Silo season 2 review: "A commanding performance from Rebecca Ferguson makes it a dystopian future worth staying in"

GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict A consistently commanding performance from Rebecca Ferguson going it alone and supporting stars keeping busy at home makes Silo a dystopian future worth staying in. The window into this world might need more time being cleaned in some areas but season 2 keeps the trend of one of the most engaging shows on Apple TV+. A consistently commanding performance from Rebecca Ferguson going it alone and supporting stars keeping busy at home makes Silo a dystopian future worth staying in. The window into this world might need more time being cleaned in some areas but season 2 keeps the trend of one of the most engaging shows on Apple TV+. Pros+Set design is still the highlight of the show+Supporting characters from season 1 get their time to shine in season 2+Steve Zahn is a refreshing and heartbreaking addition Set design is still the highlight of the show Supporting characters from season 1 get their time to shine in season 2 Steve Zahn is a refreshing and heartbreaking addition Juliette’s trip over the hill creates pacing issues Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. The thing about setting a series in an underground bunker is that, eventually, the only way to go is up. The risk that comes with that, however, is choosing who goes there. That’s where things start inSiloseason 2, the latest chapter adapted from Hugh Howey’s trilogy of books that picks up right after season 1. The remains of a revolution tease what’s to come, ending at the feet of Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson), the mechanic-turned-sheriff who is still so rebellious she refuses to use both straps on her backpack. The driving force behind the initial season of the post-apocalyptic series that didn’t have Walton Goggins looking like a swollen appendix or Pedro Pascal fighting killer mushrooms, Ferguson is (for the most part) out on her own this time, which is a gamble. Season 1 pushed forward thanks to the former Mission: Impossible star’s incredible performance that proved while everyone had a job in the silo, her’s really was the most important. What happens then when she heads over the hill and takes the star power with her, leaving every other character behind to fend for themselves and daringly consider following in Nichols' footsteps? Well, worry not, because to quote Harriet Walker’s Martha Walker, they’re good in supply. Shifting power dynamics (Image credit: Apple TV+) If season 1 was all about searching for the truth, season 2 is showing what happens when the power dynamic shifts after it’s revealed, making space for all of your favorite supporting stars from last year to become even more fleshed out through some truly impressive work. Fast factsRelease date:November 15Available on:Apple TV+Showrunner:Graham YostEpisodes seen:9 out of 10 Fast facts Release date:November 15Available on:Apple TV+Showrunner:Graham YostEpisodes seen:9 out of 10 Release date:November 15 Available on:Apple TV+ Showrunner:Graham Yost Episodes seen:9 out of 10 In a series where people’s last wish is to just clean a window, and schemes are hatched to send some that didn’t ask, Zahn’s arrival makes for a refreshing but undeniably jarring addition that might be hit and miss for viewers. Channeling his Bad Ape fromWar for the Planet of the Apes, only considerably hairier, Solo checks all the boxes of the crackpot recluse. History repeats itself (Image credit: Apple TV+) For a place where taking a giant set of stairs is the only option, it’s one of Apple TV+’s best worlds to get lost in. Wielding the same grit and grime that comes with the dystopian realms we’ve already seen in the likes of Snowpiercer and evenFallout, the biggest challenge of Silo is ensuring that the geography is sound. Rich and poor alike might be together in their confusion regarding Juliette’s whereabouts, but the aesthetic of the levels the show lingers in is perfectly arranged. From the judge’s office to Martha Walker’s workshop in the ‘Down Deep’ that she’s finally broken free from, there’s life embedded in every dreary wall and every office desk that has an ornamental relic on it. It’s a blueprint so well established for the silo we’ve already spent so long in, that when Nichols is wandering around in another with very little life in it, you might get a bead on where to go before she does. It’s just frustrating how much time she spends there. For a place where taking a giant set of stairs is the only option, it’s one of Apple TV+’s best worlds to get lost in For a place where taking a giant set of stairs is the only option, it’s one of Apple TV+’s best worlds to get lost in Gripping as it was, pacing was an undeniable issue with the first season of Silo with key characters needing to be struck off the kill list before Juliette could get on the case. It’s a shame then, that even in this brand new but decrepit domain our hero comes across, history repeats itself once more. There seems to be even less urgency