After 21 Episodes, Apple TV+’s Foundation Adaptation Finally Introduces A Book-Accurate Version Of Hari Seldon

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Foundation season 3, episode 2, “Shadows in the Math.”Foundation season 3, episode 2, “Shadows in the Math,” takes Jared Harris’ version of Hari Seldon and finally molds him into an iteration of the character who is far more like he is in the books. Originating among the pages of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, Hari Seldon is pivotal in both the source material and its live-action adaptation.

While Hari has taken a backseat to some of Foundation season 3‘s new characters for the time being, he is still a vital figure in the show’s larger story. However, some creative liberties have been taken when adapting Asimov’s books into one of Apple TV+’s best sci-fi shows, which includes how psychohistory’s developer has been portrayed.

Jared Harris Is Great As Hari Seldon, But He’s Far Younger Than His Book Counterpart

Harris is about 15 years short of being a book-accurate Hari Seldon

Jared Harris is currently 63 years old and will turn 64 in August. So, it stands to reason that his version of Hari Seldon is roughly the same age. While this gives the character more than enough time to become a prominent figure in his field, he’s still too young to be a faithful adaptation of Hari from the Foundation books.

Isaac Asimov’s Hari Seldon was in his eighties in the source material, which means there’s a disparity of about fifteen years between both versions of the character. That said, I still think Harris was the right choice to play Hari Seldon in the live-action Foundation adaptation. His performance offers both the air of authority and approachability I’ve always associated with the figure.

Jared Harris’ Hari Seldon Is More Age-Appropriate In Foundation Season 3, Episode 2

Isaac Asimov’s psychohistorian looks like he was always supposed to in “Shadows in the Math”

Foundation season 3’s timeline means that Hari is far older than he looks by the time of episode 2, “Shadows in the Math.” Regardless, while he begins in the installment looking as he always has, remaining out of stasis to help guide the Second Foundation allows him to age naturally while Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobel) remains forever young.

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So, by the episode’s eight-minute mark, Jared Harris looks far more like his book counterpart. Again, he’s actually hundreds of years old at this point, but he at least looks to be physically in his eighties, which feels like a nod to the version of the character originally penned by Isaac Asimov for 1951’s series starter.

Apple TV+’s Version Of Foundation Has Already Taken Hari Seldon Past The Point Of Book-Accuracy

Jared Harris is essentially playing a new character in Foundation

The notable changes Apple TV+’s space opera has made to the source material means having an elderly Seldon wouldn’t have served the new approach to the centuries-long plot. So, while aging Harris up for “Shadows in the Math” may seem like a case of too little too late, it’s not a delayed attempt to faithfully portray the character.

Apple TV+’s Foundation changed Hari Seldon’s arc long before season 3. The biggest alteration is that the character is barely in the books at all. He dies very early in the story but leaves behind pre-recorded messages to update the Foundation on his plan as the centuries pass by. The messages are viewed in the Vault.

The Vault is also very different between both versions of the saga. It’s a fairly regular space in the books, and the recordings of Hari aren’t interactive. In the show, Harris’ character leaves behind what is essentially a sentient hologram of himself in an incredibly divergent take on the Vault.

So, what ultimately happens is that the adaptation of Issac Asimov’s work ends up with two versions of Hari Seldon, with one remaining ageless thanks to his digital nature, and the other eventually succumbing to the ravages of time. It’s a drastic overhaul of Hari from the original Foundation, but the changes work well in the story’s new medium.

New episodes of Foundation season 3 release every Friday on Apple TV+ until the finale on September 12.

Foundation

8/10

Release Date

September 23, 2021

Network

Apple TV+

Showrunner

David S. Goyer

Directors

Alex Graves, Roxann Dawson, Jennifer Phang, Mark Tonderai, Andrew Bernstein

Writers

Jane Espenson, Leigh Dana Jackson, Liz Phang, Eric Carrasco, David Kob, Addie Manis, Marcus Gardley, Lauren Bello, Olivia Purnell

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