I often forget that Apple TV+ (what a weird name) is actually a thing. This is mostly due to the fact that the only Apple product I currently own being an iPad from the Stone Age that pretty much requires an endless stream to coal shovelled into it to power it. Apple having its own streaming service is a weird idea to me, given Apple is a very closed off company: they stick to their own hardware and they do not share software. And given their incredibly high cost for their products, especially anything more than their smartphones, it seems like a strange concept that Apple may pursue their own streaming service that funds original productions, to air to a seemingly small demographic in comparison to their competition. So, this would bring up a few questions: do they really have the budget to be funding this? How sustainable is it? And the question most subscribers will have: is the show I'm about to watch going to end up getting cancelled at the first minor sign of it not being a massive hit? Well, this one question certainly comes mind whenever I see an Apple made streaming series released. But I can give them praise in that their shows do actually tend to have some quality to them.
Silo seems to be the next show to attempt to not get cancelled, and surprisingly I decided to roll the dice and check it out, knowing it was only just going through its first season. Normally, I avoid new shows unless I feel their chance of being cancelled are basically nonexistent. The reasons being mentioned above. I think with all the dystopian, gloomy Soviet era wasteland films I had been seeing at the time, I felt curious over Silo having read the synopsis. Next to it was a decent review score that admittedly contributed to the decision to begin watching it. Despite reading up on it a little bit, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. These shows tend to be very hit and miss, and science-fiction is a bit of a cursed genre that ends up riddled with lost ideas that just don't get the budget or support they need to really flourish. Usually, something is off: casting, costume, or a stupidly high reliance on special effects instead of good lighting and set design. Ultimately, the science fiction genre falls victim frequently to the cruel hand of production companies. Where enough money just is not given due to the risks.
Silo
Silo is based on an existing novel, but one I admit I have not read. But typically this allows for some creativity to mix with an established set of characters and stories. For the science fiction genre, this is often pivotal. Truly original ideas are less likely to work on the big screen without extensive backstory and worldbuilding. I can say that one of the first strengths I noticed with Silo was this aspect of worldbuilding. It dived into the main themes fairly quickly, introducing us to a few characters that were used to establish the scale of the universe these characters find themselves within. Though, I had some fears that it would soon reveal too much; fortunately, this didn't happen, and I'm actually glad happy that it was able to pull me in like that and have me almost expecting the show to take one direction as it actually pursues another.
We are soon introduced to a dystopian world in which a civilisation of people are kept confined within a huge Silo type of bunker. This huge structure buried deep beneath the ground and built over a century prior. There's little information on who built the place and why, but they supposedly know that going outside leads to death. An unhospitable wasteland with no promise. Within this confined space which tunnels deep into the ground is a structure, a dystopian system that controls how people are capable of living. Certain technologies are banned, and having children is something that requires approval given the scarcity of resources available to keep the existing population going. Alongside this, those who break the rules are expected to go outside to "clean". This is an event in which people are placed into an astronaut type of suit and sent outside, they return to the top of the bunker and clean the lens that reveals the truth to the world: there is nothing out there.
We see this idea introduced to us quite early on in the show. A character sent out to clean, the spectation of this event is huge with crowds gathering around the screen to watch it take place. Though these characters do not return back to the silo. They walk on out into the wasteland shortly before collapsing as a result of some sort of chemical or unsuitable environment with the air outside. With the screen cleaned, it serves as a constant reminder to those inside that nothing outside is worth pursuing. This cements the idea that the many rules and regulations of which they live by are in fact there to protect them, creating this society that willingly accepts their oppression, rarely questionning anything.
The show toys between the idea of truth throughout the first season. To some, it could be a bit confusing given the structure of the story that only leads to more questions by the time it ends. But I think I really liked this about it, it really had me thinking and trying to figure out what was going on; and even as the season ended, all I could think about was where this might be going in the second season which is already in production, fortunately. Much of the show is carried by Rebecca Ferguson, and actress I haven't really seen a whole lot of before. Typically in bigger productions I just haven't really enjoyed, where she isn't a lead. In Silo, she is the lead, and I feel she did a great job here. The character certainly suits her as some mischievous, hardworking rebel. Though she never feels as if she's capable of too much compared to the other characters. The balance really worked here as the story shifted between characters to explore the worldbuilding elements.
With these worldbuilding elements within a science fiction production comes the inevitable problem of how to display it. Set design can be expensive and special effects are too obvious, removing the immersion when backgrounds are clearly false. I think Silo handles it all quite well, it rarely looks fake. The set design seems real enough, with lots of well placed lighting and colours to give off that cold, grey bunker look. Of course there are parts in which there's no other option but to use special effects, but I felt even then they were used sparingly alongside physical sets. I think there's some real quality control here in this show, and I definitely found myself enjoying it. A rarity for this type of production, and more so a surprise from something as small as Apple's own streaming service.
I'm curious as to where things may go from here though. The first season revealed a lot in the last few episodes, but with an equal number of questions. It seems things will change up a lot in the story, and I just have no idea where it may be heading. But I'll definitely be sticking around to find out after such a strong, intriguing first season.
