A Banner Sci-Fi Series Tackles Dystopian Themes

Humanity’s remnants survive in a city deep underground with strict authoritarian order and no memories of the cataclysmic past. Silo, adapted from the novels by Hugh Howey, is a banner sci-fi series on Apple TV+ that never loses its captivating grip. The mystery that drives the show unfolds in different timelines through multiple characters. We see varying perspectives of a dystopian future where questioning accepted dogma has dire consequences. A superb ensemble cast and gritty production design take a familiar storyline to lofty heights.

“Freedom Day” establishes the premise and provides critical exposition in a razor-sharp premiere. The populace lives a mile below the surface in a winding helix structure with over a hundred levels. There are no elevators or escalators whisking people up and down. It takes time and significant physical effort to leave your assigned station.

Workers live their entire lives keeping Silo operational. Administrators and law enforcement rarely trek below to the technical and engineering depths. Screens broadcast the surface’s bleak and lifeless landscape. One rule and penalty reigns above all — exile from Silo means certain death. The banished have the option of “cleaning” the cameras and sensors before the inevitable. Citizens gather in cafeterias to watch their tragic fates.

David Oyelowo as Sheriff Becker

Apple TV+

Sheriff Holston Becker (David Oyelowo) and his wife, Allison (Rashida Jones), eagerly await an email at home on their cubed CRT monitor. They have been given permission to reproduce. The ecstatic couple have a year to conceive. Their first stop is a doctor to have Allison’s birth control removed. Everyone congratulates them on the joyous news. Children are highly regulated. Not everyone gets the honor of approval.

Time passes with no progress on getting pregnant. A frustrated Allison decides to work on Freedom Day. Silo honors Founders who crushed a rebellion 144 years ago, but victory came at a monumental cost. The vanquished erased history by burning libraries and wiping computer servers. Allison, a programmer, goes to the lower levels for a support request. George (Ferdinand Kingsley), a computer tech, has discovered an encrypted hard drive from before the war.

A Dangerous Predicament

Apple TV+

Silo sinks its narrative teeth by staging clever flashbacks. A character’s fate is known early. But you don’t understand the context of what happened. Backstories are later revealed as the overall arc comes into focus. For example, we aren’t introduced to the protagonist until the second of 10 episodes. Rebecca Ferguson stars as Juliette Nichols, a base level engineer who fixes the power generator. She’s thrust into a dangerous predicament and must collect the clues to uncover a shocking truth.

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Silo strikes a nerve with a complex exploration of systemic oppression. Fear of the unknown fuels societal obedience. Citizens feel gratitude for the Silo’s safety. Its bland industrial interior provides food, shelter, and a relatively comfortable existence. You can’t have rampant breeding. There wouldn’t be enough food. Intimate relationships should be “sanctioned.” Freedom becomes a small price to pay when images of the outside world illustrate the deadly alternative. Sacrifice is necessary for the common good.

Silo’s Sophisticated Approach

Norwegian director Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game, Passengers) gets top marks for a sophisticated approach. The characters face emotional reckonings in an enclosed environment. Dark secrets have broad consequences when brought to light. Some twists are obvious, but that’s not a negative here. The audience benefits from the helicopter view. The fun comes from watching the sublime pieces put together. Silo never fails to hold your attention.

Silo is a production of Nemo Films and AMC Studios. The series premieres May 5th exclusively on Apple TV+.

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