Entertainment
‘Silo’ Season 4 Has One Major Book Story Left to Get Right
The final season of Apple TV‘s Silo has a lot to explain, but the apocalyptic drama has quite a bit of story to tell as well. The show is based on a trilogy of novels by Hugh Howey, and while it has taken some liberties in the adaptation process, it has stuck to the source material where it counted most so far — even in places where it may not have been convenient. Season 4 will be the show’s final test, and we’ll see if all the changes along the way have led us to the same conclusion as Howey’s books. We’ll also see if these characters are similar enough to support the story’s central romance, or if that will be the biggest dropped plot in the series.
For those unaware, Howey’s books string out a long, star-crossed romance between Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson) and Lukas Kyle (Avi Nash). So far, the show has not lingered on these two quite as much as the books did, though most of their important encounters are still intact in the adaptation. The show may be building a more subtle foundation so that this plot line can land in the end, though at this point, it’s fair to say they may be dropping it altogether. The show would likely hold up fine without this romance, but if the writers and producers can pull it off, it will hit even harder than it did in the books.
‘Silo’ Season 3 May Have Built the Foundation For Romance
Avi Nash in “Silo,” now streaming on Apple TV+.
Apple TV’s Silo has diverged from the books since the beginning, though early in Season 1 it appeared they were building up to Juliette’s romance arc. The show actually started off stronger in this respect by introducing us to George Wilkins (Ferdinand Kingsley). This character was already dead when the books began, and Juliette’s romantic history with him was much further in the background. Juliette had helped with the investigation of George’s death, which was the pretense for making her sheriff.
On the TV show, George and Jules have a secretive romance that kicks off the main action of the show spectacularly. He introduces us to the idea of relics, leaving behind clues to the true nature of the silo after his death. He also adds a lot of emotional weight to Juliette’s story early on, though her grief for him may be part of the reason the show has held off on her romance with Lukas up until now.
In both versions, Juliette met Lukas while she was sheriff, noticing him stargazing in the commissary at night. However, in the books Juliette and Lukas spend a lot of time getting to know each other via radio while Juliette is in Silo 17 and Lukas is locked in the I.T. department. This is where their overt romance starts, while the book has kept it at bay. Meanwhile, the show added the Season 3 plot line where Juliette develops amnesia, further delaying the romance. In the books, Juliette becomes mayor shortly after returning to Silo 18, and immediately strikes up a romance with Lukas as well.
These changes do not rule the romance out entirely — in fact, they may even make it stronger. The TV versions of Jules and Lukas have now spent a lot of time together, and have relied on each other in some high-stakes situations. They have every reason to trust and admire each other without any expectations of love. If the show can transmute the history they have now into a romance, it will pay off strongly.
Juliette is Stronger on TV So Far
One major reason the TV show may have left Juliette’s romantic life on the back burner is her role as a heroic figure in this story. In the books, Juliette sacrifices no agency or strength in order to be with Lukas, but on TV the optics are much more important. It might be harder for audiences to see Jules as a capable revolutionary leader once she had a man at her side. The show also had to leave space for Juliette to grieve for George, not to mention everything else she has endured up to this point.
The show cleverly side-stepped an awkward part of the story where Lukas and Juliette are at odds, which is hard to reconcile for a relatively new relationship. In the process, it gave Lukas more to do and established more common ground between him and Juliette. Now the show has a chance to bring these two together in the climactic moments of their story with some real momentum. It will be a powerful statement to those who feel the show has been too unfaithful to the books, proving that a story can evolve and meander a bit while still ending up at the same place with all its authenticity intact.
It’s also possible the show will drop this romance plot entirely, and that could work just fine as well. We’ll know soon enough as Silo Season 4 premieres on July 9, 2027 on Apple TV. Previous seasons are streaming there now, and Howey’s books are available in print, digital, and audiobook formats.
- Release Date
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May 5, 2023
- Network
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Apple TV
- Showrunner
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Graham Yost
- Directors
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Morten Tyldum, David Semel, Michael Dinner, Aric Avelino
- Writers
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Graham Yost, Hugh Howey, Jeffery Wang, Lekethia Dalcoe
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