Wool-Shift-Dust: a Silo TV podcast

To celebrate this Halloween, and look ahead to Robert Eggers’ Werwulf movie coming at the end of this year, Elysia is joined by special guest Anthony to talk everything werewolf: What is the history of werewolf storytelling? The key werewolf novels? And, of course, what do we think are the 10 best werewolf movies ever made?*

*Disclaimer: Neither of us have seen every werewolf movie ever made (yet), and our selections are highly personal and idiosyncratic and subject to change at a moment’s notice.

Explore The Evolution of Werewolf Cinema (Letterboxd list)

For this special Silo season 3 bonus episode, Elysia is joined by Silo series book author Hugh Howey and Silo TV showrunner Graham Yost to discuss the tricky process of TV-making and adaptation – from why worldbuilding details were changed, to how key scenes came together, to how Peter Gabriel won himself a spot in Stensen's Ark.

This episode avoids future book spoilers as usual, and saves season 4 discussion until the end of the conversation – listen to the intro for a more detailed spoiler warning.

Links:

Elysia helps Luke unpack all the surprises for show-only viewers in this wild and brutal season finale – while representing book readers in doing a celebratory dance of all the book elements finally being shown on screen! They dive into the Operations of Silo 1, "Troy" and Victor's many cryptic facial expressions, and all our questions for listeners at home. Along the way, the community weighs in on everything from inside intel on the accuracy of Daniel's Congressional service and last episode's Portland references to fan theories that drill down to the most essential worldbuilding questions still on the table and/or...

It's an episode of goodbyes... It's an episode of new beginnings... Elysia and Luke say "Farewell" to the old order in episode 9 of season 3 of Silo on Apple TV. From sharing code words to the nature of nukes to (future-spoiler-free) book comparisons, both break out fresh new rolls of hat-ready tinfoil for their deepest dive yet.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired. (And for the in-show-universe short story "The Mystery of the Pez.")

No spoilers for any book (or trailer...

Elysia and Luke stop the world to melt with the characters of "Gray Goo" – episode 8 of season 3 of Silo on Apple TV – an episode that sees many pairs, both romantic and platonic, mending fences. They break down the massive tiny-tech reveals as they welcome back the Beforetimes League and Silovengers new and old, and look ahead to the carnage sure to come as this rollercoaster season nears its conclusion.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired. (And for the in-show-universe short story "The Myst...

Silo season 3, episode 7 ("Radio") turns up the pace in both past and present, and Elysia and Luke are back to make sure that you haven't missed any of the details – or their often chilling implications. Tune in for talk running the gamut from forgetting to footsies, billionaires to the Billingses. (Not to mention one Gloria-ous return with a Mission book dive.)

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book (or trailer) elements that have not yet appeared on...

Just past the mid-season moment where many tables have turned, Luke and Elysia are back with a mailbag full of community comments and questions about episodes 3 through 6 of Silo season 3. From the funniest and most far-fetched possibilities about lightware thievery, murder suspects, and fatherhood to earnest inquiries into the government and daily operations of the silo system and the characters within it, together we all share our hopes, gripes, praises, and personal artifacts that could become silo relics.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already...

As Juliette negotiates with the Voice and a car ride gets flirty in "The Drive" – episode 6 of season 3 of Silo on Apple TV – Elysia and Luke pry into the personal lives of their favorite characters and speculate on what might really be going on behind the scenes, in both this episode and the next.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book (or trailer) elements that have not yet appeared on screen. A separate full-spoiler episode will be a...

Apple surprise-dropped a new short story on us: a show-universe journal compiled by the character Robert Sims detailing his investigations into the mysterious Pez dispenser relic that has haunted all three seasons of the Silo series on Apple TV. In this bonus podcast episode, Elysia and Luke discuss some of the highlights of this new novelette, from fresh insights into the mind of Robert Sims to mentions of other relics that might have deep implications for future revelations to come in the show itself.

Warning: This booklet and this episode both contain show spoilers through season 3, episode 5.<...

It's time to puzzle together the missing pieces of Juliette's "Memory" – not to mention all the things she didn't know – in episode 5 of season 3 of Silo on Apple TV. Luke and Elysia question lightbulbs, the state of the couple Sims, cat identity, and whether they need to rename the Simsnard scale, before launching into an inquiry behind certain self-driving vehicles and the important question of the ideal Silo 18 blunt rotation.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book...

