the first season of net special. Created by Graham Yost and based on Hugh Howey’s books, the Apple TV+ show finds the right balance of social issues and cool sci-fi mystery, all unfolding on stunning sets, with big set piece and fun action to boot. All eyes are on the second season to continue on that path. Alas, with the second season almost over, we have to say—it was a failure. Ten episodes filled with repetitive time-wasting that, thankfully, leads to a satisfying ending with a terrific final tease.

Most of the net The second season felt like it was the same two stories repeated. In the mysterious other silo, Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) keeps going back and forth with Solo (Steve Zahn) about a bunch of different things. And in the main silo, the down-deepers-led by Mechanical-are getting frustrated with the up-toppers, led by the head of IT, Bernard (Tim Robbins), which leads to the threat and finally growing lift.

Week by week one storyline becomes more interesting than the other, almost like a see-saw where things go up and down but never go anywhere. That slowly started to change in the last few episodes, leading up to the finale when the Mechanical came up with a very cool plan to try and take down the silo and when Juliette—finally and happily— returned to his silo. Throughout the season, viewers continue to learn cool tidbits about the world. How many silos are there, where relics are made, who knows what, etc. All the things we want to know. But we rarely see any significant characters learn or share knowledge, which is disappointing. That’s poised to change when Juliette returns, except the finale ends before she’s reunited with everyone. Which is good. We can wait.

But most excitingly, the long-awaited return of Juliette is not the end of the season. The season finale is a flashback that raises all kinds of issues and questions in a way that reminds us why we’re watching. net in the first place.

The final season two scenes take place in a more modern-day Washington DC, as a young congressman named Donald (Ashley Zukerman, best known for Fear Street movies) to a bar to meet a journalist named Helen (from Jessica Henwick Game of Thrones and Iron fist). Now, then, considering that society is still moving forward, we know why we go back in time. How is it tied to net?

As the two talk/flirt we learn a few things. We know something big is happening. A September 11, Pearl Harbor-type event that doesn’t need to be named to be recognized. We know that the military has something impressive to save the people of New Orleans. There are problems in Iran. For some reason, people don’t use the term “date” anymore. We also know that before joining the congress, Donald was in the military and has a master’s degree in engineering. It seems like an important educational focus to have if you want to, I don’t know, build 50 big silos.

Soon, Donald realizes that this is not the blind date he thought and we get the biggest information. Helen wanted to talk to him about something more serious. Basically, whether or not there will be retaliation against Iran and whether an inciting “radiological weapon attack” has occurred. (This immediately made us think of the big reveal of Fallout season one where we learn… something I don’t want to spoil here if you haven’t seen itbut it seems that this link between corrupt governments and saving the underground society is important. Is it there? net go? I’m confused.)

Donald decides to leave before things go too far and gives Helen a present. Just something he picked up at a local store. It’s a Pez dispenser on a rubber duck. Perhaps, the same one who now lives in the silo that we followed for two seasons. (Oh, and the magazine Donald is carrying has a photo of a man in a hazmat suit like Doc Brown Back to the Future. Nice touch.)

Okay, so, there’s a lot to digest, and here’s what we know. This is actually a flashback of some of the first steps of the child at the beginning of the silos, which is the main goal of the second book of Hugh Howey’s series. Much of that book is the story of the creation of silos and Donald is a key player in that. and, because we know now Both Zukerman and Henwick will become series regulars in season three of Silo, we can safely assume that is where the next season will go. Also, if this is the same Pez dispenser that Mr. Sims (Common), Helen or her family made this silo. Why did he hide it? Maybe it reminds him of the global change led by the man who gave it to him. Like we said, there’s a lot to digest.

Seeing how and why the silos were created along with the revelations at the end of the second season (mostly the “Protection” stuff and voices that everyone knows coming from the tunnel) felt like a perfect fit for a third season. Juliette returns and wants to know more about who made the silos and why. And we, the audience, are one step ahead of him as we see this happen in flashback.

This is all very exciting. Almost enough, frankly, to make us forgive the incredibly disappointing second season and look forward to what’s next. third, and then fourth and lasttimes of net hold on Do you agree? Let us know below.

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