Foundation season 2 was a huge hit for Apple TV+, and the new season 3 started off with strong ratings. Fresh episodes of the sci-fi series just hit streaming, and it’s already one of the most popular shows available.
Plus, the Apple TV+ sci-fi action comedy series Murderbot stayed strong as its freshman season wraps up.
Complex and thrilling Foundation returns to high ratings
Foundation tells the story of a band of exiles struggling to save humanity during and after the fall of a Galactic Empire. The Apple TV+ series adapts Isaac Asimov’s groundbreaking novels from the 1940s and 1950s. Bringing seminal novels to the screen is always challenging, but Apple is nailing it. Season 2 earned a 100% critics approval rating from the review-aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, while season 3 has an 86% approval rating. And a large audience is tuning in.
Movie and TV search engine Reelgood publishes a weekly ratings list of the 10 most popular series in the U.S. on streaming services, and Foundation sits at No. 4 for the week of July 10 through July 16. Rival service JustWatch put the show in the No. 8 slot on its list for top-rated series for the week of July 7 through July 13 (see chart below).
Chart: JustWatch
Ratings estimates from companies like JustWatch and Reelgood are necessary because streaming services rarely reveal how many people tune in to their offerings.
In the new season, The Mule — a pirate armed with devastating mind-control powers — complicate the Cleonic Dynasty’s slow-motion collapse and the efforts of Hari Seldon’s Foundation to salvage what it can of humanity.
The first two episodes of Foundation season 3 are ready to stream now. The next should appear on Friday.
Murderbot still slays even as series wraps up
Apple TV+ continues having plenty of success with sci-fi series, which isn’t surprising for a computer maker. Murderbot, Apple’s previous foray into the genre, is about a cyborg — part robot, part human — built to provide security in very dangerous situations. The series follows the cyborg as it breaks the programming that forces it to kill … and then goes looking for a purpose. But don’t expect a traditional action show, as there’s plenty of comedy mixed in.
It’s a combination that works, because it stayed popular its entire run. JustWatch put the series at No. 3 on its chart of most popular streaming series last week (see chart above). And Reelgood put the show in the No. 6 slot on its list of top-rated series last week.
Alexander Skarsgård, who won Emmys, Golden Globes and SAG awards for roles that include Succession, Big Little Lies and True Blood, plays the eponymous lead character.
The entire Murderbot season 1 can be watched now, as the finale appeared earlier this month. And fans can look forward to season 2.
Watch these and more on Apple TV+
Streaming highly rated series like Foundation and Murderbot, plus many others, come with a subscription to Apple TV+. The service is $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it via any tier of the Apple One subscription bundle.
And Apple’s streaming video service also includes a library of drama, comedies, musicals, children’s shows, nature documentaries, etc.