As Daniel and Helen's investigation heats up in one timeline, and Juliette is back on the run in another, Silo season 3, episode 4 reminds its characters "Whatever You Do, Don't Go Home." And Luke and Elysia pick apart all the investigations, the subtly dropped references, and the webs of alliances in this game-changing entry into the mid-season stretch.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book (or trailer) elements that have not yet appeared on screen. A separate...

"A Dark Web" – episode 3 of season 3 of Silo on Apple TV – has Luke and Elysia mining both show reveals and first-book canon to figure out what exactly our characters might be digging up this week. From close encounters of a hacker kind in Silo 18's distant past, which is looking increasingly like our present, to reforged bonds in relationships old and new, we're poring over every detail like we're Sheriff Billings prepping for a Pact competition. And then asking... But what if this were a 1950s Noir?

The WTF Cloud encounter (Apple TV YT clip...

The community at large checks in on vibes from characters old and new, the most intriguing mysteries of the third season of Silo (through episode 2), and other assorted theories casting new light on the stocks of Supply and more.

Plus, Nichole, Nevermind the Music's psychology professor, drops in to address the real science behind this season's memory manipulations.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book (or trailer) elements that have not yet appeared on...

Elysia and Luke celebrate the return of a long-awaited character and the introduction of one of Elysia's book favorites, and the many moral quandaries he lays on the table. Checking in first on the origin story, Luke lays out his now assuredly more refined non-reader theories, and then (with little book basis) both ponder the mysteries of the happenings of Silo 18, from missing persons to the Algorithm's latest revelations.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book...

Elysia and Luke will jog your foggy memories with a deep dive into "Who Are You?" – the first episode of Silo season 3 on Apple TV – including reminders of where we left key characters and events at the end of season 2. Elysia dishes on which characters come from the books and which are completely new, while Luke adds key military intel and fresh new tin-foil hat, non-reader theories about the past and present of Daniel, Juliette, and the rest.

Hugh Howey's recent blog post about book changes (full book spoilers!)

Spoi...

Elysia and Luke return to dissect the second (this time a full) trailer for season 3 of Silo, releasing weekly on Apple TV starting July 3. Going frame by frame, quote by quote, Elysia breaks down what's baffling to book readers (without any future spoilers) while show-only Luke cooks up some new (or reheats some old favorite) tinfoil-theories.

Silo S3 trailer 2

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired – plus non-book-spoiler discussion of the contents of the first season 3 teaser and pr...

With season 3 of Silo officially locked and loaded for a July 3rd premiere, book-reader Elysia and show-only Luke reconvene in IT to comb the new teaser trailer for clues and look through some new promotional images released by Apple to whet our anticipation. Tune in for a reminder of where we left things with certain key characters in season 2, and Luke's latest tin-foil-hat theories about what's really going on.

• Silo S3 teaser 1

• Official S3 photos

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to wh...

At long last, the original Dune novel breakdown series begins in earnest! Following up on their episode about the author Frank Herbert and creation of the book, this episode dives into the beginning of the story itself:

After an opening discussion of the significance and nuance of the overall story with David from the Lorehounds, where they lay the foundations for key vocabulary and themes (00:26:11), including the complexities of Paul Atreides, the balance of powers in the universe, and how the timeline of Dune relates to our own, Elysia and Luke break down the first 10 chapters of...

It is time for Luke and Elysia's 2025 Christmas Carol adaptation blitz to come to a close with five of the most fun movies of the bunch, from the first ever Christmas special through the Great Depression and the Old West to love in the Aussie airline air to an underexplored history of Uganda.

Watch the films yourself, or let them recap them for you, pointing out all the best and/or most ridiculous bits.

Films discussed this episode:

Elysia and Luke's A Christmas Carol discussion takes a darker turn in this lore-down between the Guy Pearce-starring, BBC co-produced 2019 version – which adds some grimer touches to Scrooge's tale – and the 1964 Twilight Zone-like variation created to advertise the importance of the UN at a time when the US and world in general were on the brink of one war and fully entering another. They'll give you all the history, psychology, and sociology you need to get more out of these two tales of existential dread.

Note: Apologies for the mic issues in this episode, but...

