Silo is a dystopian drama set in the future, where all that’s left of humankind is living inside a giant underground silo. 
Nobody knows who built the silo or why people live there, but what they do know is that there is no habitable world outside it and everyone must follow strict rules for the sake of the community’s survival.
When the silo’s sheriff, played by David Oyelowo, becomes suspicious of the “truth” that they are being told, he insists on leaving the silo, and everyone is told he dies. He leaves a note asking for his replacement to be the silo’s head engineer, Juliette, played by Ferguson. Juliette, also suspicious of some of the things that they are told, seeks out the truth herself, putting herself and everyone she loves in grave danger.
There is, obviously, so much more to the story, so many twists and turns, but they are all best experienced by watching this series, which has been renewed for a second season, and I certainly won’t be spoiling anything for you here.
But what I will say is it blends genres of mystery, thriller, drama, crime and, obviously, sci-fi, all in one package which looks cooler than anything you’ve seen on TV, short of a Star Wars series. And, speaking of Star Wars, it comes as no surprise that Silo’s production designer, Gavin Bouquet, has Star Wars films on his resume (Episodes I, II and III). He also won an Emmy for designing for The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, so it’s not surprising how cool Silo looks.
But beyond being cool, the world of the silo is nightmare fuel crossed with film noir, grinding gears and dark pathways, a vertical dungeon made up of an endless staircase (certainly not ADA compliant) built onto an abyss. Certainly an homage to the sci fi of Star Wars, where everything in the future feels like it’s really old, the world of Silo is old-fashioned, clunky, analog and grey—very grey. But it is so incredibly compelling and gives the actors such a visceral playground. Just as I love being in the world of Star Wars, I love being in this world of Silo.
Silo was created by Graham Yost, who also created Justfied, another series I loved (one you may or may not see on a future edition of “Your Weekly Binge”), so it’s not surprising to see a multi-layered story featuring an ensemble cast of excellent actors. Ferguson does make the most of her role here, capitalizing on what I had instantly noticed in her when I watched Dune: she’s a total badass. Ferguson plays Juliette with an abandon that is so refreshing, she is angry and defiant, strong and charismatic, tortured and loyal. It’s a character made for he and she embodies it in every way. There is a total toughness about her, without capitulating to masculinity, which is rare and alluring as hell.
The ensemble is made up of a litany of top-notch actors, including Oyelowo, Rashida Jones, Tim Robbins, Iain Glen, Common, Will Patton and Harriet Walker, the new MVP of any series (see: Succession, Ted Lasso and Killing Eve). Each actor makes the most of their assignment, contributing to the total package that Silo is. There is also a cast of thousands, this must not be a cheap show to make.
For any sci-fi fan, I can’t imagine you missing out on this show, as it is everything you could hope for in a futuristic apocalyptic show, with the added benefit of a great story and incredible performances thrown in for good measure.