‘Foundation’ season 3 proves sci-fi saga’s staying power

Foundation season 2 was a huge hit for Apple TV+, the new season 3 started off with strong ratings, and it continues to draw viewers as the seasons progresses. Fresh episodes of the sci-fi series hit streaming  in July, and it’s one of the most popular shows available.

Plus, the Apple TV+ historical drama series Chief of War stayed strong for a third week.

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 89% approval rating. And a large audience is tuning in.

Movie and TV search engine JustWatch publishes a weekly ratings list of the 10 most popular series in the U.S. on streaming services, and Foundation sits at No. 7 for the week of August 11 through August 17.

Ratings estimates from companies like JustWatch 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 seven episodes of Foundation season 3 are ready to stream now. The next should appear on Friday.

Chief of War still slays

Viewers keep rallying behind the action-packed historical drama series Chief of War starring Jason Momoa. High ratings put it among the most popular series on streaming for a third week.

In the series, Momoa plays a warrior desperate to unite feuding Hawaiian islands against encroaching Western colonization. Whether it’s the premise or the draw of Momoa’s celebrity, the new series has been popular since it launched on August 1. JustWatch put the series at No. 10 on its chart of most popular streaming series last week (see chart above).

It earned a 93% critics’ approval rating from the review-aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes. The Cult of Mac review calls it “bloody and brilliant,” and says, “The series masterfully weaves together political intrigue, cultural authenticity and human drama in ways that should captivate history buffs, cultural diversity seekers, bloodthirsty battle lovers and pretty much anyone hungry for some fresh storytelling.”

The first five episodes of Chief of War season 1 can be watched now on Apple TV+. The next is scheduled to appear on Friday.

Watch these and more on Apple TV+

Streaming highly rated series like Foundation and Chief of War, plus many others, come with a subscription to Apple TV+. The service is $12.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it at a discount 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.