How many of you have watched the show Silo? It’s a dystopian science-fiction drama on Apple TV.

I started watching it on the recommendation of the Second Born. Since it would take some convincing to get the L&M on board—and, when convinced, would involve a lot of fidgeting due to his obvious boredom—I wisely decided to go solo.

I must say, I was hooked right from the word go.

The premise itself was intriguing. Almost 10,000 people living their lives as a community inside a huge, multi-storied underground silo, following regulations laid out in The Pact, their book of rules, with no knowledge of their past history except for the fact that everything was destroyed in a rebellion 140 years ago.

I must say I love historical fiction. I love science fiction too. Both give me the chance to indulge in what-if scenarios, always a favourite pastime of mine.

I imagine myself in the predicament of the people in the stories. Hmm…I don’t know if predicament is the right word here. It only seems a predicament to us, looking from the outside. But when you are living that life, and know no other, you would never think of it that way, would you?

Rebecca Ferguson plays the lead role of Juliette in the show. I love Rebecca, both in this show and in other movies I have seen her in. I also liked her in the film Dune. Interestingly, that’s science fiction too.

Anyway, I watched the first season of Silo, waited impatiently for the second, and watched that too, all the while thinking the conclusion was near at hand. But the second season left me hanging.

And now, at last, the third season is here.

I didn’t get time to watch it while I was in India. As soon as I reached the First Born’s home, I decided it was now time. I started the first episode…and then stopped after about ten minutes.

For some reason, I went online to check on the book. Yes, this whole show is based on Hugh Howey’s trilogy of novels—Wool, Shift and Dust.

[Interesting trivia: I saw a woman argue in her review of the book that the first book should have been titled ‘Silo’ and not ‘Wool’. Like, really?Can’t even let the poor author choose his own title for his book?! There were more than 500 comments, mostly explaining his choice to her, others disagreeing or agreeing with her.]

And just like that, I decided to shelve watching the third season and start reading the books instead.

It’s the best decision I have made.

Reading always gives you a lot more than a show ever could. You breathe the characters, think their thoughts, live their lives… You imbibe their lifestyle and surroundings ever so strongly.

As a result, when you look up from the book you are reading and find the afternoon sun making patterns on the rug, you are nonplussed. You look through the window and see the sky and the trees, and think, Impossible!

And then, just like that, you remember.

You are not living in an underground silo.

©️ Shail Mohan 2026