Silo: The Engineer
November 18, 2024 4:55 AM - Season 2, Episode 1 - Subscribe
Apple TV's adaption of Hugh Howey's "Silo" is back for a second season. It picks up with Juliette leaving her Silo, declining to clean the camera, and walking over the hill to discover a landscape filled with Silos.
Are we doing show only or books included?
posted by nathan_teske at 7:36 AM on November 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by nathan_teske at 7:36 AM on November 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
So, the generator in this new silo is flooded, but there is clearly still some power available. Where is that coming from? Is that a hand-wave-it-away issue? I'm definitely willing to do that, but just wondered if we'd find out that the silos are linked in some way (my guess is they are).
I agree that Juliette's shear lashing approach made me clutch my Eagle Scout badge, but I also accept that she pursued a MVP approach to get to the other side of the gap. As always, it's fun to watch her problem solve.
posted by rocketman at 9:22 AM on November 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
I agree that Juliette's shear lashing approach made me clutch my Eagle Scout badge, but I also accept that she pursued a MVP approach to get to the other side of the gap. As always, it's fun to watch her problem solve.
posted by rocketman at 9:22 AM on November 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
I'm pretty sure the power in the flooded silo has a valid explanation that is laid out in the story.
posted by supermedusa at 9:41 AM on November 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by supermedusa at 9:41 AM on November 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
Did the show pick up in pace and quality? I wanted to like the first season as I love Ferguson and the premise was so intriguing. But it turned into a slow, clunky murder mystery and I dipped out after 4 or so episodes. And though Common may be a talented guy, acting is not his strong suit. He was the most wooden actor in any mainstream show or movie I have ever seen.
posted by SoberHighland at 12:42 PM on November 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
posted by SoberHighland at 12:42 PM on November 18, 2024 [1 favorite]
In the first season, they said when they needed to shut down the generator that backup power is barely enough to run life support. So there’s an alternative power source somewhere in the silo. With the lack of inhabitants in Silo 17, they aren’t going to need much power to run much of anything.
I’ve read the books so I don’t want to give out spoilers. They said that the show will be diverging enough from the books to be a separate story. However, the opening of this episode was pretty spot on and I liked how they pulled off the gruesome spectacle of everyone who had tried to escape the silo, it’s perfectly done for book readers. I’m really looking forward to the season.
posted by azpenguin at 7:06 PM on November 18, 2024 [4 favorites]
I’ve read the books so I don’t want to give out spoilers. They said that the show will be diverging enough from the books to be a separate story. However, the opening of this episode was pretty spot on and I liked how they pulled off the gruesome spectacle of everyone who had tried to escape the silo, it’s perfectly done for book readers. I’m really looking forward to the season.
posted by azpenguin at 7:06 PM on November 18, 2024 [4 favorites]
I found S2E1 kind of annoying. 10 minutes with of plot in 50 minutes. Even the flashbacks seemed like filler.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 7:54 PM on November 18, 2024
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 7:54 PM on November 18, 2024
I don't remember a ton of detail from the first season, why was she so hell-bent on getting across that one gap? I mean sure, the weird man turned out to be over there, but she didn't know that. And yeah, her first attempt at a bridge made me side-eye her "engineer" title. She can fix toys with broken springs and also the giant mechanical heart of the silo, but machines in between those two levels of complexity somehow confound her?
Agreed that it felt like a lot of filler, but I'm willing to stick with it since I did like S1.
posted by axiom at 9:04 PM on November 18, 2024
Agreed that it felt like a lot of filler, but I'm willing to stick with it since I did like S1.
posted by axiom at 9:04 PM on November 18, 2024
Pace needs to pick the heck up and soon.
posted by billsaysthis at 9:09 PM on November 18, 2024
posted by billsaysthis at 9:09 PM on November 18, 2024
I watched the pilot and was underwhelmed, but am intrigued. Should I give it another shot? How good is this show?
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 8:37 AM on November 19, 2024
posted by MisantropicPainforest at 8:37 AM on November 19, 2024
Teal and orange and teal and orange and teeeeeeal and ooooorange oh god whyyyyy doesn’t anyone ever use the rest of the spectrum anymore
posted by FallibleHuman at 9:16 AM on November 19, 2024 [3 favorites]
posted by FallibleHuman at 9:16 AM on November 19, 2024 [3 favorites]
How good is this show?
