Silo Recap: Judge Not

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As a long-time observer of human behavior, I must say that the inhabitants of this Silo are as fascinating as they are confounding. The dynamic between Juliette and Solo is particularly intriguing, like watching two lost souls trying to find their way in an unfamiliar world.

In its second season, Silo takes off this week, offering one of the most suspenseful episodes yet, complete with a significant character’s demise and an exhilarating action scene. The episode also includes thoughtful, insightful character developments that move the story forward rather than delaying it. “The Harmonium” is packed with so many intriguing aspects that it’s hard to decide where to start the discussion.

So let’s begin with an ending: the sad and shocking farewell of Judge Mary Meadows.

Over the last fortnight, we’ve been gradually understanding Judge Meadows, and her departure leaves a profound impact on us. During this episode, we witness a few key interactions that underscore her loss significantly. Firstly, she engages in an extended dialogue with Lukas, who is trying to evade being sentenced to the mines. Prior to making her decision, she inquires about his understanding of the stars he’s observed in the dining hall. Discovering his knowledge to be limited, she educates him about celestial bodies and our planet’s rotation and orbit, explaining how the night skies change daily. Lukas then asks if there are other worlds, prompting Meadows to summon guards and sentence him to five years in the mines. (She fears he may not even survive a single year.)

In another significant moment, Meadows’s interactions revolve around Bernard, who is deeply committed to the Order and meticulously adhering to its guidelines titled “How to Prevent a Uprising That Wipes Out Everyone in the Silo.” Despite harboring romantic sentiments for the judge, Bernard remains cautious of many of Mary’s actions, such as her willingness to assess Lukas’s case and meet with representatives from Mechanical. She attempts to reassure him that she’s merely reducing tension through administrative procedures, but the “IMPEACH MEADOWS” banners (covertly arranged by Sims) leave Bernard uneasy about potential future events. His apprehension intensifies when Mary expresses indifference towards her impeachment, stating “I don’t care; I’ll be gone before it can occur.

He invites her over for dinner, hinting that he’s ordered a suit for her upcoming trip beyond the silo and she can try it on. After exchanging friendly banter and some Erik Satie music, Meadows asks to see the suit. When Bernard gazes at her intently, she suddenly understands that he has poisoned her. (This man seems to have a fondness for poisoning.) In their remaining time together, they engage in a conversation relevant to the plot as Bernard queries about the four days she was missing, and Meadows hints at the contents of Juliette’s scandalous hard drive, mentioning a name — Salvador Quinn — that we may hear more about later.

Later, he takes out a set of prohibited virtual reality glasses from his collection of ancient artifacts and allows her to spend her last moments observing Costa Rican wildlife through them. This is an interesting way of setting the scene, as we don’t know exactly what she experiences. We must rely on our imaginations and Tanya Moodie’s exceptional acting to visualize it all.

What’s the purpose behind eliminating the judge? It’s simply a step in Bernard’s broader strategy to stir public outrage towards Mechanical, ultimately quelling the Down Deep uprising at its infancy.

The delegation from below works its way up the stairs throughout this episode, starting at one of the lowest levels, where Knox shows his people a list of names that he believes are the people who died in multiple past rebellions, never mentioned in their history classes. They send a message to Meadows to ask for a meeting, in which they’re going to lay out their plan to try out the advanced suit/tape technology and explore outside. (Knox, it turns out, is aching for Juliette and desperate to find out if she’s still alive out there.)

Prior to entering the judge’s office, obstacles arise. Whispers of the impending meeting have circulated among the higher echelons, where a belligerent crowd – inflamed by Sims and Bernard, undeniably – has gathered to thwart their progress. In response, the delegation demonstrates their strength by lowering a red ball into the silo’s core, which serves as a coded message to their allies in Mechanical to cut the power.

Bernard finds great satisfaction in all this. The power outage serves as a grim reminder to everyone about the potential dangers posed by Mechanicals. When Bernard urges the crowd to allow the delegation passage to meet the judge, he’s laying his next trap. With Judge Meadows’ corpse strategically placed behind her desk, adorned with a knife in her chest, Bernard and Sims have framed Knox & Co. for the murder. The mob is kept marching down the stairs for some time before Sims incites them again against Mechanicals. The episode concludes dramatically as the mob is shown charging down the staircase, only a few floors above where the Mechanical delegation is making their escape.

