Inside the Fallout Universe, Gaming’s Most Astonishing Small Screen Triumph
The Fallout TV show is back to Prime Video, and it's fair to say that viewers were pleasantly surprised by the caliber of its debut season. By portraying the retro-futuristic, nuclear-ravaged United States through the eyes of three separate characters, it succeeded in capturing various facets of the gamer's journey.
We followed Lucy the vault dweller, trying to act with integrity and learning that the wasteland made that exceptionally challenging; Brotherhood initiate Max, the Brotherhood of Steel new recruit, who starts challenging his faction's dogma and creates plenty of trouble in powered exoskeleton; and the Ghoul, a standout performance who has entirely abandoned any ethical bearings out in the radioactive wastes.
Setting the Stage for the Second Season
The debut season's conclusion revealed key information about who helped cause the global annihilation that condemned a society in underground vaults for an extended period. It also left several enigmas open for the upcoming chapter – and, now, anticipations are considerably elevated.
“We’ll take ‘not terrible’ – let’s get that on a poster,” says one of the series creators.
“Starting the initial season, everyone’s like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” comments a key figure from the games. “We are ecstatic with the reception to the show, so this time people are coming in with more eagerness and different expectations.”
The Mojave Beckons for Season Two
The second season is set in New Vegas, the location of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is frequently celebrated for having the sharpest dialogue and cast in the series, even if it was somewhat buggy at launch.
“It has a sun-baked feel, a Mojave vibe, that’s so key to that game,” explains Nolan. “That parched, blasted-out Route 66 feeling of the game is so much rewarding to bring into the show.”
In the show's timeline, a considerable period has passed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the characters make their way there. Yet, the creators hint that it acknowledges the gamer's experience.
The Importance of Physical Sets
The Fallout TV series is notable for its physical authenticity – its production team ensured real props and sets were fabricated, mirroring the cobbled-together nature of the towns in the games.
“As a sci-fi fan, so many shows I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all filmed against a green screen,” says another of the showrunners. “The primary goal of an translation, especially of a video game, is to appear as if it’s tangible.”
In fact, almost every element you see on-screen is real, including the legendarily scary irradiated monsters known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are created using practical effects, and were by all accounts pretty frightening up close.
Made by Fans, for Fans
The Fallout series works because it is crafted by skilled directors who are also dedicated players, with the help of the visionaries behind the video games. This common understanding for the world is evident in the end result.
The second season is debuting on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a full-season drop, representing a shift from the previous season. This format will allow for a new viewing experience, something the showrunners themselves are looking forward to engage with.
“It's richer, it’s larger in scale, it’s more humorous, it has a lot of surprises,” says Howard. “I can't wait to seeing what people think.”