In development in some form or fashion for the past decade, the long-awaited adaptation of author Hugh Howey’s epic “Silo” (original title: “Wool”) finally sees the light of day. Originally conceived as a feature to be helmed by Ridley Scott for Fox, it eventually landed at Apple TV+ in 2021 as a series with Graham Yost (“Justified”) acting as co-producer and showrunner.
Not without a few blips and hiccups and one terrible casting decision, the 10-episode first season of “Silo” sticks as close to the source material (the first five books in the nine-book series) as can be expected. It starts off with a bang, slows a tad after that, and thoroughly crushes it from episode six onward.
Class Warfare
As with practically every human settlement since the dawn of man, the residents are divided up into three distinct classes: the wealthy and powerful “Up-Tops,” the middle class “Mids,” and the industrial blue collar “Down Deeps.” There are four branches of governance: executive, judicial, IT, and a sheriff’s department with all sects called on to adhere to “The Pact,” something akin to the U.S. Constitution.
Although the exact location of the silo is never made clear, it is eventually suggested that it is somewhere in Southern North America. This would make sense as everyone speaks with American accents, although a few of the non-U.S. performers occasionally deliver dialogue with their native country flavoring.
Police Procedural
Philosophical and sci-fi elements abound but, when boiled down, “Silo” is essentially a basic police procedural as seen through a steampunk lens.To go into specific plot points of Season 1 here would do more harm than good. This is because terms such as “relics,” “cleaning,” and “wanting to go outside” lose much in printed translation and are better explained through the narrative.
The color palate is a mix of gunpowder grey, gun barrel blue, and muted blacks and whites. Rarely do we see warm hues or earth tones, which are a big plus from a storytelling perspective. The grey-blue-black-white imagery represents oppressive authoritarianism and the yellow-orange-red-green passages convey hope, however fleeting.
No Binge Option
In another move that somewhat bucks the current premium TV series cable wave: “Silo” will not be available to binge. The first two episodes will air on May 5 and the remaining eight will air on Fridays throughout June. Apple TV+ is banking heavily that “Silo” will be able to maintain interest for two months and, from my perspective, that will likely happen.Four of the five principal performers deliver the goods in spades. Rashida Jones and David Oyelowo appear as a married couple (she works in IT, he’s the current silo sheriff), who make the same mistake, albeit at different times, when questioning the status quo.
Tim Robbins plays Bernard, the white-haired IT overlord who is fond of tweed jackets and lapel pins, and is the hardest character to figure out.
The glaring cast weak spot is Common (born Lonnie Lynn), a former rapper starring as Sims, a judicial enforcer that knows nothing of subtly. He only scowls, sneers, screams, and intimidates in a series where nuance and understatement are absolutely essential.
The undisputed star of the show is co-producer Rebecca Ferguson (as Juliette), a tough-as-nails, emotionally neutral, Down Deep engineer who moves up the hierarchy ladder not so much by choice, but rather happenstance with poker-face indifference. Juliette is the heart, soul, and moral compass of the show.
Season one of “Silo” ends in manner that could be viewed as providing closure yet begs to be continued. I’m crossing my fingers and hoping there will be at least two more seasons.
