Machines

### **IMDb**

**Machines** is the third episode of the Apple TV+ series *Silo*. Written by Ingrid Escajeda, and directed by Morten Tyldum, the episode aired on May 12, 2023.

## Synopsis

*In her hunt for a new sheriff, Mayor Jahns clashes with Bernard. Juliette strikes a deal to keep the generator running.*

## Plot

In the cave, hanging above the water, Juliette panics and hauls herself back up. Scared and angry, she drinks herself into a stupor, begins wearing George's watch again, and has flashbacks to their time together.

Mayor Ruth Jahns and Deputy Sam Marnes prepare to travel from Up Top all the way down the Silo to meet with Juliette. A pair of Judicial agents watch over them as they leave.

Shirley Campbell gets Juliette up and awake after her night of drinking and vomiting in the hallway. Shirley wants to know what is wrong and notices that she is wearing George Wilkins' watch again. As Juliette brushes her off, the room begins vibrating and Juliette knows her fix for the generator is failing.

Jahns and Marnes continue down the stairs, stopping at the level with the Judicial offices for a water break. Jahns does not go to see Judge Meadows however, but makes it known that she passed by.

At the generator, Cooper is trying to fix it, but is pulled out violently by Juliette. Cooper is angry and wants to know how he is supposed to learn. Knox is angry she is late and smelling of alcohol. Juliette tells him that the generator has to be shut down and fixed properly or the issue could get worse. Knox doesn't want to be the guy to shut it down and potentially cause panic throughout the Silo.

Jahns visits Bernard Holland in the IT Department and brings him a gift of brandy. She wants his help with Judge Meadows, who is positioning Paul Billings to be the new Sheriff. Bernard says Juliette is a thief who stole H57 heat tape that was earmarked for IT. Bernard tells her the ongoing lack of a Sheriff is edging the Silo closer to disaster.

Jahns and Marnes reach the Mids, and they are greeted by an enthusiastic crowd. Jahns goes to tour the baby wards where she meets Doctor Pete Nichols, Juliette's father. She talks with him about Juliette, and found out that she left the Mids for the Deep Down at the age of thirteen and Doctor Nichols hasn't seen her in a long time.

Juliette talks to Martha Walker about her experience in the cave, admitting to being scared and letting George down. Juliette and Martha argue, with Juliette throwing the fact that Martha has not left her workshop in twenty years in her face.

Jahns and Marnes stop at the park level for food, and they are approached by Robert Sims. He offers them fresh strawberries, courtesy of Judge Meadows. Jahns sees it as an intimidation tactic, and while Sims can understand Jahns reasoning for at least meeting with Juliette, he tells her that a choice has to be made, and Billings is the ideal candidate.

In Mechanical, the fix is getting closer to failing. Juliette is overseeing the repairs as Deputy Hank leads Jahns and Marnes into the control room. Jahns tells Knox to not let Juliette leave and goes to see her old friend Martha for an honest opinion on Juliette.

Jahns and Juliette meet, and Juliette is told that Holston Becker chose her as the next Sheriff and that only he and now Jahns want her in the role. Juliette turns it down, but is given Holston's badge as per his last request. As the Mechanical crew talk about it, Deputy Hank finds something etched on the back of the Sheriff's badge that causes Juliette to rethink her decision. She tells Jahns she will take the job if she is allowed to fix the generator, which means turning it off temporarily and darkening the Silo.

Jahns is reluctant but agrees, authorizing an eight hour power outage. Residents are ordered to stay at home or in designated safe areas. The generator is to be shut down, but they will only have thirty minutes to do the work as the steam that feeds the generator can only be shut down for that long before the pressure build up will ruin the entire system.

The Silo is switched to back-up power, and Knox closes the valve to fifty percent to allow the main panels to be lifted off to inspect the damage before committing to the full shut down. Juliette and Cooper are hoisted up to repair the rotor blades, and the steam is shut off completely to let them work. One blade is removed and sent down for straightening, with other blades needing repairs as well.

