Inside the Fallout Universe, Gaming’s Most Astonishing Television Success
The Fallout TV series has come back to Prime Video, and it's safe to say that audiences were delightfully shocked by the quality of its debut season. By portraying the retro-futuristic, post-apocalyptic United States through the lenses of three different characters, it succeeded in capturing various facets of the player's journey.
We followed vault-dweller Lucy, attempting to uphold her morals and discovering that the wasteland made that incredibly hard; Brotherhood initiate Max, the militant faction rookie, who starts doubting his faction's authority and creates a lot of havoc in mechanized battle suit; and Walton Goggins's character, a standout performance who has long since lost any moral compass out in the radioactive wastes.
Building Anticipation for Season Two
The show's first season conclusion unveiled a major secret about the culprits behind the nuclear war that trapped a group of people in bomb-proof bunkers for centuries. It also left plenty of questions open for the upcoming chapter – and, now, anticipations are considerably elevated.
“We'd gladly accept ‘not terrible’ – we should print that on merchandise,” says the show's co-creator.
“Starting the initial season, people were like, ‘Just get it right’,” adds a key figure from the games. “We are thrilled with the reception to the show, so now people are coming in with more eagerness and new expectations.”
A New Vegas Vibe for Season Two
The upcoming season is set in the neon-lit city, the location of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is often praised for having the best writing and personalities in the franchise, even if it was a bit broken at launch.
“It’s more of a desert vibe, a Southwestern essence, that’s so essential to that game,” explains the co-creator. “That parched, desolate Route 66 aesthetic of the game is so much enjoyable to bring into the show.”
In the show's timeline, a significant amount of time has passed since the story of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists make their way there. Yet, the creators hint that it does reference the fan's adventure.
Crafting a Tangible World
The Fallout TV series is praised for its physical authenticity – its makers ensured real props and environments were constructed, mirroring the improvised nature of the outposts 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 co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The key objective of an adaptation, especially of a interactive medium, is to seem like it’s authentic.”
Indeed, virtually everything you see on-screen is physical, including the legendarily scary mutated beasts known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are created using animatronics, and were apparently rather intimidating up close.
Made by Fans, for Fans
The Fallout series works because it is developed by accomplished storytellers who are also longtime fans, alongside the visionaries behind the video games. This mutual respect for the universe is apparent in the end result.
The new batch of episodes is launching on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a full-season drop, marking a change from the previous season. This approach will allow for a different viewing experience, a dynamic the showrunners themselves are looking forward to witness.
“It's richer, it’s more expansive, it’s funnier, it has a lot of surprises,” promises Howard. “I am excited to seeing what people think.”