I haven’t seen the show yet but I am a huge fan of the Silo book series by Hugh Howey. I highly recommend reading it if the show piques your interest at all.
I haven’t seen the show yet but I am a huge fan of the Silo book series by Hugh Howey. I highly recommend reading it if the show piques your interest at all.
The books and the show are very similar "in spirit" but very different in the details. It is worth both reading and watching. It is also worth reading about the background for how it got started,...
The books and the show are very similar "in spirit" but very different in the details.
It is worth both reading and watching.
It is also worth reading about the background for how it got started, self-published, piecemeal, only word-of-mouth advertising, similar to Andy Weir's The Martian.
I absolutely loved the books and read them all in about the span of a week. Going through the show, it feels very different, but hits the same points in roundabout ways. Still enjoying the show,...
I absolutely loved the books and read them all in about the span of a week. Going through the show, it feels very different, but hits the same points in roundabout ways. Still enjoying the show, but I'm not sure if I'd enjoy the show more if I didn't read the book...
Would you recommend reading the book first and then watching the TV series, or vice versa? When TV-series based on books leave out a lot of background details I usually prefer to read the book...
Would you recommend reading the book first and then watching the TV series, or vice versa?
When TV-series based on books leave out a lot of background details I usually prefer to read the book first to better understand the story. But if the quality of the show is better than the original story, it might be more enjoyable to watch the show first.
I read the books a few years ago. Some stuff has been changed for tv. I dont think its critical, but there are some major elements coming up that will likely be major spoilers for the books. I...
I read the books a few years ago. Some stuff has been changed for tv. I dont think its critical, but there are some major elements coming up that will likely be major spoilers for the books. I liked the books more than the show, so if the books are important to you to read, my recommendation is to sideline the show and go read the books.
Yeah if the show contains major spoilers I think I'll hold off on the show for now. It seems like many of the other book readers also agree that the books are a little bit better than the show, so...
Yeah if the show contains major spoilers I think I'll hold off on the show for now. It seems like many of the other book readers also agree that the books are a little bit better than the show, so it seems like a good idea to start with those. Thanks for the help!
Book first, I think. I personally always like to flesh out the characters in my head from the book first. If I watch a movie/series first, the characters are always "stuck" in my head as the...
Book first, I think.
I personally always like to flesh out the characters in my head from the book first. If I watch a movie/series first, the characters are always "stuck" in my head as the actors that played them, no matter how the book describes them.
In the book, eg, Walker is a man.
Also, of course, more detail and background in the books, and the series is different enough that it still feels new, and I'm not sure what's coming next.
It's the same for me with the characters, I'd keep imagining the show characters even if they're different in the book, so it's probably a good idea to start with the books. Good to know that...
It's the same for me with the characters, I'd keep imagining the show characters even if they're different in the book, so it's probably a good idea to start with the books. Good to know that there are some significant differences between the book and the show, that will probably make it interesting enough to read and watch both. I'm not entirely sure which of the books are covered in the show's first season, but I've picked up the first act of the book series (Wool), so I'm going to read those first! Thank you!
I definitely plan to read them at some point, but I'm also really enjoying watching the show blind, and I've heard that the first season seems likely to end only at the midway point of the first...
I definitely plan to read them at some point, but I'm also really enjoying watching the show blind, and I've heard that the first season seems likely to end only at the midway point of the first book in the series. I don't trust myself to have enough self control to only read half of a book at once, haha, so will have to save it til after season 2!
I really like the books, just because they don't pretend to be something they aren't. They aren't pretentious, overly complicated or sexist. They're just simple stories with interesting...
I really like the books, just because they don't pretend to be something they aren't.
They aren't pretentious, overly complicated or sexist. They're just simple stories with interesting characters, just developed enough to keep your attention. These books aren't timeless literature or towering epics because they don't have to be. They're not overly preachy or moralizing and they have nothing to prove. Most of all, they don't just throw nonsensical shock or drama in your face just to get your attention.
They aren't perfectly believable, but they don't have to be, because they're engaging, interesting and they more or less make sense in the world that's developed.
Yes, fellow Silo lover reporting in! Soon as I saw it was Apple+ and the premise, I knew it was gonna be good. Really enjoying the mystery and characters of the show so far. It's giving me vibes...
