Although it doesn’t yet have the same prestigious reputation as something like HBO, Apple TV+ has proven that it can churn out genuinely great shows when it wants to. Shows like For All Mankind and Pachinko may never have been given the green light or the budget that they received if they were being pushed by another network, and Apple TV+ transformed them both into major success stories.
The streamer’s latest new show is Silo, a sci-fi series focused on a group of people who live in an underground silo in the aftermath of a nuclear disaster. Silo isn’t just one of the best sci-fi shows on TV, it’s also one of the best shows on Apple TV+ ever. Here are a few reasons why you should watch it right now.
It features a wonderful ensemble
Led by the unbeatably great Rebecca Ferguson, who has been in everything from the Mission: Impossible movies to The Greatest Showman to Dune, Silo features the kind of TV cast that would have been impossible to assemble 20 years ago. In addition to Ferguson, who is perhaps the most underrated actor working today, the cast also includes David Oyelowo, Rashida Jones, Tim Robbins, and Harriet Walter, who is coming off of her role as Caroline in Succession.
Each of these actors gets plenty to do on the show as well, so it never feels like any of the great talent that has been assembled for the show is wasted in service of the plot.
Its dystopian premise feels fresh
After a wave of dystopian stories in the first half of the 2010s, most of the premises in this genre feel a bit tired. Silo manages to tweak the formula enough to make it work, though, as the show follows a group of survivors buried in a massive silo following an environmental disaster on the surface.
The show makes that premise feel grounded and real but also allows for doubt to seep in as the characters begin to question whether the premise is as real as they think it is.
It has plenty of intriguing mystery box elements
As alluded to above, part of the fun of Silo is that while the show starts and we think we know what’s going on, as the episodes pass, our central characters begin to seem less and less sure. As a result, the inventive and brutal Silo has certain qualities in common with a show like Lost, where the setting itself is fantastical, and there’s also plenty of mysteries to be uncovered.
Alliances shift, and you’re never entirely sure who to trust and who not to. Because the show is still in the middle of its first season, it’s unclear whether it’ll ultimately stick the landing. For now, though, it’s pretty thrilling to watch.
It has high Apple TV production values
One of the reasons the show remains so compelling is that, in addition to its smart writing and a great cast, it also has the kind of production values that only a company like Apple can give to its series.
It’s clear that Apple spared no expense in both casting the show and creating real sets for the actors to perform and interact with. When the CGI elements come into play, they’re immersive enough that you’re never jarred away from the story being told.
It has behind-the-scenes credibility
The other reason to watch Silo, even though it’s still early in the show’s run, is that we know it’s in good hands. Graham Yost, the executive producer responsible for the critically acclaimed series Justified, is part of the creative team here, as are writers who have been staffed on a number of other critically acclaimed series.
All of that writing talent suggests that Silo has a real shot of continuing to be good for the foreseeable future, which means it may be worth the investment required to get in early.
Silo season one is currently streaming on Apple TV+.
