Silo keeps dragging its feet
But “Order” does have, of all things, a timely Wicked connection.
Photo: Apple TV+
The chances of Silo creator Graham Yost or the writers’ room knowing “Order” would air the same day as Wicked’s wide theatrical release are incredibly slim, but there’s a random connection anyway. In this season’s second episode, the underground bunker’s unofficial mastermind, IT head Bernard (Tim Robbins), is indirectly compared to the Wizard—that is, his former mentee calls him a fraudulent ruler hiding behind cheap tricks to get the job done.
Bernard visits Mary Meadows (Tanya Moodie) for help after Juliette’s unsuccessful “cleaning.” He senses a rebellion brewing because many of the citizens have seen Juliette survive and walk over the hill. They’re bound to demand answers and might even want to go out, assuming that it’s now safe to exit. Bernard believes that Mary, who used to be a judge, could sway the people in his favor with her authority. Instead of agreeing, she picks up her copy of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz. Mary implies that both she and Bernard are like the Wizard: They don’t know the whole truth and keep lying about what it is. Thankfully, we get an idea of why Mary feels this way and how it led to her distancing from Bernard and the IT and judicial departments decades ago.
The episode begins with Bernard standing alone in a hidden vault made of what looks like white marble. It’s much, much nicer than the rest of the grimy silo. Through secret cameras, he sees what we saw in the premiere: Juliette walking over hundreds of dead bodies to enter another bunker. Naturally, he’s freaking out. Bernard then flips through a Bible-esque-looking book called The Order for guidance. All it says is: “In the event of a failed cleaning, prepare for war.” Mary later tells Bernard she isn’t shocked about the lack of clear instructions. Yet Bernard is convinced she can help, possibly because Mary also knows communication tactics and a way to win over the mid-level floors. He’s willing to bribe her with whatever she desires.