Foundation season three is closing in on its finale, but there’s still a trio of action-packed episodes to go. io9 got a chance to talk to Brandon P. Bell, who plays Captain Han Pritcher; he’s a new character this season but has a name Foundation book readers will immediately recognize.
On the Apple TV+ show based on the Isaac Asimov stories, Pritcher is entwined in multiple storylines. He’s the Foundation’s top intelligence officer, at least until he has a major falling-out with his boss. But he’s really aligned with the top-secret Second Foundation and—in addition to being an important source of outside-world intel for the isolated group of powerful psychics—is romantically involved with Second Foundation leader Gaal Dornick.
In the most recent episode, Pritcher has escaped imprisonment just as the Foundation was about to hand him over to the villainous Mule, who’s intent on learning where the Second Foundation has been hiding. What’s his next move? Bell wouldn’t divulge any spoilers, of course, but he did share more about his Foundation experience so far.
Cheryl Eddy, io9: Pritcher is an Asimov creation, though his story is changed a bit for the show. Did you read any of the Foundation books ahead of time as you were figuring out the character?
Brandon P. Bell: No. I was aware of Asimov, but I hadn’t read the Foundation series yet, and I hadn’t watched it yet. I just remember this grandiose trailer that Apple presented; it was in my queue, and I remember it being this gorgeous, insane show with these actors that I recognized. And so, when I got the role, there was a temptation to read. [For] a lot of the OG cast, for their roles, there’s not much there to draw from. However, with Pritcher, I would soon find out that he is very central to, especially, Foundation and Empire when the Mule drops in.
So I didn’t read the first two books until after [I finished working on] season three. I was not only impressed with how they brought Asimov’s vision to life, but I love the more complex take on Pritcher, as opposed to just the military uniform guy, the super intelligent undercover guy who has this tragic fate. I still haven’t read the third book, because I just want to wait.
But [reading the first two] made me a fan; I actually really enjoyed the books. I’ve heard so many different conflicting opinions on them … but it’s brilliant stuff that is so relevant today that was written over half a century ago.
io9: What was it like for you coming into Foundation as part of its third season? Did you study seasons one and two for context?
Bell: Of course. As soon as I got the email that [executive producer] David [S. Goyer] wanted to meet, obviously I had to do my homework. And I remember thinking episode one, season one of Foundation is one of the most breathtaking episodes of television I think I’ve ever seen. The world-building—it looked like they shot on location, which is not always the case—and this unique storytelling from the godfather of sci-fi himself was extremely exciting and enticing. I was hooked from episode one. I was really hooked. I’m a sci-fi fan, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it then and there.
io9: Pritcher is a mentalic, though he’s not as powerful as the Mule or Gaal. How do you think that ability shapes the way he reacts to things?
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