Commentary: ‘Paradise’ And ‘Silo’ Flipped Their Sci-Fi Relationship
by Frank Martin
It’s undeniable that both Paradise and Silo would draw comparisons to one another. On a superficial level, they are both stories about billionaires building bunkers for humans to survive a cataclysmic scenario. But each program goes in wildly different directions as to how those situations play out. At first, it seemed as if Silo would take a much more grounded approach to its science fiction. This is because Paradise built an actual simulated suburban city in the side of a mountain rather than just a barely functioning bunker underground. In Silo’s most recent season finale, though, it appears as if it has overtaken Paradise in the realm of sci-fi.
This season of Silo introduced a new present-day narrative focusing on how the silos were built and those who control them. This plot revolves around Daniel (Ashley Zukerman), a congressman who is extremely skeptical of the silo plan. Unfortunately, a terrible event occurs while visiting the silos, forcing him to take shelter in one. While there, he becomes an operative that deals with quelling dissent in the silos and preventing revolution. However, he’s not himself. He’s subjected to mental conditioning and cryotherapy, allowing him to go into cold storage and come out when he is needed, such as to deal with Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson).
The science fiction elements of Silo were heavily tamped down. It’s a show that takes place hundreds of years in the future, but the silos themselves feel very real and grounded. They face logistical problems, such as supply shortages and broken equipment. This is a stark contrast from Paradise, which has a fully functioning elite society within its city. This all changes once it’s revealed that Daniel can go into cryosleep and survive for hundreds of years. This kind of science fiction is a step above anything that’s happening in Paradise, which so far has a largely contained timeline. It’s interesting to see these shows take a certain approach to their science fiction and then swap positions so deep into their run.
Silo is now streaming on AppleTV.