It's definitely not mind-blowing. Especially in this genre, there's a lot of schlocky bad low-budget stuff, so when some mostly competent folks come along and back up an armored car full of cash driven by Rebecca Ferguson to produce something, it's already a head start. It's got some mystery elements, some fairly novel "what if people lived in a big silo, what would that be like?" elements, and some decent-to-good acting. I'd say if you like the vibe, and are a general sci-fi genre fan, give it another ep or two and see how you feel.
posted by axiom at 11:38 AM on November 19, 2024
It's definitely not mind-blowing. Especially in this genre, there's a lot of schlocky bad low-budget stuff, so when some mostly competent folks come along and back up an armored car full of cash driven by Rebecca Ferguson to produce something, it's already a head start. It's got some mystery elements, some fairly novel "what if people lived in a big silo, what would that be like?" elements, and some decent-to-good acting. I'd say if you like the vibe, and are a general sci-fi genre fan, give it another ep or two and see how you feel.
posted by axiom at 11:38 AM on November 19, 2024
How good is this show?
I almost bailed a couple episodes into S1. At first the concept hooked me, but the writing was pretty meh, then it picked up so I stayed with it, but it's always been borderline.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 2:48 PM on November 19, 2024 [2 favorites]
I almost bailed a couple episodes into S1. At first the concept hooked me, but the writing was pretty meh, then it picked up so I stayed with it, but it's always been borderline.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 2:48 PM on November 19, 2024 [2 favorites]
Yep, I enjoyed the episode but there was far too much time spent on various improvised bridge-building methods.
posted by destructive cactus at 5:54 AM on November 21, 2024
posted by destructive cactus at 5:54 AM on November 21, 2024
I enjoyed this alright. It lacks a certain sparkle or joy, it feels a bit more like they are just checking off the marks getting through the story. But then this episode is almost entirely Juliette working alone on the videogame puzzle. The flashback scenes of her starting to work with Walker had more interest.
why was she so hell-bent on getting across that one gap
I think because that's where engineering is. She got into a new silo and immediately went down to the heart of things. In the flashback early in the episode we see that area is the center of a fight for control of the silo. She doesn't know that but she knows the silo layout.
posted by Nelson at 2:01 PM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
why was she so hell-bent on getting across that one gap
I think because that's where engineering is. She got into a new silo and immediately went down to the heart of things. In the flashback early in the episode we see that area is the center of a fight for control of the silo. She doesn't know that but she knows the silo layout.
posted by Nelson at 2:01 PM on November 21, 2024 [1 favorite]
I just binged the first season to get to this episode, and it was definitely a slow paced progression of Nichols exploring this new silo. I appreciated how the flashback turned out to be from a different silo versus Silo 18 (which I guess is the featured silo in this show?).
I agree, the show does spin its wheels a bit mid-way through, but it picks up, in part from the work of the actors (but yeah, sorry Common, your range is not great).
It's hard to say how long ago that flashback occurred, as I guess it depends on what the conditions are for this planet (is it Earth even?). If it wasn't THAT long ago, then I was wondering if Mr. "I'm gonna kill you if you open my door" isn't the Silo 17 sheriff's kid. I also get the impression that a major part of this season will be Nichols rushing to stop a successful rebellion from bringing out the same fate as the nearly abandoned silo.
The power has to be coming from the back up whatever. The water raises a certain thought based on how George shared in his video he had found a "solution" for the water and the associated large metal door he had been hunting. I wonder if there isn't some kind of sluice gate setup somewhere to drain and/or raise the water, connected to a common aquifer that all the silos draw upon.
At the same time, there are aspects to the show that do not make a lot of sense (shocking). They have mines. So unless their mines are vertical, they would eventually follow veins that would connect with mines opened up by the other silos. Then there's the ongoing ignorance of the outside world. They don't know what "stars" are? Yet, you have someone named after Juliet from Shakespeare which opens with "Star crossed lovers" etc....etc. Do they just chalk it up to old timey confusing language metaphor speak?
Going back to the opening, it's horrible to imagine what happened to the silo inhabitants as they rushed en mass out the exit, with a lot in the back probably not realizing as they push their way forward, that the vanguard were already collapsing and choking to death.
BUT again, why not just be up front with people? Hey, it's poison out there. You go out there and you'll probably die. Yes, the world was once beautiful, now it's not. Is this explained in the books?
posted by Atreides at 1:15 PM on November 22, 2024 [1 favorite]
I agree, the show does spin its wheels a bit mid-way through, but it picks up, in part from the work of the actors (but yeah, sorry Common, your range is not great).
It's hard to say how long ago that flashback occurred, as I guess it depends on what the conditions are for this planet (is it Earth even?). If it wasn't THAT long ago, then I was wondering if Mr. "I'm gonna kill you if you open my door" isn't the Silo 17 sheriff's kid. I also get the impression that a major part of this season will be Nichols rushing to stop a successful rebellion from bringing out the same fate as the nearly abandoned silo.
The power has to be coming from the back up whatever. The water raises a certain thought based on how George shared in his video he had found a "solution" for the water and the associated large metal door he had been hunting. I wonder if there isn't some kind of sluice gate setup somewhere to drain and/or raise the water, connected to a common aquifer that all the silos draw upon.
