Someone at Apple TV+ clearly loves sci-fi, turning the streaming service into a mecca for science fiction projects. The platform recently released the series 'Silo' about a post-apocalyptic world where people live in an underground shelter. We tell y...

Before us is a future where people are forced to live in a huge shelter hundreds of stories deep. In this silo, isolated from everything outside—so disfigured and spoiled that there is no room for anything living—the underground settlers have built a new world with its own rules and norms. Peace and order reigned there until, one day, several people began to doubt the unquestionable truth: that survival outside the bunker is impossible. And cracks begin to appear in the impenetrable shell of the shelter.

Streaming service Apple TV+ is confidently continuing to release new science fiction projects, clearly not skimping on budget. The platform invests not only in high-quality computer graphics, without which any sci-fi would look bleak, but also in casting. And while in such sci-fi flagships as 'See' (Jason Momoa), 'For All Mankind' (Joel Kinnaman), and 'Foundation' (Lee Pace) they relied primarily on a famous actor, in 'Silo' the streaming service has finally chosen an actress—Rebecca Ferguson. For that, they deserve a special bow, because she simply shines in this series.

Ferguson has completely changed her movement style, worked on her facial expressions and voice. Most often, she gets roles of strong-willed women, and her character Juliette in 'Silo' is no exception, but here she is different: not from the elite as in 'The Greatest Showman', not possessing a unique gift as in 'Dune' or 'Doctor Sleep', and certainly not a trained spy as in 'Mission: Impossible'. In 'Silo', she is given different shades: she is simple, rough, withdrawn, not striving to conquer heights, content with life on the lower levels of the bunker. She has enough with what she has, but fate unfolds so that she has to come out of her shell and make risky decisions. At the same time, Ferguson skillfully works in pairs with others, not drawing all the attention to herself, but being part of this post-apocalyptic world.

Since we started with the good, we'll continue with it. 'Silo' is a show based on the eponymous books by Hugh Howey. Unlike 'Foundation', which strayed far from the stories told in the novels by Isaac Asimov, the new Apple TV+ series tries to stick to the plot lines of the literary source.

When you start watching 'Silo', one association comes to mind: you involuntarily compare its main post-apocalyptic shelter to the Tower of Babel. But if the great structure from the biblical legend was meant to unite people, in the series, the central staircase of the bunker rather serves as the main divider. Society here is divided by levels according to occupation: for example, mechanics are on the lower levels, while the main judicial authority and leadership are on the upper ones. Of course, living conditions vary depending on the level. Moving between levels is not forbidden, but to go down from the top, you need to spend a day or more; there is no elevator, and people usually do not leave their comfort zone. The future is the future, but social inequality is on schedule.

This subtext suggests a related idea: the apocalypse does not make us worse or better. It may only sometimes sharpen what was already inside. People remain people regardless of circumstances: they also lie, love, kill, do good, and commit irrational acts. Among other relevant ideas in 'Silo' are the importance of energy sources and the significance of the past to move into the future. The series' narrative revolves around several plot elements, one of which is relics—items from the old world before the apocalypse. These objects are strictly registered in a common database and prohibited for personal use. This serves as a more practical and straightforward metaphor for the phrase 'knowledge is power'.

But the creators of 'Silo' could not avoid a fly in the ointment. First, you will have to endure the first two or three episodes while the series gets on track and picks up speed. The authors approached building the overall exposition very carefully and meticulously to introduce the viewer to the world and characters of 'Silo'. Therefore, at the beginning, the show may seem drawn out and slow. However, the closer to the finale, the more dynamic the story becomes.

Second, the interesting and intricate plot is both a joy and a curse for the series. Mysteries and puzzles attract and pique the viewer's curiosity, but by the end of the first season, not all of them are resolved. In this regard, it resembles another sci-fi series 'Severance', which was criticized for its many thrown-in but unresolved secrets (and even fans did not praise it for the final cliffhanger). The only saving grace here is the news that 'Silo' has been renewed for a second season, meaning there is still a chance to learn the truth.

In the end, the new Apple TV+ project with Rebecca Ferguson turned out to be a beautifully dark sci-fi drama, filled with plot twists and various ideological subtexts. With excellent graphics, action elements, and textured actors. If you like science fiction projects where people try to survive in a confined space, and the main monster and enemy is another person, not a mysterious creature, then 'Silo' has something to offer you. But be prepared to rack your brains.