Summary
Silo is gritty sci-fi at its best, promoting cinematic visuals and elaborate world-building while creating that childlike sense of wonder that few other genres can—all this and a gutsy, complex performance from Rebecca Ferguson as well.
When faced with the apocalypse, humanity either heads to the stars or digs under the ground, hoping to avoid its inevitable demise. In Apple TV+’s dystopian series Silo, humanity escapes Armageddon by burrowing deep inside the earth.
This intriguing ten-part original, based on Hugh Howey’s Silo series of novels, follows the modern-day survivors of this apocalyptic wasteland and their unique underground society.
Silo Season 1 Review and Plot Summary
In this post-apocalyptic sci-fi series, created by Graham Yost (Justified), mankind has been whittled down to just ten thousand fortunate inhabitants. This community of hopeful survivors hides from the toxic world above, living in a fortified, gigantic silo deep under the earth’s surface.
The Silo is an autonomous society with crops, hierarchies, and rich history.
Policing this multifaceted community is the honorable Sheriff Holston Becker (David Oyelowo), who resides in the upper levels. Holston is joined by Deputy Marnes and the Silo’s Mayor Jahns.
Of course, the upper levels are prosperous and well-maintained. But as we journey down the levels, the hierarchy system starts to fall into place.
Right at the very bottom, in the Down Deep, you’ll find an entirely different world, mirroring that of Zion in The Matrix franchise. Here, we meet Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson), the engineer who keeps the Silo’s generator running, possibly the most important job in the whole community.
As the story progresses, Juliette becomes a central character. Spurred on by her lover’s death, Juliette begins to unravel a darker mystery that infiltrates every corner of this underground world.
Juliette searches for answers on the inside, while others take a leap of faith and journey into the great unknown outside.
Is Silo Season 1 good or bad?
Silo is a beautifully realized science fiction piece depicting an authentic and gritty society. The world-building here is phenomenal, capturing history and a community that feels entirely believable—fitted with its strange routines and rituals.
The cinematic visuals bring to mind celebrated sci-fi universes, such as Star Wars and Dune. It’s that almost cyberpunk style of aesthetics, where futuristic technology meets the archaic.
Helmed by director Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game), the series manages to depict both the grand scale and the claustrophobic nature of the Silo simultaneously.
That spellbinding cinematography allows viewers to fully immerse into this gripping world, which explores many intricate mysteries the Silo has to offer. Led by a gutsy, complex performance from Rebecca Ferguson (Dune), this mystery unfolds at a steady pace, with some shocking revelations teased along the way.
Is Silo Season 1 worth watching?
Sci-fi fans will no doubt lap this series up, enticed by the stunning visuals on display and its intricate puzzle-box mystery narrative. Others that stumble upon this series will likely stick around for the solid ensemble cast and Rebecca Ferguson’s exceptional performance.
It’s definitely worth a watch for the central mystery alone, although it may take viewers a little time to connect with initially.
What did you think of the Apple TV+ series Silo Season 1? Comment below.
Im hooked but get eyestrain from watching a dark screen for an hour.