Yes, fellow Silo lover reporting in! Soon as I saw it was Apple+ and the premise, I knew it was gonna be good. Really enjoying the mystery and characters of the show so far. It's giving me vibes from another show called Ascension (careful googling, spoilers are easy) and I kinda feel like its going a similar route.
I've been pleasantly engaged so far. Some of it feels a bit dystopian cliche for my tastes, but a solid performance from Rebecca Ferguson and fun twists are keeping me coming back. Even Common has...
I've been pleasantly engaged so far. Some of it feels a bit dystopian cliche for my tastes, but a solid performance from Rebecca Ferguson and fun twists are keeping me coming back. Even Common has been quite solid. I typically find him emotionally flat; so far he feels really well suited for his role.
Spoilers
100% with you on the suit poisoning theory. I assumed as much when the first sheriff walked outside. My other potential suspicion is their deaths are just computer generated imagery. They may be getting away, but the group controlling the Silo doesn't want anyone to know.
The world lends itself quite well to allegories of fascism. Would be fun if this went the route of Lost or The 100 and each season expands the world. Like season two is Juliette getting out and meeting a group living outside.
I kind of believe both of your theories but they kind of contradict each other. I'm very intrigued to learn more about it! Spoilers We see that there are no bodies around from Holston's POV, so...
I kind of believe both of your theories but they kind of contradict each other. I'm very intrigued to learn more about it!
Spoilers
We see that there are no bodies around from Holston's POV, so that points to the fact that they get away and their deaths are fake. However, we also see him start to pass out from his own POV, so it seems like that part was real too.
Spoilers Totally agree that they potentially contradict. Unless it's that the suits have poison, but some people get their helmets off in time. IIRC in the scene with the original sheriff we see...
Spoilers
Totally agree that they potentially contradict. Unless it's that the suits have poison, but some people get their helmets off in time. IIRC in the scene with the original sheriff we see him close up inside the helmet when he starts struggling to breath, but it switches to inside the cafeteria before he collapses. So it's possible he was able to remove his helmet and get away.
Spoilers I think the poison suit theory makes a ton of sense. It would also explain all of the duct tape. I thought it was strange that they would have these resistant suits and then tape people...
Spoilers
I think the poison suit theory makes a ton of sense. It would also explain all of the duct tape. I thought it was strange that they would have these resistant suits and then tape people in as well.
Spoilers Both of these theories have been floating around my head as well. One thing I was thinking was that the suit could pump in gas that knocks them out for a bit but doesn't kill them. Once...
Spoilers
Both of these theories have been floating around my head as well. One thing I was thinking was that the suit could pump in gas that knocks them out for a bit but doesn't kill them. Once they pass out, they freeze the frame (which has the other "dead" bodies overlaid as well).
Though one thing I don't really understand is why there are only a handful of bodies in the shot. If they've been sending people out to clean for 140 years, you'd think there would be more?
Spoilers They only send people out to clean every few years, so there probably wouldn't be more bodies than 20 or so. We only see the bodies from the cameras POV, it's possible that most of the...
Spoilers
They only send people out to clean every few years, so there probably wouldn't be more bodies than 20 or so. We only see the bodies from the cameras POV, it's possible that most of the others simply wandered outside the cameras view.
I'm only about halfway through and am personally disappointed with it. Current reason for my disappointment (minor spoilers) I went into the show blind not knowing much about it other then it...
I'm only about halfway through and am personally disappointed with it.
Current reason for my disappointment (minor spoilers)
I went into the show blind not knowing much about it other then it hopefully being something scifi. The first episode set an interesting premise and I was ready for more. It then quickly turned into a crime drama show I feel like I've watched several dozen times already. The scifi aspect of it quickly died off for me and I would've preferred this be a movie than a show. All the murder detective stuff is padding out the show and I sometimes forget the point of the show is to figure out what's on the outside.
I know there are a lot of people who like the show, but I think I went in thinking it was one thing for it to become something I'm very exhausted of.
Catch up to the latest episodes and let us know if you changed your mind. I've read the books so I can see where it's going, the writers have clearly decided to start things off more grounded and...
Catch up to the latest episodes and let us know if you changed your mind. I've read the books so I can see where it's going, the writers have clearly decided to start things off more grounded and build up the mysteries gradually. The last episode was very exciting and the next few should be a blast.