It says something about how well balanced this episode is that I’ve gotten so deep into the recap without mentioning Silo 17. But rest assured, while the action in Silo 18 (which is finally identified by number out loud by Solo) is very strong this week, the Juliette story line remains this season’s strongest.

In Silo 17’s central plot, Juliette embarks on a mission to fetch a firefighting suit located beyond a large body of water. The episode title is inspired by Solo’s idea for how Juliette can breathe during her prolonged underwater journey. Interestingly, there’s a harmonium in a classroom designed for children, and Solo uses it to pump the air that Juliette requires, as the bellows from the instrument serve this purpose.

In Juliette’s swimming scene, there are some surprising challenges that ramp up the tension even further. Unfortunately, her air tube isn’t quite long enough. Also, the weight used to submerge her becomes stuck. To add to the drama, the lockers holding the firefighting suits won’t open and need to be forced. Great job with the storytelling and execution!

However, it’s clear that Juliette faces her greatest challenge in the form of Solo. Since he’s been released from the vault and is now wandering the silo while chattering non-stop to Juliette, it’s become evident that his mentality resembles that of a young boy. One day, as Solo was examining a school backpack in the classroom and discussing the child who sat next to him, Juliette did some mental calculations and concluded that he must have entered the vault around the age of 11 or 12. Despite having access to an abundance of music and literature, Solo has lacked mature mentors, which might explain why his taste remains at the level of children’s stories like “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea“.

As a dedicated guardian of my fortress-like vault, every fiber of my being is committed to its safety. Each moment I spend away from it with Juliette stirs a whirlwind of distraction and unease within me, as I can’t help but imagine potential threats lurking back home. In the midst of our swim, I nearly abandon her, such is my concern for the vault. The instant she emerges from the water, I race back to my sanctuary, only to fumble with the passcode and find myself momentarily locked out. This minor setback serves only to heighten my agitation.

In this episode, Juliette connects with Solo due to their mutual feelings of solitude, wonder, and apprehension. However, there’s an unsettling awkwardness in their relationship. A poignant scene occurs when Solo understands that Juliette must dismantle the harmonium for her breathing device. He queries, almost like a child, “Can you mend it afterwards?” She replies ambiguously, “We’ll find out.” And just as mothers and children often do, they both understand subconsciously that she might shatter something irrevocably.

The Down Deep

Due to the strict control over information within the Silo environment, a common issue seen in shows like Lost – where characters might mysteriously overlook important questions about their surroundings – has been largely avoided. However, with Bernard and Solo possessing hidden knowledge, it could become increasingly irritating when someone as sharp as Juliette (who is well-informed, streetwise, and suspects there’s more to the story than she’s been informed) fails to seize chances for uncovering “answers.

This week, Sheriff Billings takes on a substantial side plot, delving into the firebombing incident from the last episode. It’s concerning that Judicial (and potentially other parties) are obstructing the investigation by secretly removing bodies, which could inadvertently prolong the rebellion. Bernard might believe he has a firm grip on the story following Juliette in Silo 18, but Sheriff Billings, who has experience with Judicial and is aware of its tendencies, may unknowingly keep the uprising ongoing.

Monitor Sims too, as he believed that displaying impeachment signs would persuade Bernard to confide in him once more rather than Meadows. However, this move seems to have backfired, as Bernard now holds him in less trust. Despite being content with the final result – the judge’s ruling being overturned and Mechanical being effectively discredited – Bernard is displeased that he was compelled to take action. It appears that Sims will face some repercussions for his actions, but this may not be advisable given that Sims commands a small private force, making it potentially risky for Bernard to alienate him.

When Juliette mentions her knowledge of oceans, Solo inquires if people in Silo 18 are allowed to read books, to which she replies, “Well, not exactly.” It seems that conditions vary from silo to silo – for instance, Silo 17 celebrated Founders Day while Silo 18 observes Freedom Day. However, it appears that literature is considered off-limits in all of them.

It’s a relief they didn’t go too far, but the look on Solo’s face—a blend of fear and curiosity—when Juliette took off her clothes to swim was just what you’d expect from a man who never fully matured.

• To play us out, a little harmonium solo from Solo. Take it!

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2024-12-07 00:54