Variety has published an interesting analysis comparing Apple+ and its original content to other streaming services.

In brief, they're lagging behind. By self-reported measures other streaming services are typically performing about two to three times, and Netflix five times as strongly as Apple.

Apple have invested heavily in several sci-fi shows, eg. just released Foundation and the upcoming Invasion (available October 22). The success of either or both could significantly boost Apple's fortunes.

Critical response to the first two episodes seems slightly positive on average but highly variable. This was not what we expected to find after watching them.

In recent years we have seen critics get it famously wrong en masse with several big sci-fi properties. They're not infallible.

Or perhaps Foundation has legitimately failed in some respect. Among viewers there will be people who haven't read and know nothing about the books, those who've read them at some point and at least remember the broad storyline and those who've read it recently and perhaps many times and are intimately familiar with every aspect.

When entertainment connects with one's own but not other perspectives, it can be difficult to see those failings.

Being "inspired by" a book series rather than being an adaptation of them, as was Game of Thrones, those in the third group might also be less receptive to the various changes.

[ Main Image: Foundation promotional poster. Credit: Apple.com ]

References

Tran, Kevin (September 30, 2021). The Big-Budget TV Race Apple Can't Afford to Lose. Variety.

Wikipedia. Foundation (TV series). (viewed October 1, 2021)