Alright, folks, let's have a real talk about the state of space operas in 2026. You'd think with the might of Disney behind it, the absolute pinnacle of Star Wars storytelling would be, well, on Disney+. But here's the spicy take: the best Star Wars show isn't even part of the franchise. It's chilling over on Apple TV+, and its name is Foundation. Yeah, you heard that right. While Disney+ serves up a steady diet of Mandalorians and Jedi, Apple's sci-fi epic is quietly schooling everyone on how to build a galaxy-spanning saga.
Now, don't get it twisted. Shows like The Clone Wars and The Mandalorian have their own flavor and fanbases. They're like your comfort food—delicious and familiar. But Foundation? That's a five-course gourmet meal. It's based on Isaac Asimov's legendary novels and tells the story of a mathematician, Hari Seldon, who predicts the fall of a galactic empire. His followers then work to create a repository of all human knowledge to shorten the coming dark age. Sounds epic? That's because it is.
The Foundation Blueprint: What Makes It So Good?
So, what's the secret sauce? Why is this show hitting different than most Star Wars series? Let's break it down:
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Scale & Ambition: This story isn't about one hero's journey. It spans centuries, following generations of characters. The production value Apple TV+ throws at it is just... chef's kiss. It feels massive.
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Brains & Brawn: It's not just pew-pew lasers (though there's plenty of action). Foundation serves up a heavy dose of:
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Political chess games that would make Palpatine sweat.
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Deep, mysterious sci-fi concepts.
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Raw, human emotion on both a personal and galactic scale.
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It's the Benchmark: Simply put, Foundation is what a modern space opera should be. Complex, interconnected, and emotionally resonant. It's the show other sci-fi shows look at and go, "Dang, we gotta step up our game."
Wait... Did Star Wars Steal Its Homework from Foundation? 🤔
Here's where it gets really interesting. There's a strong case to be made that George Lucas was, let's say, heavily inspired by Asimov's work. I mean, the man famously pulled from everywhere—samurai films, Westerns, you name it. While he never outright said "Foundation made me do it," the connections are kinda sus.
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Hyperspace Travel? Foundation had it first.
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A city-covered planet (an ecumenopolis)? Yep, Foundation popularized that too.
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The whole 'Galactic Empire' thing? Asimov's books were talking about that back in 1951!
It's wild to think about. Asimov is basically the granddaddy of modern sci-fi. Every story written after him stands on his shoulders. So even if it wasn't a direct copy-paste, Star Wars almost certainly drank from the same well. In a way, Apple's Foundation show is like a long-lost, super-intellectual cousin of the Star Wars universe. They're telling similar epic tales, just with a different accent.
The One Star Wars Show That Gets It: Andor
Okay, okay. Before the comments flood with "NOT ALL STAR WARS!", let's give credit where it's due. There is one shining beacon in the Disney+ lineup that reaches for the Foundation tier of greatness: Andor.
This show is different. It's gritty, it's political, and it's not afraid to get messy. It's not about a chosen one with a laser sword; it's about the ordinary, flawed people who fuel a rebellion. The sacrifice, the hope, the sheer cost of freedom—Andor paints that picture with stunning clarity.
Andor proved that Star Wars can tell mature, complex, and ambitious stories that aren't tied to the Skywalker saga. It looked at the galaxy as a whole and asked, "What's really going on here?"
The Lesson for 2026 and Beyond
So, what's the takeaway for the future of Star Wars? The path forward is pretty clear.
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Think Bigger: Stop being afraid of the galaxy. Foundation and Andor show that audiences crave stories with scale and consequence.
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Ditch the Training Wheels: Not every story needs to connect to a Jedi or a Sith. The galaxy is huge! Explore the neglected corners and timelines.
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Embrace the Space Opera: Lean into the political intrigue, the generational storytelling, the raw human drama set against a backdrop of stars.
In short, Star Wars needs to take a page out of Foundation's book—or, more accurately, remember the lessons from its own inspirational grandparent. The blueprint for greatness is already out there. It's time to build on it.
The future isn't just in a galaxy far, far away. Sometimes, it's streaming right next door.