I loved the books, but the show completely missed it for me. The books provide a detailed perspective from the characters that make them interesting people. You get invested in their discoveries...
I loved the books, but the show completely missed it for me. The books provide a detailed perspective from the characters that make them interesting people. You get invested in their discoveries and revelations, the personal struggles, the other interests involved and all of it progresses and unfolds as things are revealed, relationships develop, things change and so on.
Silo just felt like the characters didn't have any dimension at all. The acting was fine, but it was as though the actors were just reading the plot straight to the viewer. It's all exposition and no "show, don't tell," no buildup and thus no depth.
In particular, one character just comes and goes with no reason to get the viewer invested. They tell you about being in a relationship, about some history together, but you don't actually see or experience the relationship. There's nothing to get invested in. You get a couple of scenes showing the characters at home together, a few scenes of looking either confused or upset, and that seems to be the entire relationship.
It ends up just looking like the character just went crazy for no real reason, because the reasons aren't actually explored. You're sort of just told that some things supposedly happened - and you don't know who to believe - and then the character just kind of goes away, making it all seem pointless.
They directly tell you about their concerns, or their past, or their history together, but none of it feels like they actually have a past, or a history, or any reason to really care about it because the viewer doesn't participate in it. The characters just tell you, this is what happened, or this is what we've been through, and then it gets sort of thrown away as backstory with no investment.
I was looking forward to Silo, and Foundation, and a lot of similar shows that just seem to fall flat.
But for the same reasons, I liked Severance, and For All Mankind, because the characters develop and you get invested in them and their relationships and their struggles. Some of the best moments have characters alone in a space capsule. Nobody has to read you a story out loud, about how dramatic everything is, because the characters are actually struggling with the situation, and each other. You get to experience it, instead of being told what it's supposed to be.
For some reason sci fi shows tend to bad soap opera writing. Dramatic moments don't have any drama if the characters just seem foolish or crazy and you have no real reason to care about them.
Yes! I've been watching this and loving it too. I actually read the books by Hugh Howey around a decade ago or so. If I'm remembering correctly, he wrote 3 series of books from this idea so we...
Yes! I've been watching this and loving it too. I actually read the books by Hugh Howey around a decade ago or so. If I'm remembering correctly, he wrote 3 series of books from this idea so we should have plenty of material for this show to continue for years.
See, I thought Common was one of the better actors of the entire show, outside of perhaps the woman in Mechanical (who hasn't left in twenty years — can't remember her name).
See, I thought Common was one of the better actors of the entire show, outside of perhaps the woman in Mechanical (who hasn't left in twenty years — can't remember her name).
I also like her. I call her "Dasha" in every show I see her in (which seems like a lot lately -- she's in Succession and Ted Lasso as well) because I first saw her in Killing Eve.
I also like her. I call her "Dasha" in every show I see her in (which seems like a lot lately -- she's in Succession and Ted Lasso as well) because I first saw her in Killing Eve.
I started out really liking the show in the first few episodes, but the cracks started showing pretty soon after that, and I gave up at the episode where they fixed the generator. Am I really...
I started out really liking the show in the first few episodes, but the cracks started showing pretty soon after that, and I gave up at the episode where they fixed the generator. Am I really supposed to believe something so integral to the silo’s continued existence wasn’t taken out of service for maintenance even one time in the last 200 years? And how is it that the creators of the silo could create such an immense and complex structure, but they didn’t build any kind of safety into the mechanism that fuels the generator, thereby creating a wholly unnecessary time limit on repairs?
You're right - in the books there are reasons behind all of these things, and the characters sort of get suspicious, and ask intelligent questions, and more is revealed. Unfortunately the show...
You're right - in the books there are reasons behind all of these things, and the characters sort of get suspicious, and ask intelligent questions, and more is revealed.
Unfortunately the show writing (and characterization) does not convey any hints, consistent details, foreshadowing or any subtleties to pick up on. If you actually pay attention, the way the show is written just doesn't make sense, exactly as you say.
Overall, I have enjoyed the show, but... Spoiler I don't understand why the Sheriff doesn't alert everyone about the mirrors having cameras behind them, or why no one has bothered to move their...
Overall, I have enjoyed the show, but...
Spoiler
I don't understand why the Sheriff doesn't alert everyone about the mirrors having cameras behind them, or why no one has bothered to move their mirror? It seems like everyone has free reign to move furniture in their house. Maybe their mirrors are locked to the wall?