to get the former law of the land back to her home and report her findings. Sure, it might give ample breathing time for those she left behind to expand their characters (can you ever have too much Iain Glen being the wounded hero?), but not everyone has a story worth sticking with. Holland’s struggle to stay in control while compelling to start, hits a lull during his attempt at moving pawns around in order to stay in power, or straight up knocking them off the board altogether. It’s one of the show’s weakest elements that trickles down the levels of the silo leading to other characters suffering because of it, when really getting Nichols back to mix things up is the game-changing moment we’re itching to see. Rising to the occasion (Image credit: Apple TV+) Thankfully, while the cracks might be showing up top, the talent down below are rising to the occasion in place of their missing leader. Walter’s weary engineer effortlessly amplifies every scene she’s in while breaking hearts in the show’s quieter moments and having a bigger stake in the uprising than anticipated. On the other side of the fence, however, Common is continuing to make himself a known presence as Sims that isn’t just formidable but fighting with himself and the rebellion that might be starting to build at home. The boogeyman of the silo’s steely glare isn’t as solid as it once was and it makes him one of the most compelling characters in the entire show. The rapper-turned-actor is once again proving that music icons can have their moments and he has a handful to enjoy. Factoring these characters into the various layers of the silo, perhaps then the only way isn’t up. Instead, it’s dodging and weaving expectations and showing just how well this place can run with organized chaos as Nichols learns more about the world outside her computer-generated window. Credit once again has to go to the show’s creator Graham Yost, who handles everything with care as if the end of the world depended on it. Clearly biding time for other doors that have yet to be opened and chapters of the silo history that have so much more to tell, you’ll be itching to see what’s coming. Do as The Pact says – don’t go outside. Stay indoors and get this back on your watchlist immediately. Silo season 2 begins on Apple TV+ on November 15, with a new episode streaming weekly. For more, check out our guide to thebest Apple TV showsyou need to add to your watchlist. CATEGORIESApple Tv PlusStreaming Services CATEGORIES More about siloHit Apple TV Plus show Silo gets renewed for two final seasons to tell the complete story of Hugh Howey’s sci-fi book seriesSilo season 2 stars discuss how the hit Apple sci-fi series changes things up from the books: “I was like, I’m going to die"LatestI didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tastySee more latest► More about siloHit Apple TV Plus show Silo gets renewed for two final seasons to tell the complete story of Hugh Howey’s sci-fi book seriesSilo season 2 stars discuss how the hit Apple sci-fi series changes things up from the books: “I was like, I’m going to die"LatestI didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tastySee more latest► More about siloHit Apple TV Plus show Silo gets renewed for two final seasons to tell the complete story of Hugh Howey’s sci-fi book seriesSilo season 2 stars discuss how the hit Apple sci-fi series changes things up from the books: “I was like, I’m going to die” More about silo Hit Apple TV Plus show Silo gets renewed for two final seasons to tell the complete story of Hugh Howey’s sci-fi book seriesSilo season 2 stars discuss how the hit Apple sci-fi series changes things up from the books: “I was like, I’m going to die” Hit Apple TV Plus show Silo gets renewed for two final seasons to tell the complete story of Hugh Howey’s sci-fi book series Hit Apple TV Plus show Silo gets renewed for two final seasons to tell the complete story of Hugh Howey’s sci-fi book series Silo season 2 stars discuss how the hit Apple sci-fi series changes things up from the books: “I was like, I’m going to die” Silo season 2 stars discuss how the hit Apple sci-fi series changes things up from the books: “I was like, I’m going to die” LatestI didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tastySee more latest► Latest I didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tasty I didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tasty I didn’t know how badly I wanted to grill and gobble up monsters until this upcoming survival roguelike made it look so tasty See more latest► Most PopularAnbernic RG28XX review: “a tiny budget handheld that fits in my weird tiny jeans pocket”Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"Razer Kraken V4 review: “an iconic headset, all grown up"Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"Meta Quest 3S review: “Maybe the best entry-level VR device ever created”Glorious Series 2 Pro review: “comfortable and nimble, but not quite punching with the 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Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”