Foundationseason 3’s premiere introduced a narrative element that ties to a famous sci-fi movie franchise. DespiteIsaac Asimov’sFoundationbooksand his other stories being considered some of the most prolific science fiction ever, they haven’t found as much success in Hollywood as authors like Philip K. Dick and H. G. Wells.
Long thought to be impossible to adapt,Foundationis now proving its worth on the small screen.Foundationseason 3has impressive reviews once again, with critics and audiences applauding it for its vibrant world-building and visuals. Much of thataesthetic is drawn from other sci-fi adaptations, includingBlade Runner.
Foundation Introduced Artificial Earth Animals
Brother Day Has A Pet Ferret
Foundation’sseason 3 premiere sees Brother Day living at his pleasure palacewhile the Galactic Empire faces imminent collapse.The Muleis rising with the conquest of Kalgan, and the Foundation has consumed a threatening portion of the galaxy. One of his newest fascinations is the cloning of real-life animals.
We’ve encountered some non-sentient alien species inFoundation, but Earth animals aren’t typically present this far into the future. Earth itself is something of a mythological idea, given how widespread humans have become throughout the galaxy. This makes Brother Day’s animals all the more curious.
Isaac Asimov’sFoundationnovels are phenomenal, but he doesn’t dive into his world-building like Robert Jordan or George R.R. Martin. There are somementions of animals on various planets, but this idea of cloning animals is original to the TV show.
Blade Runner Famously Explored Electronic Animals In The Future
Artificial Animals Are Crucial To Blade Runner’s Source Material
The classic sci-fi filmBlade Runneris based on the novelDo Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, another classic sci-fi work by author Philip K. Dick. The idea of electric animals is prevalent in the story, which isset in a dystopian future where the Earth’s resources and natural life have all but been destroyed.
Foundationexplores a much more distant sci-fi future, but it’s fascinating to consider the similarities between these stories. I’ve always felt thatFoundation’sintro sequence and visuals were reminiscent of the vivid imagery described inBlade Runner’sfamous “Tears in Rain” monologue.
How Foundation’s Animals Differ From Blade Runner
Brother Day’s Ferret Is A Clone Not An AI
Brother Day explains inFoundationseason 3’s premiere that hisartificial Earth animals are developed through genetic cloning, rather than the electric animals in Philip K. Dick’s book and theBlade Runnerfilms. In both cases, however, they offer a compelling reflection on their story’s characters.
InFoundation, these cloned animals reflect Brother Day’s artificial body and sense of humanity.
InBlade Runner, the animals Deckard sees throughout the film, in dreams, the real world, and in origami form,represent ideas of human consciousness tied to whether the main character is an AI or human. InFoundation, these cloned animals reflect Brother Day’s artificial body and sense of humanity.
