One of Apple TV+’s many sci-fi shows,Foundation, is inspired by a book series that debuted in the 1950s, written by Isaac Asimov. The show, created by David S. Goyer and Josh Friedman, premiered in September 2021 and received mixed to positive reviews. Critics praisedFoundationfor the cast’s performances and its special effects but criticized the TV series for its pacing and convoluted plot. However, everything changed in season 2. Unlike many other shows,Foundationhas only improved with time,as season 2’sRotten Tomatoesscore is 100 percent, up 28 points from season 1’s rating.
In December 2023, a few months after the show’s season 2 finale, Apple TV+ renewedSeverancefor seasons 3 and 4. Based on when filming ended (August 2024), season 3 is estimated to premiere in mid-to-late 2025 (perThe Direct). As of the writing of this article, though, the streaming service hasn’t confirmed a release date.
With seasons 3 and 4 around the corner, some might be wondering whenFoundation’s story will end. Sincethe sci-fi show is inspired by a finished book series,one would think thatFoundationhas an expiration date. The good news is that Asimov wrote many novels and short storiesset in theFoundationuniverse, giving the Apple TV+ sci-fi show space to continue growing its plot and building its world.
There Are 7 Books In Total
The release ofFoundation’s seven books spans four decades,from 1951 to 1993. Still, Isaac Asimov wrote all of them. The series was first published as a collection of short stories and novellas before being combined into a trilogy of novels —Foundation,Foundation and Empire, andSecond Foundation, appropriately titledThe Foundation Trilogy. The threeFoundationbooks were all released within one year of each other in the early 1950s. Almost 30 years later, Asimov circled back to this fictional sci-fi universe and wrote two sequels —Foundation’s EdgeandFoundation and Earth— and two prequels —Prelude to FoundationandForward the Foundation.
1951
Foundation and Empire
1952
1953
1982
Foundation and Earth
1986
1988
Forward the Foundation
1993
While fans can read Asimov’s novels in the order of their release dates, the chronological order (which isn’t the same) might be preferred for some. Instead of starting withThe Foundation Trilogy,one would begin with the two prequels,Prelude to FoundationandForward the Foundation,followed by the original trilogy and then the sequels,Foundation’s EdgeandFoundation and Earth. The chronological order is as follows:
Foundation’s Edge
Whichever order fans choose, those who have watchedApple TV+’s underrated sci-fi seriesshould dive in knowing that the books are quite different. Yes,Foundation(the TV show) is inspired by Asimov’s novels.Nevertheless, the writers and producers seemingly only used the source material as the foundation (pun intended) for their show.
Which Isaac Asimov Books Foundation Has Covered So Far
The TV Series Strays From The Books
Unfortunately, becauseFoundationstrays far from the story in Isaac Asimov’s book series,it’s a bit difficult to decipher which novels the Apple TV+ show has covered.For example, season 1 doesn’t completely adapt the first part of the trilogy, whileFoundationseason 2 isn’t solely based on the second book. So, the writers and producers pull inspiration from many different novels and short stories from Asimov’sFoundationuniverse.
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When discussing which parts oftheFoundationbooks the Apple TV+ showderives its story from, it’s helpful to look at Asimov’s short stories. Elements of “The Psychohistorians,” “The Encyclopedists,” and “The Mayors” can all be found in season 1. As a result,the season does include some (not all) material fromFoundation(the book),in addition to the prequel,Prelude to Foundation. Meanwhile, season 2 finishes the rest ofFoundationand dives intoFoundation and Empire. Consequently, there are still many more stories in the fictional sci-fi universe for the show to explore.
Which Foundation Stories Are Left For The Apple TV+ Show To Cover
Foundation Still Has A Lot Of Story To Tell
After two seasons and 20 episodes,Foundationhas the potential to last for much longer, thanks to its source material.Even though the Apple TV+ show makesmany changes to Isaac Asimov’sFoundationbooks, they are evidently still used for inspiration. So, starting in season 3 and onward, the writers can pull material from the rest of the second novel,Foundation and Empire, and the following three books —Second Foundation,Foundation’s Edge, andFoundation and Earth. The prequels might not be of much service due to the conflicting timelines. Ultimately, it’s unknown whichbooksFoundationseason 3will adapt.
TheFoundationwriters and producers seemingly want to carve their own path with the Apple TV+ sci-fi show and not be tied down by what happens in Isaac Asimov’s books.
Given thatFoundationis so different from the book series, there is no telling what will happen next or when the story will end. Thankfully,the Apple TV+ sci-fi show is renewed through season 4.However, after that, it’s unclear ifFoundationwill continue, allowing the writers to pull as much inspiration from the other novels and short stories as they want. Its success suggests that the show can go on for many more seasons, though.
Why Apple TV+’s Foundation Doesn’t Follow The Order Of The Books
The Show Is Quite Unlike Isaac Asimov’s Novels
TheFoundationwriters and producers seemingly want to carve their own path with the Apple TV+ sci-fi show and not be tied down by what happens in Isaac Asimov’s books. That way,they have more creative freedom over the plot.As a result, the TV series doesn’t follow the chronological order of the books. While speaking withSlashFilm,Foundationshowrunner and executive producer David S. Goyer opened up about how he sees Asimov’s stories versus his own in the show. Goyer explained:
“[Isaac] Asimov was interested in exploring the intersection of science and religion. It’s obviously something that he did in his short stories for “Foundation,” and something that we were interested in further exploring. But based on where we are now, I was also interested, myself and the other writers, in the ways that both science and religion have been weaponized in our increasingly polarized society.”
Goyer and co. want to use what Asimov started and take it one step further. So, Apple TV+‘sFoundationdoes not strictly follow the chronological (or even the release) order of the books. Plus,the nature of Asimov’s works means that the stories don’t translate well from text to screen.They must be altered so that Apple TV+’s sci-fi series can be wholly captivating and successful. So far,the changes to Asimov’sFoundationbooksseem to be working, and fans shouldn’t expect the show to deviate in seasons 3 or 4 (and beyond).
