Silo Season 3 will explore the origins of the Silos, shifting between the past and present, and introducing new characters. The season will have a brighter visual palette.
The Apple TV+ series Silo is set to undergo significant changes in its upcoming third season, diverging from its previous narrative structure and timelines. After a second season that separated its protagonist, Juliette, from the main cast, the show is poised for a deeper exploration of the Silo’s origins. Showrunner Graham Yost has indicated that Season 3 will delve into the events leading up to the creation of the Silos, shifting focus to the past.
The Season 2 finale revealed the return of Ashley Zukerman as Daniel and Jessica Henwick as Helen, both promoted to series regulars. This hints at a significant portion of Season 3 being set in a time before the catastrophic events that forced humanity into the Silos. Yost confirmed that the season will adapt material from the second book, Shift, where Juliette is absent for most of the story, focusing on the origins of the Silo project and specifically Silo 18. Despite this, Rebecca Ferguson, who plays Juliette, will have a substantial role in the season. The show is not following a one-book-per-season pattern, with four seasons planned to cover the three books.
The finale also alluded to a devastating event involving Iran using a dirty bomb in the United States, akin to a 9/11-scale incident. The show raises questions about the long-term effects of this event and the reasons for the Silo’s inhabitants being unable to go outside even 300 years later. It remains unclear whether the danger is from a form of radiation or some other biological weapon, or even if the AI is killing those who exit the Silo. These questions set the stage for a season that is anticipated to spend considerable time exploring the past.
Season 3 will feature a more vibrant visual style, with scenes set in a pre-dystopian Washington, D.C., and other cities. This means that there will be outdoor scenes with actual daylight and weather, a departure from the dim environments of the Silos. However, the show will still return to Silo 17, where the power issues will affect the lighting conditions. The showrunner has emphasized the effort to make the outside world visually beautiful, reminding viewers of what the characters have lost.
The show has faced viewer complaints about scenes being too dark. The showrunner noted that the lighting conditions may be different during production compared to the screens where the viewers watched at home.
Based on the novels by Hugh Howey, the series is produced by Apple Studios, with executive producers including Yost, Howey, and Ferguson, along with Morten Tyldum, Nina Jack, Fred Golan, Rémi Aubuchon, Michael Dinner, Joanna Thapa, and AMC. The addition of Ashley Zukerman and Jessica Henwick as series regulars suggests a significant shift in narrative focus, with Zukerman portraying a young congressman named Daniel, and Henwick as a reporter called Helen. Rebecca Ferguson plays Juliette, an engineer seeking answers about the murder of a loved one which uncovers larger secrets.
The series will also explore more of the backstories, aiming to make it clear why it’s dangerous to go outside. While the present-day issues of the Silos remain important, the show intends to reveal more of the past that led to the creation of these underground dwellings. With changes to timelines and locations, Silo Season 3 promises to be significantly different, but still connected to the main mystery.
Sources: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2025/01/25/a-major-update-about-silo-season-3-on-apple-tv/
https://deadline.com/2025/01/ashley-zukerman-jessica-henwick-silo-season-3-1236259476/
https://tvline.com/news/silo-dark-scenes-brighter-season-3-flashbacks-1235400246/