Jared Harris opens up about TV cancellations, fan power, and why Foundation deserves time to grow ahead of its season 3 premiere on Apple TV+.
Jared Harris, best known for his roles in The Expanse and Apple TV+’s Foundation, is tapping into his own roller-coaster TV journey to remind networks and viewers alike that building a lasting fanbase doesn’t happen overnight.
As he gears up for the July 11, 2025 premiere of Foundation season 3, Harris reflects on how patience paid off for other genre giants—and why the same could hold true for sci-fi hits on the chopping block.
Harris chuckles at early press comparisons of Foundation to “Game of Thrones in space,” admitting it used to drive him nuts.
But he points out that Game of Thrones didn’t truly capture mainstream attention until the jaw-dropping Red Wedding in season 3—“that was the breakthrough moment,” he says.
“People caught up, they got invested, and then the fanbase just took off.”
That, he explains, is the kind of momentum every new series needs before networks start waving red flags.
He should know. When The Expanse was cancelled after season 3, it was the fervent reaction of its fans—flooding social media, signing petitions—that convinced Amazon to revive and fund seasons 4 through 6.
“Sometimes, like with The Expanse, the fans save it,” Harris notes.
And while Foundation was originally plotted to span eight seasons, he’s quick to add that its fate now rests squarely on audience engagement.
“If people are watching, then they’ll be encouraged to make more seasons,” he says.
Season 3 picks up after a jaw-dropping finale in season 2, which saw Salvor Hardin’s (Leah Harvey) tragic death and a leap forward 152 years.
Now, Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell) and Hari Seldon face a race against time to build the Second Foundation.
They must recruit and train new psychohistorians—people with Gaal-like abilities—to ensure their plan to guide humanity back on track can actually happen.
Meanwhile, Harris teases an intriguing shadow plot: a second version of Hari Seldon, unaware that his mind has been digitally tinkered with, slowly unraveling as he realizes his thoughts aren’t entirely his own.
It’s an existential crisis that mirrors the show’s larger themes of destiny, control, and sacrifice.
As Foundation season 3 arrives, Harris hopes viewers give it room to grow—just as they did with the likes of Game of Thrones and The Expanse.
After all, every epic saga needs its moment to ignite.
