David S. Goyer convinced Apple TV+ to greenlight the adaptation of Isaac Asimov's Foundation series using a single, concise pitch. The show, now in its third season, has earned critical acclaim with an 87% Rotten Tomatoes score. Goyer's departure as showrunner ahead of season four marks a new chapter for the ambitious series.
Apple TV+'s 'Foundation' adaptation of Isaac Asimov's classic novels began with a remarkably simple pitch from showrunner David S. Goyer. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Goyer revealed he described the story to executives as: "It's a 1,000-year chess game between Hari Seldon and the Empire. And all the characters in between are the pawns, but some of the pawns over the course of this saga end up becoming kings and queens." This one-sentence summary captured the sprawling, century-spanning narrative of Asimov's work, which originated as a magazine serial in the 1940s and concluded decades later.
Adapting the material for television presented significant challenges. The books jump across a millennium, with characters frequently dying off and the focus on grand concepts rather than emotional arcs. The Galactic Empire's collapse happens off-screen in the novels. Goyer addressed these issues by emphasizing emotion, noting in the same interview: "The anthological time element didn't take me too long to figure out. What was [harder] to figure out was: How do I make the show emotional? Because the books aren't particularly emotional and, in general with television, people watch for emotion."
To bridge this gap, Goyer extended the lifespans of key figures like Gaal Dornick (played by Lou Llobell), Hari Seldon (Jared Harris), and Emperor Cleon (Lee Pace), allowing for ongoing character development. His initial vision outlined an 80-episode arc across eight seasons, as shared with Polygon. However, after stepping down as showrunner, Goyer suggested to The Wrap that the series could conclude after season four, six, or eight. Season three ended with the revelation of Earth and the Moon, setting up season four—Apple TV+'s most acclaimed streaming series to date, holding an 87% Rotten Tomatoes score, including a perfect 100% for season two—without Goyer's direct involvement.
