With Foundation Season 3 in the rearview, we attempt to take a holistic look at the entire season and put it all into perspective, not just within the show but its production. Spoilers to come as usual! We're joined by Travis Johnson, Friend of Stars End, formerly of the Black Alert Podcast and Star Trek Podigy, both Star Trek Podcasts, and much more!

Hello! It's time to vote in the Third Newly Biannual Hari Awards for Foundational Excellence, all about Foundation on Apple TV+'s Season 3! Please help us and vote in the survey below. The survey will be open for one week, until Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 3:00 pm EDT. And please comment! We look forward to hearing from you! Our season three recap episode will drop this weekend!

Hoo boy! That was one hell of a season finale, wasn't it? You may have noticed that none of us were exactly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as we remonstrated about Foundation's Season 3, Episode 10, "The Darkness." "The Darkpodcastness." Spoiler Alert, as usual. Of course, you can listen without watching first, but this one needs to be seen to be believed.

In which we ruminate about Foundation, S3E09, "The Paths that Choose Us." Spoiler Alert, as if that wasn't obvious. "The Podcasts That Choose Us." If you thought that episode 8 was intense, this one was a philosophical gut punch after another. And they come, fast and powerful. We see the full extent of the Mule's power as Gaal tries to free Warden Greer.

Join us for another barn burner of an episode as we look below the surface of Foundation, S3E08, “Skin in the Game!” Brother Dude goes on trial, Brother Dawn wakes up, and Brother Dusk is up to something so sinister that Demerzel is preconfessing. We're picking up speed as we slide into the inevitable conclusion! Also, what's up with Bayta? Don't miss this one! "Skin in the Podcast"

Here we go again! My impressions, insights, and interpretations from watching the episode. If you haven't watched the episode yet, what's holding you back? Spoiler Alert. Proceed at your own risk. Simultaneously published at Stars End: a Foundation Podcast and Comics, The Universe, and Everything. Watching Foundation S3E07 Nice title. It could be the name of an Asimov book in a different universe.

Foundation, S3E07, "Foundation's End" is another episode that demands analysis! And has big revelations! Don't tell anyone, but I may have squeed. We have another special guest to help us wrap our heads around this one! "Podcast's End" Spoiler alerts, as usual. And don't let the title frighten you; we're not going anywhere! In this one, she names the robot that dare not speak its name.

Here we go again! My random thoughts and reactions as I watched, and rewatched, the episode. Spoiler Alert, obviously. Simultaneously published at Stars End: a Foundation Podcast and Comics, The Universe, and Everything. Watching Foundation S3E06 Panicky Mule, not a nightmare but “a vision.” Pritcher… “He was like me… I realize… he gave me a great gift.” Initially, I wondered if this was “the Mule” exhibiting powers without Magnifico.

Let's chat about Foundation, S3E06, "The Shape of Time!" It's a big episode and we have a big guest star to enlarge our conversation. We call this one, "The Shape of the Podcast," and people are already calling it "longer than usual!" As you proceed, be warned! Here be spoilers! If the mark of a great episode is that it becomes even more interesting on a second watch, then this one checks the box!

As always, my reactions to the episode as I watched it and rewatched it. Unfortunately, this one did not exactly get more interesting upon closer scrutiny. Simultaneously published at Stars End: a Foundation Podcast and Comics, The Universe, and Everything. Watching Foundation S3E05 This is a very cool shot with the hoverbike driving vertically down the side of a building.

In which we discuss Apple TV+'s Foundation, S3E05 - "Where Tyrants Spend Eternity." "Where Podcasts Spend Eternity." We didn't love this episode as much as the last one. Do you remember the Star Trek Episode "Court Martial?" It's the one where Captain Kirk is accused of murdering Lt. Commander Benjamin Finney. It's a little like that. The climax of the episode comes when Kirk's attorney, Samuel T.

In case you don't remember how this works, these are Joseph's initial thoughts, reactions, and predictions from watching the episode. Spoilers follow for the show and the books past this point. Proceed at your own risk. Simultaneously published at Comics, The Universe, and Everything. Watching Foundation S3E04 Directed by Roxanne Dawson! Here we go! Aerial view of the area with the tree.

Join us as we talk about Foundation, S3E04, "The Stress of Her Regard." It's an episode so big, so intense, and so seismic that it'll take FOUR of us to talk about it! In 1893, Nikola Tesla invented an ⁠earthquake machine⁠! Legend has it that by 1898, the machine was so powerful that neighbors called the police, afraid that Tesla's laboratory was about to shake itself apart!

Episode 2 will be next, so I can hopefully get on track for publishing these before the next episode. You remember how these work. These are Joseph's reactions, reflections, and ruminations while watching the episode. Also some light summary. Beware. Here be spoilers. Simultaneously published at Comics, The Universe, and Everything. Watching Foundation S3E03 Book! I assume we’re talking about…

We discuss Foundation, S3E03, "When a Book Finds You." "When a Podcast Finds You." Now, you may find yourself grooving in a Kalgan rave. Or, you may find yourself with an intuitive giraffe. Or, you may find yourself in the stacks of a large imperial library. Or, you may find yourself with a dubious prince, with a dubious beard.

We're at the start of a season, so here's a quick reminder of how these work. While watching the episode, I write down my thoughts, impressions, connections, and theories — half-baked or otherwise. Then we record the podcast. Eventually, I will publish one of these. Usually, it's pretty quick, but I still owe you one each from Seasons 1 and 2.

In which we talk about Foundation S3E02, "Shadows in the Math." "Shadows in the Podcast" Spoiler Alert! You know what to do! The pieces are starting to fall into place! S3E02 begins with a brief review of how the Second Foundation has evolved over the past 150 years! We see the Mule trying to consolidate power on Kalgan and get to meet Torin and Bayta!

In which we discuss Apple TV+'s Foundation, S3E01, "A Song For The End of Everything." "A Podcast for the End of Everything" Now we're into the meat of our new, even-numbered season as we finally have a real teevee episode to talk about! As always, this way lies spoilers. If you care about such things, get thee to the platform!

We preview season 3 of Foundation on Apple TV+ and make some announcements! "I Can Worm My Way Into People's Podcasts." It's an even-numbered season of the Stars End podcast! You know what that means! Our Second Interregnum has come to a close! The big news, of which you're already, no doubt, aware, is the return of Foundation to Apple TV+!

In this episode, we continue to drift along The Currents of Space, floating into chapters 7 through 12. This almost coincides with the second installment in Astounding Science Fiction for November 1952 (Chapter 7 was published in October). "Ninety-Five Percent of the Universe is Hydrogen, and Most of the Rest is Podcasts." This is the middle section of Asimov's middle Galactic Empire Novel (in-universe chronologically, that is).

Guess what? It's Season 5 Episode 21! VERY soon! But first, it's been a while; we've missed you, and we hope you feel the same. I've said it before: having a day job is no fun. And that's the crux of it; we got bogged down with work, and the post-production got away from us. That's especially true in my case.

We start Asimov's third (or second) Galactic Empire Novel, The Currents of Space, by discussing chapters 1 through 6. This nearly corresponds to the first installment published in the October 1952 issue of Astounding Science Fiction which covered 1 through 7. "I remember my Podcast. I had a Podcast!" A friend tells me that our episodes are better when we’re enjoying the stuff that we’re reading.