8 shows you need to watch if you loved Rebecca Ferguson's 'Silo'
Rebecca Ferguson leads Apple TV+’s post-apocalyptic series, “Silo.”
It revolves around a dystopian future where thousands of survivors live in an underground bunker.
Here are eight science-fiction shows you need to watch if you liked “Silo.”
Apple TV+ has quietly been making some of the best streaming shows of the last few years. One of those projects is 2023's "Silo," based on the books by Hugh Howey.
It stars "Mission: Impossible" alumni Rebecca Ferguson as engineer Juliette Nichols, who lives in a massive underground bunker with thousands of other people because the world above is seemingly poisoned.
The mystery that drives Nichols and her colleagues is the possibility that the bureaucratic powers-that-be who run the silo have been lying to the inhabitants about what's really going on in the outside world.
Now, we're not going to ruin the huge twist ending (let's just say the stage has been set for an even bigger story). While "Silo" was renewed in June, filming for season two was put on an indefinite hiatus as of July due to the writers' and actors' strikes. So as you wait for the show's return, here are eight other similar science-fiction shows you need to watch in the meantime.
1. "Snowpiercer" (2020)
Based on Bong Joon-Ho's 2013 film of the same name, "Snowpiercer" is set after the entire planet has been turned into a frozen wasteland with subzero temperatures — and the last remnants of humanity live on one giant train that circles the globe.
It's basically like "Silo" if Rebecca Ferguson was living on a train, instead of underground. The compelling TNT series introduces detective Andre Layton (Daveed Diggs) from the poverty stricken end of the train, who is called up to the wealthier carriages to solve a murder.
It's not as nuanced as Joon-Ho's film, which is a masterpiece, but it has a similar vibe to "Silo" and will satiate viewers who are looking for more. And thankfully, the story deviates and takes a different track across all three seasons to not feel like a complete carbon copy of the movie.
2. "Jericho" (2006)
While most post-apocalyptic shows focus on how society has changed in the years following a pandemic/an alien invasion/robot uprising — believe it or not, other apocalypses are available — "Jericho" looks at how one town reacts after nuclear bombs decimate 23 cities across America.
The first season deals with how the people living in Jericho survive the literal fallout of the attack, as well as establishing ways of survival and working with another nearby town to gather food and supplies. "Scream" and "Riverdale" star Skeet Ulrich leads the show as Jake Green, and his rough charm keeps the show from teetering too far into gloomy territory.
After the people of Jericho learn to survive in a new world, the show looks at how the surviving states of America would react… And surprise, it's not good.
"Jericho" has it all: action, drama, politics, and social commentary. The only thing it doesn't have is a third season, because CBS canceled it after two seasons. Don't let that put you off though, it's still a great ride.
3. "Lost" (2004)
If you're looking for a show with another grand, spiraling mystery, look no further than "Lost." The ABC series wasn't creator J.J. Abrams' first rodeo when it came to television, but it was certainly the project that propelled him into the stratosphere alongside co-creator and showrunner Damon Lindelof.
It revolves around the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815, who crash land on a bizarre island in the South Pacific ocean during a flight from Sydney to Los Angeles. But as they wait for rescue, they stumble on a variety of inexplicable things on the island, like wild polar bears and underground bunkers that are supposedly preventing the apocalypse.
Did we mention the giant monster made out of smoke? Yeah, there's that too. And amid all the chaos, the show still takes the time to flesh out the survivors and explore what makes them tick. Not only is it a brilliant science-fiction show, it's a perfect character-driven drama.
Yes, it goes off in some truly strange directions, but once you're in for the ride it's very hard to pull yourself away from the island. And while it has plenty of action and violence, there's also some incredibly heartbreaking storytelling throughout all six seasons.
4. "Legion" (2017)
FX's "Legion" is based on a variety of characters from Marvel's "X-Men" comics, with Dan Stevens playing David Haller, the schizophrenic son of Professor X. It's a much different beast than "Silo," but it shares that same suspicious atmosphere thanks to Haller's unreliable perception of the world.