'Tis the season for the many flavors of A Christmas Carol to rear their heads – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Luke and Elysia sort the wheat from the chaff (and all the in betweens) in their second round of tackling the classic adaptations.

Films discussed this episode:

Coming next ep...

Ayesha from the Every Sci-Fi Film Ever podcast joins Elysia for a look at the classic Universal Monsters films Frankenstein (1931) and Bride of Frankenstein (1935), discussing everything from on-set drama and injuries to Hollywood's new decency codes – to, of course, how the films both do and do not adapt the book they're based on.

As they dissect the philosophy and filmmaking behind these movies, they also set the stage for that period of mad-scientist filmmaking, and give an overview of how the adaptations of this story have gone from there – up to a preview of the new Guillermo del Toro m...

After a brand new intro with updated information about the plans for the Dune adaptation series, revisit Elysia and Luke's 2022 episode looking at the life and career of Frank Herbert, and how that led him to create the world of Dune. The backdrop to set the stage for next week's introduction to the original novel's first 10 chapters and overall world-building.

(Note: After next week, episodes will follow every two weeks in the public feed. More often for Book Club members. Book Club members who joined since the final Silo episode will be shouted out in next week's...

Elysia drops an update about the Dune book breakdown series: watch the feed this Monday!

And in the meantime, enjoy this episode from Elysia's appearances on The Dune Minute Podcast this week, checking in on a pregnant Lady Jessica (Rebecca Fergusson) and her very chatty fetus.

Find the rest of Elysia's appearances (minutes 61–65) and the rest of Zach and John's very in-depth coverage of both of Denis Villeneuve's Dune films (plus lore from the Dune Encyclopedia) in The Dune Minute Podcast feed – found here (or wherever you listen to podcasts): https://open.spotify.com/show/2NuoK...

A special preview of the non-Silo podcasting that has been (also) keeping Elysia busy this month: get an overview of the Lorehounds' 2025 Oscars prep series, already in full swing (see links below).

This quick episode (a crossover from the Lorehounds feed with a new intro) lays out the basics: what to know about the ceremony on March 2, helpful tools, the scandals, fires, and other biggest stories of the season – setting the stage for a series designed for Oscar novices as well as geeks.

Basically: I watched all 50 Oscars movies so that you don't have to, an...

Luke is back from battle to debrief with Elysia on the end of season 2 and all their expectations for season 3 – plus what they'll be up to in the meanwhile! With, of course, lots of help from the community, and some truly wild theories.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book elements that have not yet appeared on screen.

Join the Book Club (spoilercasts)

On Supercast: https://woolshiftdustbookclub.supercast.com/ (Recomm...

While Elysia and Luke put together the season 2 Silo wrap-up, enjoy some extra insight into the season – straight from the writer's room! Silo TV writer and co-executive producer Sal Calleros answers some of the most recurring questions from the podcast, while also offering a glimpse at the show's overall writing process and things you might not realize about writing for TV.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book elements that have not yet appeared on screen.

While Luke recovers from an injury, John from the Lorehounds joins Elysia to break down "Into the Fire," the season 2 finale of Silo on Apple TV+. Between recaps of the details you might have missed, we talk Lukas Quest, deliberate any deaths, and measure the Foxiness of Knox's moxie.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book elements that have not yet appeared on screen.

Stick around after the outro music for an extra finale bo...

David, John, Anthony, and Steve give their thoughts on Season 1 of Severance, before speculating about what Lumon has in store during Season 2.

But first Elysia pops in for a quick Silo coverage update.

IMPORTANT: Subscribe to the Severance feed linked below for all coverage after episode one. It will not be on the Wool-Shift-Dust, Lorehounds, or Properly Howard feeds.

Severance Feed

Lorehounds contact info:

linktr.ee/thelorehounds

Deep lore questions, comments and/or thoughts to share? Send us an email at s...

Elysia and Luke analyze everything from Lukas Quest and silo vacation spots to that final discussion between Knox and Martha, plus Solo's pooping habits, in the packed "The Safeguard" – season 2, episode 9 of Silo on Apple TV+.

Plus, Elysia's now free to tell you more about those kids from the books, in addition to a reading of how that version of the parenticides went down.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book elements that have not...

