The long-anticipated third season of Apple TV Plus’ latest sci-fi fix premiered on July 11, and fans everywhere are buzzing.
Despite its relatively low profile compared to shows like The Last of Us or Game of Thrones, Foundation – which is adapted from Isaac Asimov’s landmark saga – has earned a reputation as one of television’s ‘most underrated’ treasures.
Season 3 sees a powerful new villain rise, deeper emotional stakes than ever before, and fans are already sharing their excitement online, with some predicting this series will give the show the attention it deserves.
Jared Harris, Lou Llobell and Cassian Bilton are amongst the returning cast members from the two previous series.
The new series sees The Mule, a powerful mutant who can control minds, threaten Seldon’s plan to save humanity.
Critics are heavily praising the new series, with season three earning an 86% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Nick Schager, from The Daily Beast applauded the show: ‘Foundation is television’s grandest drama, and it continues to put the rest of its small-screen genre brethren to shame with its momentous, magnificent third season.’
Fans are thrilled to have a bingeable sci-fi show back on their screens after the genre has dried up in recent years.
X users were quick to applaud the new series with one fan, @thatcoolblknerd saying: ‘#Foundation is the most underrated show on television.’
‘It’s crazy how GOOD #Foundation looks compared to some recent Marvel films on a fraction of the budget.’ @splashthatcat added.
Another fan was quick to share his thoughts, @briandelvecchio, ‘The #Foundation Season 3 premiere was really good, I can’t wait for the rest of season 3.’
Others have had to be reminded of Apple TV’s name for underground shows, ‘Renewed my Apple TV for #Foundation’ @49erscarlos said on X.
Series 1 & 2 re-cap (spoiler alert)
- Mathematician Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) predicts the collapse of the 12,000-year-old Galactic Empire using a science called psychohistory (a mathematical model that forecasts societal behavior on a massive scale).
- To preserve human knowledge and shorten the dark age to come, Seldon proposes establishing the Foundation at the edge of the galaxy on a planet called Terminus.
- The Empire, ruled by a trio of cloned emperors (Brother Dawn, Day, and Dusk), views Seldon’s predictions as treason. They exile him and his followers to Terminus.
- Hari is apparently murdered by his own protégé, Raych, but his consciousness lives on in a digital form (a ‘ghost’ in the Vault).
- Gaal (a gifted mathematician) and Salvor (warden of Terminus) emerge as key players. Salvor begins experiencing visions and strange powers that hint at deeper forces at play.
- As a warlike group called the Anacreons threaten Terminus, Salvor thwarts their attack with help from Hari’s digital self-marking the success of the First Seldon Crisis.
- Roughly 100 years after Season 1, the Foundation has become more than a scientific outpost-it’s now growing into a religious and economic power, using Hari’s teachings as a doctrine.
- Internal instability grows within the Empire. Brother Day (Lee Pace) plans to break the cloning dynasty by marrying and producing a natural heir – sparking major conflict with Brothers Dusk and Dawn.
- Gaal Dornick, having been in cryosleep, awakens and discovers she has psychic abilities. She meets her daughter, Salvor Hardin (revealed to be born from a time-travel plot), and together they encounter a group of powerful telepaths called Mentalics.
- Hari (still present via the Vault) reveals there are actually two Foundations: the one on Terminus and a secret Second Foundation meant to guide humanity from behind the scenes.
- The final episodes tease the rise of The Mule, a powerful mutant with mind-control abilities, hinting at an existential threat far greater than anything the galaxy has faced.
- Now you can sit back and enjoy season 3 whilst understanding what is going on…
Season three is set 152 years after Season two, catapulting the narrative into a galaxy in flux.
The Foundation has risen to power, while the empire weakens – ushering in the dramatic arrival of The Mule, played by Pilou Asbaek, whose psychic might threatens everything.
With Hari Seldon and Gaal Dornick in cryosleep, the story shifts to a more faction‑driven chronicle, blending massive space battles with high-stakes mental warfare.
The production quality continues to stun audiences, with sprawling cosmic landscapes, intricate costume design, and a score that elevates each scene’s tension.
Series regulars Lee Pace and Laura Birn are also receiving praise for their evolving performances, with many commending their performances as the emotional spine of the show.
It may not dominate pop culture headlines, but for sci‑fi devotees, this season is a vindication: a high‑concept epic delivered with ambition and heart.
With ten episodes streaming weekly until September 12th, now is the moment to catch up on this ‘underrated’ sci-fi series.
Foundations season three is available to stream on Apple TV Plus now.
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