
Sci-fi fans thrilled as 'most underrated show on TV' returns
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.
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. More Trending
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.
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Foundations season three is available to stream on Apple TV Plus now.
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The Sun
11 hours ago
- The Sun
How The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be unlike any Marvel movie before after major shake-up in bid to save franchise
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And the defining performance helped her nab the gig as Sue Storm, aka the Invisible Woman, who is Reed's wife. She may be following in the footsteps of former Sues Jessica Alba and Kate Mara, but this time round Vanessa's superhero is new and exciting. Firstly, she is pregnant, which Vanessa hails 'groundbreaking'. And the actress has also inserted that nuanced, flawed nature that made her Princess Margaret so acclaimed. No wonder she's TV royalty. JOSEPH QUINN Johnny Storm . . . also in Stranger Things on Netflix ANOTHER actor on the verge of being a household name, Joseph recently hit the headlines after being cast as George Harrison in Sam Mendes' upcoming four-part Beatles biopic. But he had already risen to prominence thanks to his role as Eddie Munson in Netflix's smash Stranger Things. He quickly became a fan favourite, earning himself a 2023 MTV Movie & TV Award for Best Breakthrough Performance and a Saturn Award nomination the previous year. Now, as Johnny Storm – otherwise known as The Human Torch and Sue Storm's brother – the Brit star's career is on fire. Like Vanessa, Joseph, 31, has Netflix to thank for taking a punt on a relative unknown, casting him in a global hit and heralding a new era in Hollywood casting in the process. He may be the least-known member of the Beatles biopic cast – with the remainder of the Fab Four being played by Paul Mescal, Harris Dickinson and Barry Keoghan – but his Fantastic Four movie debut promises to transform his stardom status. BADDIE 1 JULIA GARNER Silver Surfer . . . also in Ozark on Netflix IT'S not just the fantastic foursome who are set to swoop in and save the day for the franchise. 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A TALEOF BOX OFFICE FLOPS THE Fantastic Four first appeared in cartoon form in 1961 to compete with the growing popularity of superhero teams such as DC Comics' Justice Society of America. Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee – tired of formulaic, perfect characters – wanted to create a group of flawed humans with superpowers. And his dysfunctional crusaders gained a cult following. They made their animated telly debut in 1967, with the fourth and final version launching on Cartoon Network in 2006. But it is the later incarnations that linger in people's minds – for all the wrong reasons. The first film, which was released in 2005, may have topped the box office but the reviews weren't good. Rotten Tomatoes gave it just 27 per cent, with critics branding it 'mediocre', adding it was 'marred by goofy attempts at wit, sub-par acting and bland storytelling'. Still, the film's core four – Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Michael Chiklis and Chris Evans – did return for a sequel in 2007, which was hailed a 'mild improvement' on the original. In 2015, 20th Century Fox tried again with a $120million reboot starring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell and Michael B. Jordan. But it was a box office bomb, costing the studio $100million in losses and receiving just a nine per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It also had the dubious honour of winning three gongs at the Golden Raspberry Awards, which recognise the very worst in the entertainment industry. A planned sequel was quickly shelved and it took another ten years for the franchise to be revived. However, over the years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has thrived, releasing 36 films, often with crossovers, and expanding into series on Disney+. After acquiring the rights to Fantastic Four in 2019, Marvel set about rebooting the franchise. Game Of Thrones director Matt Shakman was brought in, with the studio keen to recapture the comic's Sixties-era magic. The new film has a more retro-futuristic feel, like the original comic books. It heralds the next phase of Marvel's plans for world domination – named Phase Six – which ends in 2027 with Avengers: Secret Wars. Unless a superhero saves us all before then . . .


Daily Record
16 hours ago
- Daily Record
Thor actor Chris Hemsworth says Scottish Highlands are 'an iconic battle scene'
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Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Pedro Pascal hits back at critics who think he's 'too old' for Fantastic Four
Pedro Pascal has responded to critics who said he was 'too old' to be cast in the new Fantastic Four movie. The 50-year-old actor discussed the subject with AP News at a fan event in London, revealing that the online comments have taken a toll on him. Pedro said that while he typically ignored negative comments relating to his work, being hurt by criticism sometimes 'comes with the territory', adding: 'I think that sometimes the outside will find you, no matter how much you try to protect yourself from it, and it just comes with the territory.' Hitting back: Pedro Pascal has fired back at critics who said he was 'too old' for the new Fantastic Four film (seen on July 10 in London) He went on: 'I think maybe my nerves were bigger than they usually are, and so I think I just was a little bit more sensitive to the love that people have for stories like this, because I know that they wouldn't exist if it weren't for the love that people have for these characters.' Pedro said he felt pressure to 'fulfill expectations' as he portrayed Reed Richards, adding: 'I think that it's very important for me that expectations be fulfilled. 'But I also know that the only way to do that is to give it all my focus and all my heart and my body and my soul, and so that was the best I could do.' Opening up about being 50, Pedro said : 'It is the best time of my life. Just, I don't know, look around. It's an incredible reflection of what I'm experiencing right now. I'm having a really amazing time.' In February, Marvel fans were delighted to see the first-look trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. They took to social media to give their opinions on the latest installment of the superhero franchise, with one person writing on X: 'Okay the Fantastic Four trailer wasn't bad. I'm pleasantly surprised.' Another added: 'I'm not even a Fantastic Four fan, but this looks really sleek. It's nailing the period setting in the same way that First Avenger did.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pedro Pascal he/him (@pascalispunk) Coming soon: The Fantastic Four: First Steps will hit theaters on July 25 Someone else weighed in: 'Watched the Fantastic Four trailer and I actually excited for a Marvel movie again.' And another social media user described the Fantastic Four comic series as 'the only ones I've been able to stomach,' adding, 'The trailer looks so great. I need this.' 'I've felt a little burnt out on superheroes but f4 are my ride or die,' one fan revealed. 'I'm so happy the movie looks good.' Others praised the teaser for its 'nostalgic' feel and looking 'very cinematic.' In addition to Pedro, the movie also stars Vanessa Kirby, Julia Garner, Joseph Quinn, and John Malkovich.