'Silo' S3 Got 100% on RT From Critics, but Viewers Don't Agree: What's Wrong With the New Chapter?

After a long wait, the third season of Silo finally premiered on Apple TV and instantly topped the streaming charts. However, the audience's reaction was far from unanimous compared to the critics'.

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics gave the season a perfect 100%, but viewers gave it only 59% – the lowest score in the series' history. Why is there such a gap between the critics' and audiences' reactions, and is the new season really as bad as some fans think?

What Is 'Silo' Season 3 About?

The events of the third season take place three months after the Season 2 finale. Juliette survived the purification in the fire chamber but returned with complete memory loss – she doesn't recognize her friends, her past, or even her own face in the mirror.

Meanwhile, a new threat is brewing in Silo 18. The mysterious Algorithm, which controls the bunkers, has placed Camille Sims, who is dosing Juliette with memory-suppressing pills, in charge of the IT department.

In the pre-disaster timeline, journalist Helen Drew and Congressman Daniel Keene are investigating a government conspiracy that will ultimately lead to the creation of the bunkers.

Juliette's Amnesia Is the Main Source of the Audience's Dissatisfaction

The main complaint among viewers is the Juliette amnesia storyline – many consider it a reboot of the story and a contrived way to extend the narrative.

Fans of Hugh Howey's books are particularly irritated by this because in the original trilogy, Juliette doesn't lose her memory after returning to the bunker. The second season was criticized for its slow pace, and viewers fear the same problem will occur in the third season.

Some argue that the character's progress in previous seasons is being devalued. However, critics have seen more episodes and know the amnesia storyline won't last the entire season – it's part of a larger plot.

'Silo' Season 3 Departs More and More From the Original Work by Hugh Howey

Another source of controversy is the series' departure from the source material. In the third season, the show deviates more and more from Howey's books by adding extensive flashbacks to the pre-disaster storyline.

Some viewers feel that the creators are stuffing episodes with filler content to slow down the main plot. However, book author Hugh Howey publicly supported the series, writing in a blog post that viewers are judging the season too early.

He explained that the heroine's amnesia isn't an attempt to reset her progress but rather part of the long-established theme of control over memory and history. Furthermore, it's worth remembering that most viewers only watched the first few episodes, while critics have seen the entire season.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Silo' Season 3?

• Silo Season 3 has 100% from critics and 59% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.