What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedFoundation
Isaac Asimov · Book · 1984
If you loved Foundation, start with Foundation (David S. Goyer, 2021) — a series from the same story. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Foundation across media.
What hooked you in Foundation was the way grand, sweeping historical shifts make the individual struggle feel monumental and inevitable.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Foundation
David S. Goyer · Series · 2021
Films on the same thread
2001: A Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick · Film · 1968
Shares 2 threads with Foundation: Hard Science Fiction, Space Opera.
Like Foundation, this film captures the vast, cold scale of time and human evolution, focusing on the existential implications of our species reaching toward the stars.
The Terminator
James Cameron · Film · 1984
Explores: Man vs. Machine, Artificial Intelligence, Fate vs. Free Will.
This story mirrors the deterministic dread found in Foundation, exploring how singular events and future knowledge shape the ultimate fate of humanity against insurmountable mechanical odds.
A Clockwork Orange
Stanley Kubrick · Film · 1971
Explores: Free Will vs. Determinism, Societal Control, Violence and Redemption.
If you appreciated the sociopolitical inquiries of Foundation, you will find this exploration of state-mandated behavioral control and the erosion of free will deeply compelling and relevant.
Forbidden Planet
Fred M. Wilcox · Film · 1956
Shares 2 threads with Foundation: Space Opera, Hard Science Fiction.
This film echoes the cautionary tone of Foundation regarding human hubris, demonstrating how advanced technology and ancient mysteries can lead to the sudden collapse of civilization.
Series on the same thread
Star Trek
Gene Roddenberry · Series · 1966
Shares 2 threads with Foundation: Space Opera, Hard Science Fiction.
Just as Foundation depicts a galaxy-spanning human presence, this series emphasizes the diplomatic challenges and moral duties inherent in navigating a vast, unknown interstellar community.
Babylon 5
J. Michael Straczynski · Series · 1994
Shares a thread with Foundation: Space Opera.
This series captures the intricate political maneuvering and fragile alliances present in Foundation, showcasing the difficulty of maintaining order across a diverse, sprawling galactic civilization.
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage
Carl Sagan · Series · 1980
Explores: Cosmology, Origin of Life, Scientific History.
Fans of Foundation will appreciate this series for its commitment to scientific inquiry and its ability to place our current societal status within a cosmic history.
Battlestar Galactica
Glen A. Larson · Series · 2004
Shares 2 threads with Foundation: Political Intrigue, Space Opera.
This show mirrors the survivalist narrative of Foundation, following the remnants of humanity as they navigate the total collapse of their society and seek a new beginning.
Podcasts on the same thread
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2026
Explores: civilizational collapse, human nature, moral ambiguity.
If the cyclical nature of history in Foundation fascinated you, this podcast provides a gripping, long-form analysis of how power and human nature drive societal outcomes.
Revolutions
Mike Duncan · Podcast · 2025
Explores: societal collapse, power dynamics, cyclical history.
This series functions as a practical companion to Foundation, deconstructing the patterns of revolutionary collapse and political change that define the rise and fall of empires.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What order should I read the Foundation series in?
You should begin with the 1984 book titled Foundation. This serves as the first entry in the series of tales set in the distant future where humanity has spread across the galaxy and forgotten Earth.
Is the 2021 Foundation TV show based on the 1984 book?
Yes, the 2021 television series is an adaptation of the Foundation book series. Both the show and the original text explore the same narrative universe where humanity resides throughout the galaxy.
Does the book Foundation take place on Earth?
No, the book Foundation is set so far in the future that Earth is all but forgotten by the humans living throughout the galaxy. The story focuses on this distant era rather than Earth itself.
How long is the Foundation series?
Foundation is the first of a series of tales. While the exact number of books is not specified in this metadata, it begins with the 1984 book Foundation, which introduces the galactic setting.