Watch Two Minutes Of Apple TV 'S Foundation

The Apple TV+ adaptation of Isaac Asimov's seminal series "Foundation" (which joins "Invasion" as part of the service's new slate of sci-fi programming) is set to drop its first three episodes beginning September 24. The 10-episode series (unless Apple renews the show for more) weaves the story of a Galactic Empire at a point in its history that some of us may feel is very familiar to our own.

To put it simply, "Foundation" is the tale of a scientist named Dr. Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) who develops something called psychohistory, which allows him to accurately predict future events. Seldon has some bad news for Galactic leadership — the world is basically about to end. And while people argue as to the accuracy of the claim, Seldon has one of his acolytes, Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell), head off to the planet Terminus to set up a Foundation there.

"Foundation" is, at least in part, a question of what different kinds of people do with the knowledge that their civilization is about to collapse. Its about the people who want to lead through denial, and the others who want to pragmatically find a way for some part of what was to survive into what will be.

For those of us champing at the bit to find out how well this adaptation works, two full minutes of footage were just debuted to give us a taste.

The two minutes we get of "Foundation" are extremely important ones — one might even call them "foundational" to the direction the series ultimately takes. It's in this scene where both Hari Seldon and Gaal Dornick are brought before Brother Day (Lee Pace), one of the leaders of the Galactic empire. To put it mildly, Brother Day is not pleased.

And who can blame him for his frustration? it's during these two minutes we find out not only about Seldon's psychohistory predictions, but also that he's already being proven correct. Naturally, Brother Day is quick to blame the man who made the predictions rather than himself and his own flawed leadership.

"You're stretched to thin," says Seldon. "That's why the Kingdoms of the Outer Reach struck first. And who can blame them? Sensing vulnerability, soon other players will begin to apply downward pressure. An exaltation from one of the galaxy's major religions is a given."

And when Brother Day threatens to kill not only Seldon, but all of his followers, Gaal Dornick steps up to explain that doing so would guarantee the death of Brother Day and likely everyone around him. "Only he can shorten the darkness," is the formal proclamation — a cold comfort since it acts as a reminder that significant darkness is inevitable no matter what.

We'll find out just how successful the Galactic Empire is at slowing or altering its own Dark Age when "Foundation" begins streaming on Apple TV+ September 24.