How does judicial not know of the giant hole beneath the Silo? How did they get people in the silo in the first place?
There are a lot of plot holes in this show that I hope get filled somehow. Perhaps I should just read the books.
Thoughts on one aspect of it Spoiler Maybe glass, or especially mirror glass is incredibly rare, valuable, irreparable, etc. that folks are really careful around it? The resource economy in the...
Thoughts on one aspect of it
Spoiler
Maybe glass, or especially mirror glass is incredibly rare, valuable, irreparable, etc. that folks are really careful around it? The resource economy in the silo is really interesting to me and I don't think they've gone down that rabbit hole enough. The magnification thing is really prominent, maybe that plays into it too (glass related)?
Didn't realize it was based on a book series, gotta check that out.
Spoiler I agree about the mirrors. I can't imagine that no one has ever accidentally broken one before. In the newest episode, Juliette does break one and it's not some special unbreakable...
Spoiler
I agree about the mirrors. I can't imagine that no one has ever accidentally broken one before. In the newest episode, Juliette does break one and it's not some special unbreakable material. That felt pretty silly compared to the tone it was attempting to convey.
I like it a lot, but the show was going to slowly for me so I got the books from the library. Finished the first two and working on the third. So far I prefer the books, quite a few differences.
I like it a lot, but the show was going to slowly for me so I got the books from the library. Finished the first two and working on the third. So far I prefer the books, quite a few differences.
Hmmm. My interest is piqued. It looks a little dramatic for me, but I do like 1984. Update: I watched it! It's great. Def 1984-y vibes with a side of The Giver and a few other things.
Hmmm.
My interest is piqued. It looks a little dramatic for me, but I do like 1984.
Update: I watched it! It's great. Def 1984-y vibes with a side of The Giver and a few other things.
I've recently read the first book that the series is based on and am looking forward to watching it, mostly to see how they adapt it. If it's close to the novel(s), it'll be great. If it's not...
I've recently read the first book that the series is based on and am looking forward to watching it, mostly to see how they adapt it. If it's close to the novel(s), it'll be great. If it's not close, then I look forward to a new take.
P.s. the e-copy I have had an essay from the author after the first book on why he started writing the book, how it became popular, and the themes he was exploring with it. It was just as good a read as the novel itself, I recommend reading it.
I'm enjoying it. I think AppleTV "gets" science fiction in a way that Netflix just doesn't. See eg Extrapolations. I get that police procedural is a framework to hang the science fiction off, but...
I'm enjoying it. I think AppleTV "gets" science fiction in a way that Netflix just doesn't. See eg Extrapolations.
I get that police procedural is a framework to hang the science fiction off, but it feels a little bit clunky here. Some of the world building feels a bit off. eg, In one scene people are walking down the staircase and there's a few "keep right" comments, and that's the kind of small detail that people will look to see if it's consistently applied, and it isn't, and it feels a bit weird when it isn't.
It’s been my favorite show this year. They did a great job with the set design and overall aesthetics and i think the finale is going to be a decent payoff
It’s been my favorite show this year. They did a great job with the set design and overall aesthetics and i think the finale is going to be a decent payoff
I started watching it specifically because of this post. And after finishing the 8 episodes within 36 hours I'm glad I did. Now that I've read all the spoilers I think I'll go read the first book...
I started watching it specifically because of this post. And after finishing the 8 episodes within 36 hours I'm glad I did.
Now that I've read all the spoilers I think I'll go read the first book while I wait for the next episode. Thanks for posting this thread!
Seems like a lot of shows with an existing universe just have terrible writing. Like Wheel of Time, or the (formerly new-ish) Star Trek shows. It's as though someone said, someone else already...
Seems like a lot of shows with an existing universe just have terrible writing. Like Wheel of Time, or the (formerly new-ish) Star Trek shows. It's as though someone said, someone else already wrote the universe, so we don't have to bother - there's just no effort beyond rambling nonsensical soap opera drama.
I love Severance! Silo definitely has some Severance vibes. I wish I could explain it better, but want to +1 the idea that they're a similar feel now that I've seen Silo as well.
I love Severance! Silo definitely has some Severance vibes. I wish I could explain it better, but want to +1 the idea that they're a similar feel now that I've seen Silo as well.
