Silo season 1 episode 5 recap & review: The Janitor’s Boy

In the fifth episode of Silo, Juliette investigates the death of Deputy Marnes while Sims tries to find ways to frame someone else for it. The episode is now streaming on Apple TV+.

Recap

Juliette looks into George Wilkins’ file, hoping to find some clues. The news of Deputy Marnes’ death hits her door, and she is required to show up at his house.

There, she meets Paul Billings, the man Sims wanted as sheriff in place of Juliette. Billings will now be the chief deputy. Sims blames Juliette for not putting security on Marnes, knowing that he was attacked earlier.

Before the mortuary team could start working, Juliette asks them to stay outside so that she can look for some clues near Marnes’ body. She retrieves the judicial list of every criminal Marnes has crossed paths with and also notices the drawing of Jahns missing before leaving.

In Bernard’s office, Sims, Juliette, Billings, and Bernard discuss what they are going to tell the people of Silo. They don’t want them to know that Mayor Jahns and Marnes were murdered; they want to distract the people.

Bernard agrees with the story that they were in love. They walked the Silo and met their end. He also suggests that he is going to announce a race to the top for the residents of Silo.

A double funeral, unlike before, takes place at the Silo for Jahns and Marnes. After the funeral, Juliette finds Hank, who has come to see how she is doing. Everyone at Down Deep is worried about her, as it is a dangerous time in Silo.

Sandy lets Juliette know that everything in her office goes through her. If Juliette wants things to go smoothly, she wants her to really find out who killed Marnes and not arrest someone Judicial serves her. She also reminds her that she can’t play along with them because they want her out too.

Juliette wastes no time and starts working. She is told to take Billings along. He knows the Pact; she doesn’t. If she gets anything wrong, the Judicial will make their moves.

Juliette orders Billings to go back to his family after a while. She doesn’t trust him and intends to meet Patrick Kennedy, the man who punched Marnes the other day, all by herself.

Patrick Kennedy isn’t home, but Juliette manages to break into his house and finds rat poison and a drawing of Jahns, suggesting that he killed Marnes and Jahns. Juliette quickly tracks Patrick down and puts him somewhere safe.

Meanwhile, Billings goes to the Judicial and learns that Sims is grooming Douglas Trumbull to be his shadow. He comes back to Juliette to inform her that he went to the Judicial to see how their investigation is going.

According to the listeners, as in the friends of Silo for the Judicial, a criminal named Ralf Melby is behind the murders. Juliette sees Melby’s criminal record and doesn’t understand why he would target Marnes now.

Juliette asks Sandy to issue a warrant, not for Melby but for Patrick Kennedy. When Sandy asks her what is going on, Juliette claims that the Judicial wants her to waste time on Melby while they get Patrick Kennedy so that Juliette looks incompetent.

Juliette knows that someone has planted that evidence in Kennedy’s house. At the moment, the Judicial must have sent someone to discover that evidence.

Juliette knows Patrick Kennedy is innocent because she visited him with Marnes in the fifth episode. He had stopped living in that old house after his wife died and had moved to a single.

Judicial hasn’t updated its database. So whoever is trying to frame Kennedy made a grave mistake by planting evidence in the wrong house.

Juliette finds Douglas Trumbull at Kennedy’s door. Trumbull gives Juliette a chase and almost pushes her off the rail. She is saved, but Trumbull escapes.

When Sims learns that Douglas has made a mistake again, he wastes no time getting rid of him. He pushes him off the floor and kills him quietly at night when everyone in the Silo is inside their homes. Trumbull’s death now looks like suicide.

Judge Meadows orders to call this investigation off now that they know who killed Jahns and Marnes. Back in Juliette’s office, Sandy informs her that she has been reassigned to a station on level 105. Before leaving, Sandy lets Juliette know that she did a good job today.

Bernard calls Juliette into his office. He likes to think Sims is right; they need a Forgiveness Holiday. He wants her deputies everywhere during this event.

Bernard also admits that he was wrong about Juliette. As long as he is mayor, he sincerely wants to help her in every way possible. He allows her to ask for anything. Juliette then asks for two days off to bring more of her stuff from Down Deep and say goodbyes.

Juliette is granted leave. Before leaving to go down, she crosses paths with Lukas, who is trying to study the lights in the sky they see from Silo’s windows.

Juliette goes to meet Marta. Even Marta doesn’t know what those lights are. Furthermore, to understand the camcorder that Juliette has brought, Marta needs a stronger magnifying glass.

The residents of Silo don’t know why the Judicial restricts them from using powerful magnification or mechanizing the place with lifts and pulleys that will help them travel up and down.

These are the two mysteries that bother Marta. She thought Juliette must have found out now that she is reading the Pact. However, Marta doesn’t want Juliette to go back up. Juliette will face consequences for meddling with this machine, which requires a stronger lens.

Juliette is adamant. She has managed to win the trust of someone like Bernard and thinks she can finally solve George Wilkins’ murder. Juliette heads back to George’s hidden workstation and picks up a relic he left for her, hoping to reopen the investigation into his death.

Review

  • After the previous slow episode that gave the viewers and the show a break, Silo brings an action-packed episode full of thrills. The plot of the episode is nothing out of the ordinary, but it’s engaging and keeps the viewers hooked.
  • Silo is doing a great job of introducing its world to the viewers slowly, episode by episode. Each and every episode makes viewers curious about how life here must be. The residents of Silo don’t know what the stars are, and they surely must not know about the animals, trees, and seas out there.
  • All in all, Silo, the place itself, continues to be one big mystery, and even its history is questionable. Silo has its suspense element strong, and it just needs to make sure that they don’t stretch all of this for too long. They must give enough answers at the right time.

Also Read: Silo season 1 episode 4 recap & review: Truth

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