Apple TV's Foundation, adapted from Isaac Asimov's classic science fiction novels, has thrived by departing significantly from its source material rather than adhering closely to it. Although early changes frustrated some fans of the books, the series' willingness to reinvent Asimov's ideas has, over three seasons, produced a stronger television adaptation with acclaimed original concepts, illustrating how loose adaptation can serve a story better than strict fidelity on screen.

The books introduce psychohistory, a fictional science devised by Hari Seldon (played by Jared Harris) to predict civilisation's future and shorten a predicted 30,000-year dark age to just 1,000 years following the fall of the Galactic Empire. The show has built on and reworked these ideas across its run, with a third season recently completed and a fourth season already confirmed, suggesting the adaptation's approach continues to pay off.