Review: Silo season 2 kicks off with a haunting premiere in “The Engineer”

As a seasoned viewer of numerous science fiction series, I must say that “Silo” has managed to impress me yet again with its gripping premiere, “The Engineer.” The episode was a masterclass in character development and storytelling, focusing on the resilience and resourcefulness of Juliette Nichols, played brilliantly by Rebecca Ferguson.

Approximately a year and half later, the captivating series “Silo” has come back for its second season, streaming exclusively on Apple TV+. Originally based on the book series with the same title by Hugh Howey, “Silo” follows the lives of the last 10,000 human beings on Earth, who have been residing in a colossal subterranean shelter for so many generations that their origins and reasons for being there have become lost in time.

During the first season, we uncovered many secrets about the Silo, yet it only raised more questions. Luckily for its inhabitants and viewers, Juliette Nichols (played by Rebecca Ferguson) is on a mission to unravel those mysteries. The season finale saw Juliette stepping out of the Silo, hoping to find a lush world beyond it. However, what she found instead was a desolate landscape…dotted with distant forms of other Silo entrances nearby.

Now we finally get to see what happens next. Read on for our full review of “The Engineer.” There will be SPOILERS.

Silo Episode 201 review: “The Engineer”

In the opening scene of the second season of “Silo,” a chilling flashback unfolds, potentially one of the most captivating moments so far: it depicts an insurrection at another Silo, swiftly followed by Juliette’s arrival there many years later. The rebellion within this Silo is intriguing, as its sheriff motivates his people to assault an unspecified entity and then open the doors to the outside world, only to discover a desolate wasteland. When Juliette reaches the present-day Silo, it’s enveloped by thousands of decomposed skeletons that cover the ground near the entrance, even obstructing it as if desperate survivors were attempting re-entry.

This intro is an insane gut punch, and it’s only a prelude of things to come. After getting into the Silo, Juliette’s environment suit begins to run out of oxygen. In desperation, she smashes in the helmet then cuts her way out of the suit. But now she’s got a different problem: she can no longer go outside. She’s stuck in this empty, dark Silo filled with the grisly remains of the uprising which destroyed it.

In this show titled “The Engineer,” the focus primarily revolves around the character Juliette. The other cast members are not visibly present as they remain within her Silo. Instead, we follow Juliette as she takes on the role of an engineer yet again, tackling one challenge after another with her intellect to gain access to a locked surveillance room – a daunting task given that IT likely damaged or destroyed the bridge during the rebellion. Ferguson delivers a captivating performance despite having minimal dialogue. The quality of the production, her acting, and the clever writing keep you glued to the contemporary scenes, making them hard to ignore.

The remainder of “The Engineer” delves into past events, revealing how young Juliette (Amelie Child Villiers) formed a friendship with young Shirley (Ida Brooke) during their childhood and embarked on her journey to become an engineer. This dual function offers the audience a respite from the predominantly quiet scenes depicting Juliette’s attempts to solve the bridge-crossing puzzle for IT, while simultaneously shedding light on the sequence of events that shaped Juliette into a tenacious survivor capable of escaping even the most challenging situations.

In this episode, titled “The Engineer,” it was fantastic to have Villiers return as Juliette’s younger self and Ferguson reprise her role as the older Juliette, particularly as an engineer. The first season of Silo primarily focused on Juliette being unexpectedly appointed sheriff, a position she neither desired nor felt adequately prepared for. However, engineering is where Julette truly shines, and this episode effectively showcased that. This renewed my anticipation for Juliette’s future within the confines of the Silo, especially now that she finds herself alone there.

At the conclusion of “The Engineer,” it’s revealed that the initial statement wasn’t completely accurate. After Juliette successfully navigates the damaged bridge into the IT sector of the Silo, she is lured by the haunting melody of “Moon River” to a vault door. This is the same vault door we encountered in Juliette’s Silo during the first season, leading to the surveillance room.

Initially puzzled about the music’s origin, a small hole in the door reveals Steve Zahn, a fresh face at Silo, also known as Solo from books. At this point, we merely catch a glimpse of his eyes, but his eccentric acting style instantly makes an impact as he warns Juliette, implying that if she attempts to open his vault door, he will end her life.

As a fan of concise storytelling, I found it refreshing that “Silo” opted for compact 44-minute episodes in our era where many TV shows tend towards bloated, extended formats. The fact that this particular episode solely centered around Juliette suggests that future installments will have a unique flavor as more characters are introduced. “The Engineer” rekindled my interest in the show, leaving me eagerly anticipating what’s next – a perfect combination for a captivating premiere!

Silo bullet points

• The bridge which Juliette puts into place at the end of the episode is the same one that the uprising used to attack IT during the flashback. Also, shoutout for the ridiculously cool way she moves that heavy piece of metal using a bunch of barrels as wheels.
• The flashbacks of young Juliette are presumably set not long after she decides to go live in engineering in the lower levels of her Silo. In case you forgot, she had a falling out with her father after her mother killed herself, which Juliette blamed him for up until near the end of season 1 when she found out that he wasn’t involved in the event which led to her mom’s death.
• We get a brief glimpse of Martha Walker (Harriet Walter) in this episode during the flashback. Walter’s weird American accent was a sticking point for me in the first season, but it sounds a little more even here.

Verdict

Silo is back, and it’s opening strong! Even though this episode went by fast and focused only on Juliette, it’s a testament to how well done it was that I didn’t even miss the rest of the cast. I’m confident Silo will get to them, and I’m happy to wait a week considering how enjoyable this premiere was and how fun Ferguson is to watch. I loved her as Lady Jessica in Dune, but Juliette Nichols might be my favorite role Ferguson has yet played. It’s great to be back in this world, and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.

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2024-11-15 17:41