People wait for the outage to end throughout the Silo. Sims comforts his young son. Jahns and Marnes admit that they have feelings for each other. In the generator, the pressure is redlining faster than the crew expected. Juliette leaves Cooper to fix the blades while she goes into the pressure chamber and hoses down the valve with water to keep it from overheating. Juliette almost drowns, but Cooper manages to fix the blades. Knox restarts the generator, and the Silo goes back to full power to the celebration of the residents.

Juliette prepares to leave the Deep Down. She apologises to Martha, and gives her a relic from George's stash because she wants to figure out what it is. Juliette takes her leave from Shirley Campbell, and looks at the back of the sheriff's badge which has the word "truth" etched on the back.

Bernard meets Jahns and Marnes as they head back up the stairs. He is not supportive of their decision to stop the generator, or of the appointment of Juliette as the new Sheriff.

In her office, Jahns signs the order for Juliette to be the new Sheriff, then tells Marnes to get a bottle of wine to take to her apartment while she uses the restroom. Marnes gets concerned when Jahns doesn't answer him, and breaks down the door to find her convulsing on the floor, blood running from her mouth.

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Rebecca Ferguson as Juliette Nichols
* Common as Robert Sims
* Harriet Walter as Martha Walker
And
* Tim Robbins as Bernard Holland

### Special Guest Star

* David Oyelowo as Sheriff Holston Becker

### Guest Starring

* Will Patton as Deputy Sam Marnes
* Geraldine James as Mayor Ruth Jahns
* Shane McRae as Knox
* Remmie Milner as Shirley Campbell
* Chipo Chung as Sandy
* Billy Postlethwaite as Hank
* Matt Gomez Hidaka as Cooper
* Peter Gadiot as Mechanical Engineer
and
* Iain Glen as Dr. Pete Nichols

### Co-Starring

* Angela Yeoh as Deputy Molly Karins
* Olatunji Ayofe as Teddy
* Michael Magnet as Older Man
* Helene Maksoud as Nurse Alice
* Oscar Coleman as Anthony Sims
* Rose De Vera as Young Woman
* Tea Chung as Young Girl #1
* Andy Linden as Elderly Man

## Appearances

**By type**

Characters

* Holston Becker
* Beson
* Paul Billings (Mentioned only)
* Shirley Campbell
* Carla (First mentioned)
* Cooper
* Hank
* Harry
* Bernard Holland
* Jacob
* Ruth Jahns
* Molly Karins (First appearance)
* Knox
* LaFontaine (First appearance)
* Sam Marnes
* Meadows
* Mechanical Engineer
* Pete Nichols (First appearance)
* Juliette Nichols
* Sandy
* Anthony Sims
* Robert Sims
* Teddy
* Martha Walker
* George Wilkins

Events

Locations

	+ Cavern
	+ Electronics Workshop
	+ Farm
	+ Generator Room
	+ Level 14
		- Judicial Offices
	+ Level 19
		- IT Offices
			* Bernard Holland's Office
	+ Level 50
		- Nursery
	+ Level 80
	+ Level 144
	+ Mayor's Office
	+ Mids Deputy Station (First appearance)
	+ Park
	+ Stairwell

Organizations and titles

* Judicial
* Mechanical
* Porter
* Sheriff Department
* The Founders

Weapons and technology

* Radio

Miscellanea

* Heat tape
	+ H57 tape
* Relic
	+ Video recorder
	+ Watch
* Shadow
* Syndrome (First mentioned)
* The Pact (Mentioned only)

## Behind the scenes

* David Oyelowo is credited as "Special Guest Star" for this episode. All of his scenes are flashbacks to scenes from the previous two episodes.
* When Knox describes the plan to fix the generator, he says they will remove the panels first, then he will close the steam valve down to fifty percent. When they go to fix the generator however, Knox shuts down the steam valve to fifty percent before the panels are removed.