"Creative liberties"? I think you've taken creative liberties with the phrase "creative liberties"! :D I watched three episodes of that show - and I had to force myself to finish that third one,...
Foundation - science fiction show based on the work of Isaac Asimov, they have taken some creative liberties but interesting to watch.
"Creative liberties"? I think you've taken creative liberties with the phrase "creative liberties"! :D
I watched three episodes of that show - and I had to force myself to finish that third one, just out of a sense of wanting to give the show a fair go. I wanted to switch it off in disgust by the end of the second episode.
That show is an utter abomination, as an adaptation of Asimov's work. It's an insult to Asimov's name and his entire body of work. The concepts in that show are antithetical to the original stories. As you concede in another comment, it's barely "mildly influenced" by Asimov's writings, rather than being an actual adaptation.
It might be a decent series on its own merits, but as an adaptation of Asimov's works, it's worse than a failure: it's a travesty.
"Shrinking" really hit it out of the park. Jason Segel is great and Harrison Ford is next level. It feels genuine and heartfelt. Ford bringing in his own struggle dealing with Parkinson's makes it...
"Shrinking" really hit it out of the park. Jason Segel is great and Harrison Ford is next level. It feels genuine and heartfelt. Ford bringing in his own struggle dealing with Parkinson's makes it so vulnerable and real.
The best shows are the ones where you can tell the actors are really invested. The Good Place is a great example - behind the performance, the actors are having a great time with each other and really putting their hearts into it.
You get the same chemistry with Jason Bateman and Will Arnett (with Sean Hayes) in their podcast, "Smartless." There's this little energy, this chemistry, almost like Arrested Development. They pick on each other like brothers, they have a lot of fun. The whole show is a good time.
An additional major factor (for me) that I didn't see mentioned here: price. If you like these shows and movies, it only costs $7/month. Compare that to other services that charge a lot more for a...
An additional major factor (for me) that I didn't see mentioned here: price.
If you like these shows and movies, it only costs $7/month. Compare that to other services that charge a lot more for a lot less.
You can do Apple TV+ without apple hardware. Check if they have an app for your preferred streaming device. I know they have one for Roku, and I think they have one on the new chrome cast with...
You can do Apple TV+ without apple hardware. Check if they have an app for your preferred streaming device. I know they have one for Roku, and I think they have one on the new chrome cast with Google TV (or whatever funky name Google picked). I think you can also watch it on the web, although possibly just through chrome and safari.
The eps have been getting better and better! Super curious how the drastic ending scene in the last ep plays out. I'm also curious if Common's character ends up staying a villain or turns out to...
The eps have been getting better and better! Super curious how the drastic ending scene in the last ep plays out. I'm also curious if Common's character ends up staying a villain or turns out to be a good guy.
I haven’t seen the show yet but I am a huge fan of the Silo book series by Hugh Howey. I highly recommend reading it if the show piques your interest at all.
The books and the show are very similar "in spirit" but very different in the details.
It is worth both reading and watching.
It is also worth reading about the background for how it got started, self-published, piecemeal, only word-of-mouth advertising, similar to Andy Weir's The Martian.
I absolutely loved the books and read them all in about the span of a week. Going through the show, it feels very different, but hits the same points in roundabout ways. Still enjoying the show, but I'm not sure if I'd enjoy the show more if I didn't read the book...
Would you recommend reading the book first and then watching the TV series, or vice versa?
When TV-series based on books leave out a lot of background details I usually prefer to read the book first to better understand the story. But if the quality of the show is better than the original story, it might be more enjoyable to watch the show first.
I read the books a few years ago. Some stuff has been changed for tv. I dont think its critical, but there are some major elements coming up that will likely be major spoilers for the books. I liked the books more than the show, so if the books are important to you to read, my recommendation is to sideline the show and go read the books.
Yeah if the show contains major spoilers I think I'll hold off on the show for now. It seems like many of the other book readers also agree that the books are a little bit better than the show, so it seems like a good idea to start with those. Thanks for the help!
Book first, I think.
I personally always like to flesh out the characters in my head from the book first. If I watch a movie/series first, the characters are always "stuck" in my head as the actors that played them, no matter how the book describes them.
In the book, eg, Walker is a man.
Also, of course, more detail and background in the books, and the series is different enough that it still feels new, and I'm not sure what's coming next.
