1:13AM

I like what I see so far as well. Only critique I have is the classical style music overwhelming the sound effects. When the tower/elevator thing was blown up as an example. I would have liked the destruction sound effects to take precedence in situations like that.

sbwolves · October 8, 2021 1:22AM

I find the show absolutely engrossing. I have read and re-read the novels many times and absolutely love how Goyer and his team have used the original material more as inspiration than slavish recreation. The changes are a blast to watch. I also appreciate how it already incorporates the Robot novels...despite the fact that revelation/addition was something Asimov added almost 40 years after writing the original stories. It makes it a much larger world to explore--which is saying something. It is indeed one of the most gorgeously shot shows...and I am really happy to know another season is coming.

22july2013 · October 8, 2021 1:28AM

gerard said:

I like what I see so far as well. Only critique I have is the classical style music overwhelming the sound effects. When the tower/elevator thing was blown up as an example. I would have liked the destruction sound effects to take precedence in situations like that.

Perhaps the "sound" of things exploding in outer space would add "realism."

japhey · October 8, 2021 2:20AM

Goyer wants to tell the whole story in 80 episodes. We’ve had 3 so far. So, unless you’re the sort of person that dismisses an entire book after only a few pages, chill out. Maybe give the story a minute to develop. And if that is the sort of person you are, seek your entertainment elsewhere. This isn’t for you.

22july2013 · October 8, 2021 2:23AM

If Asimov was alive today this show would definitely be cancelled because of his attitude towards, and treatment of, women. He was a serial harasser. Asimov treated women so badly he almost makes Bill Cosby look like Billy Graham. Asimov was a pig. It won't be long before Apple realizes this and cancels the show. They will say "bad ratings" was the cause. If you want evidence, search online for the article entitled, "What to Make of Isaac Asimov, Sci-Fi Giant and Dirty Old Man?"

I'm not particularly into cancel culture but I do avoid shows and books by authors who have committed crimes or committed serial heinous acts. Perhaps Asimov is a candidate for the latter. I'm proud to have thrown away his signature and personal letter to me.

auxio · October 8, 2021 3:35AM

Japhey said:

Goyer wants to tell the whole story in 80 episodes. We’ve had 3 so far. So, unless you’re the sort of person that dismisses an entire book after only a few pages, chill out. Maybe give the story a minute to develop. And if that is the sort of person you are, seek your entertainment elsewhere. This isn’t for you.

Agreed. I've been enjoying what I've seen so far, but I'm not completely sold on it yet. However, it's far too early to make a conclusive decision. I usually give a show a full season unless it's truly awful (it isn't at all).

edited October 2021

wood1208 · October 8, 2021 3:42AM

THE BORING! Story slow and disconnected in places.. Please make some shows worth spending time to watch.

dope_ahmine · October 8, 2021 3:51AM

gerard said:

I like what I see so far as well. Only critique I have is the classical style music overwhelming the sound effects. When the tower/elevator thing was blown up as an example. I would have liked the destruction sound effects to take precedence in situations like that.

Explosions don’t sound much in space. They just produce classical music.

edited October 2021

Apple TV+ greenlights 'Foundation' season two

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