I’ve selected ten TV series that have intrigued me, moved me, and stayed with me for various reasons that touch on: abuse of justice, including eco-justice and environmental abuse; technology use and abuse; and the effects and horrors of climate change.

Some are well known; others not so well known. All approach storytelling with a serious dedication to depth of character, important themes, realistic world building, and excellent portrayal by actors. The world-building is extremely well done—in some cases rivalling Ridley Scott’s best—with convincing portrayals of worlds that are at times uncanny in their realism. Worlds that reflect story from an expansive landscape to the mundane minutiae of daily life: like the cracked phone device of Detective Miller in The Expanse or the dirty fingernails of engineer Juliette Nichols in the Down Deep of Silo. Stories vary in their treatment of important themes from whimsical and often humorous ironies to dark and moody treatises on existential questions. In my opinion, these TV series rival the best movies out there, often reflecting large budgets (but not always) and a huge commitment by producers. The ten TV series I’ve selected in this series come from around the world: Brazil, Germany, France, Norway, Canada and the United States.

In Part 2, I focus on five TV series that explore issues to do with resource allocation, adaptations to climate change and corporate / government biopolitics.   

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SILO: An Underground Murder Mystery & an Engineer’s Search for the Truth

This science fiction thriller is a dark cautionary tale based on Hugh Howie’s bestselling trilogy Wool, Shift, and Dust about a population living in an underground silo, humanity’s last refuge from a toxic outside world. Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson) is a humble and gutsy engineer in the Down-Deep who is relentlessly motivated in her journey to seek the truth. When Juliette inexplicably lands the job of sheriff of the Silo, she treats her new position as a tool to seek the truth about the suspicious death of her lover, George—a collector of illegal relics (artifacts from before the rebellion which precipitated the destruction of all information prior to it). In fact, no one seems to recall anything about before the rebellion some 140 years ago.

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At her own peril, Juliette pulls on threads that ultimately reveal a greater conspiracy surrounding the Silo. For instance, why technology is restricted, why relics from the past forbidden, and why all behaviour is closely surveyed and judged through “the Pact,” the arcane bible written by the founders. Questions leading to more questions. For instance, who built the Silo and for what reason? Does it have to do with why it is so toxic outside? Questions point to the egregious actions and tragic circumstances that led to its origin. Actions and circumstances of the ‘before times’ that ultimately point to political intrigue, biological warfare and social oppression.

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Juliette’s literal and metaphoric rise from the Down-Deep to the Up-Top is a feminist’s journey that transcends intersectional barriers as she battles small-minded men of power and maintains her integrity by refusing to abide by the inhumane Up-Top rules of order. By the end of Season 1, I sensed a victory for humankind through womankind, as Juliette’s relentless search for the truth disclose lies at all levels of Silo society. Juliette and others who join her unravel a horrific tale of deception, self-serving manipulation, power abuse and genocide that is relevant to the present day we are experiencing now. 

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Authentic world building, rivalling the best of Ridley Scott, is matched by superlative acting by a very talented cast. Main character Juliette was played by Rebecca Ferguson with incredible nuance and genuineness as both vulnerable and heroic, shy and assertive, kind and bossy. Silo demonstrates through every scene a meticulous attention to detail that commands a sense of reality. We truly experience the grubby machine room of the Down-Deep, the bustling cafeteria in the Mids, or the posh interior of Judicial chambers in the Up-Top. Reflecting the vertical class hierarchy, characters are dirty, wear worn and repaired clothing, and are attentive to recycling and conservation as befits an enclosed society with limited resources.

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As with Snowpiercer (another enclosed environment), the people of Silo live highly conscious of their limited space and supplies. Everyone is convinced that they or their group is ultimately most important in maintaining the Silo. Freedom Day, which celebrates freedom from the last rebellion (which existentially threatened the Silo with threats to open the doors to the outside), is followed by Forgiveness Day, in which citizens are encouraged to turn in illegal relics (e.g. any technology, books, or other artifacts from the ‘before times’) without reprisal. But, like a hamster on a wheel—or the generator in the down deep—eventually a wobble is introduced, threatening to crash the silo and put all in perpetual darkness with eventual flooding. It is no coincidence that, before taking on her role as sheriff, engineer Juliette (who refuses to use a band-aid approach) imposes a temporary black out to fix the generator to prevent the Silo’s eventual destruction.

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In that one act, her archetype is cemented: she is the herald of change, a disruptive force that, though at some cost, will reveal the greater truth for the greater good. Like a good catalyst hero, she stirs everyone and everything up to dig up the truth. She delivers the call to adventure to Lukas Kyle, who refuses at first, but finds his way. She inspires an entire population to seek the truth.   

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