It's the same for me with the characters, I'd keep imagining the show characters even if they're different in the book, so it's probably a good idea to start with the books. Good to know that there are some significant differences between the book and the show, that will probably make it interesting enough to read and watch both. I'm not entirely sure which of the books are covered in the show's first season, but I've picked up the first act of the book series (Wool), so I'm going to read those first! Thank you!
I definitely plan to read them at some point, but I'm also really enjoying watching the show blind, and I've heard that the first season seems likely to end only at the midway point of the first book in the series. I don't trust myself to have enough self control to only read half of a book at once, haha, so will have to save it til after season 2!
I really like the books, just because they don't pretend to be something they aren't.
They aren't pretentious, overly complicated or sexist. They're just simple stories with interesting characters, just developed enough to keep your attention. These books aren't timeless literature or towering epics because they don't have to be. They're not overly preachy or moralizing and they have nothing to prove. Most of all, they don't just throw nonsensical shock or drama in your face just to get your attention.
They aren't perfectly believable, but they don't have to be, because they're engaging, interesting and they more or less make sense in the world that's developed.
Hugh Howey makes some great, easy fun reads.
Yes, fellow Silo lover reporting in! Soon as I saw it was Apple+ and the premise, I knew it was gonna be good. Really enjoying the mystery and characters of the show so far. It's giving me vibes from another show called Ascension (careful googling, spoilers are easy) and I kinda feel like its going a similar route.
I've been pleasantly engaged so far. Some of it feels a bit dystopian cliche for my tastes, but a solid performance from Rebecca Ferguson and fun twists are keeping me coming back. Even Common has been quite solid. I typically find him emotionally flat; so far he feels really well suited for his role.
Spoilers
100% with you on the suit poisoning theory. I assumed as much when the first sheriff walked outside. My other potential suspicion is their deaths are just computer generated imagery. They may be getting away, but the group controlling the Silo doesn't want anyone to know.The world lends itself quite well to allegories of fascism. Would be fun if this went the route of Lost or The 100 and each season expands the world. Like season two is Juliette getting out and meeting a group living outside.
I kind of believe both of your theories but they kind of contradict each other. I'm very intrigued to learn more about it!
Spoilers
We see that there are no bodies around from Holston's POV, so that points to the fact that they get away and their deaths are fake. However, we also see him start to pass out from his own POV, so it seems like that part was real too.Spoilers
Totally agree that they potentially contradict. Unless it's that the suits have poison, but some people get their helmets off in time. IIRC in the scene with the original sheriff we see him close up inside the helmet when he starts struggling to breath, but it switches to inside the cafeteria before he collapses. So it's possible he was able to remove his helmet and get away.Spoilers
That's possible, but if those that did not take off their helmets died, then he should have seen their bodies when he got up there.Spoilers
I think the poison suit theory makes a ton of sense. It would also explain all of the duct tape. I thought it was strange that they would have these resistant suits and then tape people in as well.Spoilers
Both of these theories have been floating around my head as well. One thing I was thinking was that the suit could pump in gas that knocks them out for a bit but doesn't kill them. Once they pass out, they freeze the frame (which has the other "dead" bodies overlaid as well).Though one thing I don't really understand is why there are only a handful of bodies in the shot. If they've been sending people out to clean for 140 years, you'd think there would be more?
Spoilers
They only send people out to clean every few years, so there probably wouldn't be more bodies than 20 or so. We only see the bodies from the cameras POV, it's possible that most of the others simply wandered outside the cameras view.I'm only about halfway through and am personally disappointed with it.
Current reason for my disappointment (minor spoilers)
I went into the show blind not knowing much about it other then it hopefully being something scifi. The first episode set an interesting premise and I was ready for more. It then quickly turned into a crime drama show I feel like I've watched several dozen times already. The scifi aspect of it quickly died off for me and I would've preferred this be a movie than a show. All the murder detective stuff is padding out the show and I sometimes forget the point of the show is to figure out what's on the outside.
I know there are a lot of people who like the show, but I think I went in thinking it was one thing for it to become something I'm very exhausted of.
Catch up to the latest episodes and let us know if you changed your mind. I've read the books so I can see where it's going, the writers have clearly decided to start things off more grounded and build up the mysteries gradually. The last episode was very exciting and the next few should be a blast.