He's possessed by the spirit of another mutant, the Shadow King, played with a devilish flair by Aubrey Plaza, and the show is worth watching for her performance alone. She can switch between being seductive, haunting, and intimidating, all within seconds.
Then there's the wonderfully eccentric visuals. Creator Noah Hawley depicts the world in a strange aesthetic that blends the 1960s, 1970s, and the present day – because that's the way that Haller experiences things. It's as if David Lynch tackled the Marvel Universe in the best way possible.
"Legion" is a psychedelic, paranoid little beast, and it's absolutely worth the trip.
5. "12 Monkeys" (2015)
Let's face it, everytime there's a TV remake of a beloved movie, it's going to be a hard sell. But SyFy's "12 Monkeys" exceeds expectations. It's based on the movie by Terry Gilliam, but creator Terry Matalas has fun playing fast-and-loose with its mythology and the rules of time travel.
"12 Monkeys" is much bigger (and a little sillier) than "Silo," but as post-apocalyptic shows go, its wacky nature makes it a very entertaining watch.
Much like Gilliam's film, it follows James Cole (Aaron Stanford) who's tasked with traveling back from 2043 to 2015 in the hopes of stopping the Army of the 12 Monkeys from unleashing a virus which would bring about the end of humanity.
From there, Matalas and the writers take a swan dive through history as Cole and virologist Cassie (Amanda Schull) jump across time in an effort to stop the disaster. It does get a little confusing at times due to just how many timelines the heroes jump into over the course of four seasons, but it's very rewarding for fans by the time the show comes to a close.
6. "Andor" (2022)
"Andor" isn't just one of the best "Star Wars" TV shows, it's one of the best science-fiction shows of all time. Yes, that's a pretty bold claim, but the series does some incredible things on the small screen.
Much like "Silo," "Andor" looks at how an oppressive regime keeps a population in line using misinformation, strict rules, and corporal punishment. The "Star Wars" of it all comes into play as Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) gets pulled into the growing rebellion against the Empire, and is radicalized after seeing its brutality firsthand.
While the first three-episode arc is a slow start compared to other "Star Wars" projects, it's all done to get the audience emotionally invested in these characters, so that when things go south in the later arcs, it's even more powerful.
Come for the battle of good versus evil, but stay for the hair-raising monologues by Stellan Skarsgard, Andy Serkis, and Fiona Shaw which are nothing short of spine-tingling.
7. "From" (2022)
"From" is an underrated, intense sci-fi/horror series starring Harold Perrineau, and everyone should be talking about it. The show revolves around a small middle-America town that traps anyone who visits it, and the townsfolk have to stay inside at night to avoid terrifying shapeshifting creatures that look like humans.
Much like "Lost" and "Fringe," the MGM+ show sets up plenty of mysteries about the nature of the town, and the creatures that plague the people who are trapped there. All the answers are yet to be revealed because the second season only finished in 2023, but that just means it's ripe for new viewers to jump onboard for the ride.
Perrineau carries the show firmly on his shoulders with an embattled performance as Sheriff Boyd Stevens. But other stars like Catalina Sandino Moreno and Elizabeth Saunders, who play Tabitha Matthews and Donna Raines respectively, should not be overlooked.
It might not be perfect, but "From" will have you double-checking that you locked the door at night.
8. "Fringe" (2008)
"Silo" managed to balance a clever line with the large scope of its story, next to the claustrophobic atmosphere of the underground bunker.
And J.J. Abrams' "Fringe" pulls off a similar feat thanks to its huge sci-fi story involving grisly murders, otherworldly technology, and alternate universes. But it never loses track of the emotional bond that ties its core characters together.
This underrated gem mainly follows FBI agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) as she works with Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) and his manic father Walter (John Noble) to investigate bizarre cases which all involve cutting-edge technology.
It's similar to shows like "The X-Files" with its case-of-the-week format, but "Fringe" boldly creates its own rich mythology in a way that is never confusing, only jaw-dropping.
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