Elysia and Luke have been collecting your thoughts and questions about not only the last three episodes of Silo season 2 (6 through 8) that aired through the holidays, but also all your insights into Charles Dickens and everything we covered in our A Christmas Carol series.

About that Martha twist...

Silo mailbag (with spoilers): 00:03:51

A Christmas Carol mailbag (no Silo spoilers): 01:18:01 – 01:45:22

Poe: Evermore – Poe & Dickens meet (fictional reinactment)

Join the Book Club

On Supercast: https://woolshiftdustbookclub.supercast.com/ (Recommended – the Silozen le...

Amundsen has "fond" memories with the Sims, Martha has even fonder ones with Carla, Lukas has taken a shower, and Juliette can't catch a break – there's much to analyze in "The Book of Quinn," episode 8 of season 2 of Silo on Apple TV+

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book elements that have not yet appeared on screen.

Join the Book Club

On Supercast: https://woolshiftdustbookclub.supercast.com/ (Recommended – the Silozen...

Elysia and Luke follow "The Dive" – episode 7 of season 2 of Silo – to the depths of the drama, and the set up for the final arcs of the season. We get into the nitty gritty of all the action in both silos – plus important questions like "who should survive" Luke's romantic coupling doomsaying, and what major and minor characters might play a key role in how the brewing unrest plays out.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book ele...

Elysia and Luke wrap up their 2024 winter holiday miniseries on A Christmas Carol with a look at seven adaptations that offer twists on the original tale, from meta storytelling (00:04:36), to gender-swapped Scrooges (00:43:02), to trippy musicals that have landed on the favorites end of our lists (01:37:20).

We'll be spoiling these films (see list below), but don't worry if you haven't watched any of them – we'll make sure you know the basic plots and key moments, and of course how they compare to the original tale.

I – Start with the opening notes episode, if you hav...

Elysia and Luke gather around the mics once more to continue their winter tale with this briefer interlude looking at one specific film – about Charles Dickens' life and writing A Christmas Carol.

We use that as a jumping-off point to discuss the real man: How much of the film's story is true? What else should you know about him? And, perhaps most importantly for this series... Did he actually invent Christmas? And if not, who did?

Watch out for the final episode in our 2024 A Christmas Carol haunt, where Luke and Elysia wa...

After setting the stage in our intro and Book Club episodes, Elysia and Luke join the spirits in some of the most haunting classic adaptations of A Christmas Carol (see list of films covered below).

Join us for two more episodes, leading up to Christmas: the intermezzo – a brief look at the life of Dickens and creation of this book – and the verse – a collection of twists on the classic tale!

A comparison of the doorknocker scene across 100+ years of adaptations

Start with the opening notes episode, if you...

With "Barricades," episode 6 of season 2 of Silo, the twist Elysia has been waiting for has finally come – taking Luke by surprise! We talk about that, brewing tensions of multiple varieties, and all the small moments you might have missed. Plus, of course, a certain someone's suit-stealing ways.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book elements that have not yet appeared on screen.

Join the Book Club

On Supercast: https://wools...

Questions of shadows and allegiances take center stage in this round-up of community feedback focusing on especially episodes 4 and 5 of season 2 of Silo. Plus, a mini-dive into this series' excellent cinematography – particularly for episode 5!

Spoilers through S2-E5, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book elements that have not yet appeared on screen.

Ed Moore's ep 5 cinematography videos

Adam Savage learns how the vault was built

Join the Book Club

On...

Not content to stick to Silo content alone this holiday season, Elysia and Luke are exploring the many iterations of perhaps the greatest Christmas tale ever told: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

In this quick episode we get into how we came to this topic, and what exactly we'll be covering (this year).

2023 holiday special: The It's a Wonderful Life / Knife multiverse

A Christmas Carol 2024 miniseries – films covered:

I. Sheet music – "The Goblins Who Stole a Sexton" & A Christmas Carol: the novella (Book Club excl...

Luke and Elysia strap into Porter Dispatch's powered winch of their "Descent" into the depths of Silo S2 episode 5. We paused and wrote down all the details you might've missed, so that you don't have you – now sit back and let us tell you a tale of two silos.

Spoilers for all episodes aired to date, and any book elements related to what has already been aired.

No spoilers for any book elements that have not yet appeared on screen.

Join the Book Club

On Supe...