I think that even the writers don't know what kind of show it is. It seems obvious to me too.
I loved the books, but the show completely missed it for me. The books provide a detailed perspective from the characters that make them interesting people. You get invested in their discoveries and revelations, the personal struggles, the other interests involved and all of it progresses and unfolds as things are revealed, relationships develop, things change and so on.
Silo just felt like the characters didn't have any dimension at all. The acting was fine, but it was as though the actors were just reading the plot straight to the viewer. It's all exposition and no "show, don't tell," no buildup and thus no depth.
In particular, one character just comes and goes with no reason to get the viewer invested. They tell you about being in a relationship, about some history together, but you don't actually see or experience the relationship. There's nothing to get invested in. You get a couple of scenes showing the characters at home together, a few scenes of looking either confused or upset, and that seems to be the entire relationship.
It ends up just looking like the character just went crazy for no real reason, because the reasons aren't actually explored. You're sort of just told that some things supposedly happened - and you don't know who to believe - and then the character just kind of goes away, making it all seem pointless.
They directly tell you about their concerns, or their past, or their history together, but none of it feels like they actually have a past, or a history, or any reason to really care about it because the viewer doesn't participate in it. The characters just tell you, this is what happened, or this is what we've been through, and then it gets sort of thrown away as backstory with no investment.
I was looking forward to Silo, and Foundation, and a lot of similar shows that just seem to fall flat.
But for the same reasons, I liked Severance, and For All Mankind, because the characters develop and you get invested in them and their relationships and their struggles. Some of the best moments have characters alone in a space capsule. Nobody has to read you a story out loud, about how dramatic everything is, because the characters are actually struggling with the situation, and each other. You get to experience it, instead of being told what it's supposed to be.
For some reason sci fi shows tend to bad soap opera writing. Dramatic moments don't have any drama if the characters just seem foolish or crazy and you have no real reason to care about them.
Yes! I've been watching this and loving it too. I actually read the books by Hugh Howey around a decade ago or so. If I'm remembering correctly, he wrote 3 series of books from this idea so we should have plenty of material for this show to continue for years.
See, I thought Common was one of the better actors of the entire show, outside of perhaps the woman in Mechanical (who hasn't left in twenty years — can't remember her name).
I also like her. I call her "Dasha" in every show I see her in (which seems like a lot lately -- she's in Succession and Ted Lasso as well) because I first saw her in Killing Eve.
I started out really liking the show in the first few episodes, but the cracks started showing pretty soon after that, and I gave up at the episode where they fixed the generator. Am I really supposed to believe something so integral to the silo’s continued existence wasn’t taken out of service for maintenance even one time in the last 200 years? And how is it that the creators of the silo could create such an immense and complex structure, but they didn’t build any kind of safety into the mechanism that fuels the generator, thereby creating a wholly unnecessary time limit on repairs?
You're right - in the books there are reasons behind all of these things, and the characters sort of get suspicious, and ask intelligent questions, and more is revealed.
Unfortunately the show writing (and characterization) does not convey any hints, consistent details, foreshadowing or any subtleties to pick up on. If you actually pay attention, the way the show is written just doesn't make sense, exactly as you say.
Overall, I have enjoyed the show, but...
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I don't understand why the Sheriff doesn't alert everyone about the mirrors having cameras behind them, or why no one has bothered to move their mirror? It seems like everyone has free reign to move furniture in their house. Maybe their mirrors are locked to the wall? How does judicial not know of the giant hole beneath the Silo? How did they get people in the silo in the first place? There are a lot of plot holes in this show that I hope get filled somehow. Perhaps I should just read the books.Thoughts on one aspect of it
Spoiler
Maybe glass, or especially mirror glass is incredibly rare, valuable, irreparable, etc. that folks are really careful around it? The resource economy in the silo is really interesting to me and I don't think they've gone down that rabbit hole enough. The magnification thing is really prominent, maybe that plays into it too (glass related)?Didn't realize it was based on a book series, gotta check that out.
Spoiler
I agree about the mirrors. I can't imagine that no one has ever accidentally broken one before. In the newest episode, Juliette does break one and it's not some special unbreakable material. That felt pretty silly compared to the tone it was attempting to convey.I like it a lot, but the show was going to slowly for me so I got the books from the library. Finished the first two and working on the third. So far I prefer the books, quite a few differences.