At the same time, there are aspects to the show that do not make a lot of sense (shocking). They have mines. So unless their mines are vertical, they would eventually follow veins that would connect with mines opened up by the other silos. Then there's the ongoing ignorance of the outside world. They don't know what "stars" are? Yet, you have someone named after Juliet from Shakespeare which opens with "Star crossed lovers" etc....etc. Do they just chalk it up to old timey confusing language metaphor speak?
Going back to the opening, it's horrible to imagine what happened to the silo inhabitants as they rushed en mass out the exit, with a lot in the back probably not realizing as they push their way forward, that the vanguard were already collapsing and choking to death.
BUT again, why not just be up front with people? Hey, it's poison out there. You go out there and you'll probably die. Yes, the world was once beautiful, now it's not. Is this explained in the books?
posted by Atreides at 1:15 PM on November 22, 2024 [1 favorite]
Is this explained in the books?
Yes, eventually.
posted by cooker girl at 9:01 AM on November 23, 2024 [2 favorites]
Yes, eventually.
posted by cooker girl at 9:01 AM on November 23, 2024 [2 favorites]
If anyone wants to post episodes two and three or a full season post, feel free to take over!
posted by autopilot at 10:03 AM on November 30, 2024
posted by autopilot at 10:03 AM on November 30, 2024
> If anyone wants to post episodes two and three or a full season post, feel free to take over!
I did it, I was surprised they were not here because this seems like the kind of show FanFare loves to talk about.
I made them a 'Show Only' because I have not and will not read the books. Perhaps a book person could make a full season + books only post if they were so inclined.
posted by tjgrathwell at 1:09 PM on November 30, 2024 [1 favorite]
I did it, I was surprised they were not here because this seems like the kind of show FanFare loves to talk about.
I made them a 'Show Only' because I have not and will not read the books. Perhaps a book person could make a full season + books only post if they were so inclined.
posted by tjgrathwell at 1:09 PM on November 30, 2024 [1 favorite]
Thanks for the posts! I still need to watch episode three, but will follow up in that post when I do so.
posted by Atreides at 7:49 AM on December 2, 2024
posted by Atreides at 7:49 AM on December 2, 2024
They don't know what "stars" are? Yet, you have someone named after Juliet from Shakespeare which opens with "Star crossed lovers" etc....etc. Do they just chalk it up to old timey confusing language metaphor speak?
There are a lot of head-scratchy things about this show but there was a scene in the last season where someone meets Juliette and says "like the play?" and she is surprised because most people don't know about the play. I think she even says that she has never read the play and was just told that her name comes from a play. In fact, I don't think we see many books at all and we know that paper is in short supply (there are exorbitant fees for printing something out) so reading books may not even be a thing in the silo
posted by ultraviolet catastrophe at 12:49 PM on December 13, 2024
There are a lot of head-scratchy things about this show but there was a scene in the last season where someone meets Juliette and says "like the play?" and she is surprised because most people don't know about the play. I think she even says that she has never read the play and was just told that her name comes from a play. In fact, I don't think we see many books at all and we know that paper is in short supply (there are exorbitant fees for printing something out) so reading books may not even be a thing in the silo
posted by ultraviolet catastrophe at 12:49 PM on December 13, 2024
Good 'world-building' - really good 'world-building' The whole thing is very damn cool, frankly. But, BUT - why the hell is it so damn 'dark' and I mean plain ole visually hard to see, like I can't see more than a fraction of the image and yeah, I've adjusted my screen - this is some kind of choice that, really, I'm not on board with. )it's like that time when movies had really bad audio and you couldn't really tell what anyone was saying.
posted by From Bklyn at 12:53 PM on January 2 [2 favorites]
posted by From Bklyn at 12:53 PM on January 2 [2 favorites]
> Then there's the ongoing ignorance of the outside world. They don't know what "stars" are? Yet, you have someone named after Juliet from Shakespeare which opens with "Star crossed lovers" etc....etc. Do they just chalk it up to old timey confusing language metaphor speak?
Everyone in the silos seems kinda dumb, to be honest. Lack of stimulus?
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:36 PM on January 17
Everyone in the silos seems kinda dumb, to be honest. Lack of stimulus?
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:36 PM on January 17
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Also, I am a little worried about her structural engineering skills. Tying the two pieces of pipe together at a single point using plastic wrap, instead of a longer lashing with strands from the rope seems like a recipe for it to scissor and fold once there was any weight on it.
(I can't remember if I completely read this book all the way through. I definitely remember starting it, but can't recall any details other than her fall into the water...)
posted by autopilot at 5:07 AM on November 18, 2024 [2 favorites]