Review: Silo Season 3 Peels Back the Mysteries, Past and Present

Science fiction is so much more than an entertainment genre. When done properly, it not only delivers entertainment, it offers powerful messages for the audience to ponder long after the credits roll. Silo season 3 delivers on all fronts, offering viewers nonstop drama and carefully revealed answers while also providing a cautionary tale that resonates in today’s world. The media was given access to all 10 episodes in the season and I have to say that Silo is truly science fiction at its finest.

After leaving fans with a massive cliffhanger at the end of season 2, Silo season 3 picks up shortly after Juliette Nichols’ (Rebecca Ferguson) return. She survived the cleaning, yes, but she’s lost her memory and she can’t remember what happened while she was outside. The rebellion has subsided with her return and her status as a hero has elevated her into a position of power in the silo. The problem, of course, is that no one in the silo is actually in control of anything.

Silo season 3 is split into two stories: the present and the before. While Juliette works to remember what happened when she went outside, the audience learns more about the history of the silos and how they came to be.

Last season we were introduced to journalist Helen Drew (Jessica Henrick) and Congressman Daniel Keene (Ashley Zukerman). The world is a mess and things only seem to be getting worse as tension with Iran escalates. Daniel and Helen discover that there are power players in Washington D.C. who are putting plans into motion, Suddenly, they are thrust into the heart of this mystery and have no choice but to follow the rabbit hole.

Ferguson is in top form this season. With Juliette’s memory loss, she’s forced to navigate her vulnerability while also maintaining her role as mayor. One of the best things about Silo season 3 is that more characters get to have their moment in the spotlight while Juliette recovers. Shirley (Remmie Milner) and Knox (Shane McRae) are the standouts for Team Juliette while Camille (Alexandria Riley) goes down a dark path. And Common has his best season yet as Robert Sims.

There are some heavy themes, both in the past and the present, that resonate with current events: Iran, technology, out of control wealth. Perhaps the biggest theme of all revolves around the age-old quandary of just because something can be done doesn’t mean it should be done. Disaster hangs heavy on the past and the present, but the means and the ends don’t seem to line up.

Each of the 10 episodes plays into the throughline of the season, but there are plenty of side quests that keep the silo residents busy. The pacing can be a bit sluggish at times but the time jumps make it a lot more palatable. If you’ve never read Hugh Howey’s books (like me), getting answers to burning questions makes the season a worthwhile endeavor.

There’s a lot for sci-fi fans to love about Silo season 3, and even casual fans will find a lot to enjoy as the mysteries are peeled back slowly, layer by layer. Given the almost two-year gap between seasons 2 and 3, I’m grateful that the production team filmed seasons 3 and 4 back-to-back so that we (theoretically) won’t have as long a wait for the fourth and final season.

Silo season 3 is available to stream on Apple TV, with new episodes arriving Fridays.