Hmmm.
My interest is piqued. It looks a little dramatic for me, but I do like 1984.
Update: I watched it! It's great. Def 1984-y vibes with a side of The Giver and a few other things.
I've recently read the first book that the series is based on and am looking forward to watching it, mostly to see how they adapt it. If it's close to the novel(s), it'll be great. If it's not close, then I look forward to a new take.
P.s. the e-copy I have had an essay from the author after the first book on why he started writing the book, how it became popular, and the themes he was exploring with it. It was just as good a read as the novel itself, I recommend reading it.
I'm enjoying it. I think AppleTV "gets" science fiction in a way that Netflix just doesn't. See eg Extrapolations.
I get that police procedural is a framework to hang the science fiction off, but it feels a little bit clunky here. Some of the world building feels a bit off. eg, In one scene people are walking down the staircase and there's a few "keep right" comments, and that's the kind of small detail that people will look to see if it's consistently applied, and it isn't, and it feels a bit weird when it isn't.
The police thing is following the books, and it's probably the most natural way to have a character "investigate" things as it's their actual job.
It’s been my favorite show this year. They did a great job with the set design and overall aesthetics and i think the finale is going to be a decent payoff
We loved the 1st episode but haven’t caught the rest yet. I’m afraid to read any comments because I don’t want any spoilers. It’s really good!
Absolutely love it, one of my favorite new shows of the season.
I started watching it specifically because of this post. And after finishing the 8 episodes within 36 hours I'm glad I did.
Now that I've read all the spoilers I think I'll go read the first book while I wait for the next episode. Thanks for posting this thread!
Definitely great shows, but I couldn't stand Foundation. It felt like it really didn't have much do with Asimov's stuff...
Seems like a lot of shows with an existing universe just have terrible writing. Like Wheel of Time, or the (formerly new-ish) Star Trek shows. It's as though someone said, someone else already wrote the universe, so we don't have to bother - there's just no effort beyond rambling nonsensical soap opera drama.
How would you compare Silo with Severance in terms of overall quality? I've seen Severance, loved it, and you have me interested in Silo now.
I love Severance! Silo definitely has some Severance vibes. I wish I could explain it better, but want to +1 the idea that they're a similar feel now that I've seen Silo as well.
"Creative liberties"? I think you've taken creative liberties with the phrase "creative liberties"! :D
I watched three episodes of that show - and I had to force myself to finish that third one, just out of a sense of wanting to give the show a fair go. I wanted to switch it off in disgust by the end of the second episode.
That show is an utter abomination, as an adaptation of Asimov's work. It's an insult to Asimov's name and his entire body of work. The concepts in that show are antithetical to the original stories. As you concede in another comment, it's barely "mildly influenced" by Asimov's writings, rather than being an actual adaptation.
It might be a decent series on its own merits, but as an adaptation of Asimov's works, it's worse than a failure: it's a travesty.
if you like comedies (and, probably, only if you’re connected to latin america in some way), i can recommend Acapulco because it’s really good
"Shrinking" really hit it out of the park. Jason Segel is great and Harrison Ford is next level. It feels genuine and heartfelt. Ford bringing in his own struggle dealing with Parkinson's makes it so vulnerable and real.
The best shows are the ones where you can tell the actors are really invested. The Good Place is a great example - behind the performance, the actors are having a great time with each other and really putting their hearts into it.
You get the same chemistry with Jason Bateman and Will Arnett (with Sean Hayes) in their podcast, "Smartless." There's this little energy, this chemistry, almost like Arrested Development. They pick on each other like brothers, they have a lot of fun. The whole show is a good time.
An additional major factor (for me) that I didn't see mentioned here: price.
If you like these shows and movies, it only costs $7/month. Compare that to other services that charge a lot more for a lot less.
You can do Apple TV+ without apple hardware. Check if they have an app for your preferred streaming device. I know they have one for Roku, and I think they have one on the new chrome cast with Google TV (or whatever funky name Google picked). I think you can also watch it on the web, although possibly just through chrome and safari.
The eps have been getting better and better! Super curious how the drastic ending scene in the last ep plays out. I'm also curious if Common's character ends up staying a villain or turns out to be a good guy.
I'm loving it so far, one of my very favorites. Saving the last 3 eps for a minor binge.