Apple TV+ has released a sneak peek of their upcoming sci-fi series, Foundation, in advance of its arrival on the streaming service this Friday. Starring Jared Harris and Lee Pace, the series is based on the beloved book series by acclaimed science fiction author Isaac Asimov.

The clip finds Hari Seldon (Harris), the galaxy's greatest mathematician, defending the nature of his "psychohistory" to the Empire's Committee of Public Safety. The Committee has little patience for the limits of Seldon's predictions, particularly Brother Day (Pace), who is openly hostile to his lack of certainty. And if the stakes of the conversation aren't obvious enough from the tone of those heavy hitters, the tension is clear on the face of young Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell), a mathematician who had left her homeworld to work with Seldon.

The lavish costumes and operatic staging certainly scream "sci-fi epic," but the themes couldn't be more salient to the present moment: scientists' best models about the future are being ignored and derided by the ruling class. "The trick was figuring out how to take these weighty ideas that span a millennium and make them emotional," explained showrunner David S. Goyer in a featurette released earlier this week. The new clip certainly manages that, keeping the focus on the people at the center of the story, even as they debate the fate of their society for millennia to come.

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Image via Apple TV+

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Goyer, who co-wrote the Dark Knight trilogy and is also writing on Netflix's upcoming The Sandman adaptation, will serve as executive producer, alongside Avatar 2 writer and The Sarah Connor Chronicles alum Josh Friedman, as well as Asimov's daughter, Robyn Asimov, and Krypton producer Cameron Welsh. Skydance's David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Bill Bost also served as executive producers. The cast includes Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, Terrence Mann, Cassian Bilton, and Alfred Enoch.

The first two episodes of Foundation arrive on Apple TV+ September 24, with subsequent episodes to follow weekly. Check out the clip below.

Here's the official synopsis for the series:

When revolutionary Dr. Hari Seldon predicts the impending fall of the Empire, he and a band of loyal followers venture to the far reaches of the galaxy to establish The Foundation in an attempt to rebuild and preserve the future of civilization. Enraged by Hari's claims, the ruling Cleons — a long line of emperor clones — fear their unrivaled reign may be weakening as they’re forced to reckon with the potential reality of losing their powerful legacy forever.

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