Exploring Fallout, the Gaming World’s Most Unexpected TV Hit
The Fallout TV show has come back to streaming services, and it's fair to say that viewers were pleasantly surprised by the caliber of its initial run. By depicting the atomic-age, post-apocalyptic United States through the perspectives of three separate characters, it managed to capture various facets of the player's journey.
There was vault-dweller Lucy, trying to act with integrity and discovering that the wasteland made that incredibly hard; Brotherhood initiate Max, the Brotherhood of Steel initiate, who starts challenging his organization's dogma and creates plenty of trouble in robotic power armour; and the Ghoul, a standout performance who has long since lost any sense of morality out in the contaminated wastes.
Building Anticipation for the Second Season
The show's first season conclusion disclosed key information about the culprits behind the global annihilation that trapped a society in subterranean shelters for hundreds of years. It also raised numerous mysteries unresolved for the second season – and, this time, anticipations are considerably elevated.
“We'd gladly accept ‘pretty good’ – let’s get that on a poster,” quips one of the series creators.
“Heading into the initial season, everyone’s like, ‘Just get it right’,” comments the game director. “We are ecstatic with the feedback to the show, so this time people are arriving with more excitement and different expectations.”
The Mojave Beckons for the Next Installment
The second season is taking place in New Vegas, the location of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is often praised for having the sharpest dialogue and cast in the series, despite the fact that it was technically flawed at launch.
“It embodies a arid atmosphere, a Mojave vibe, that’s so key to that game,” explains Nolan. “That parched, blasted-out Route 66 aesthetic of the game is so much fun to incorporate into the show.”
In the series narrative, a long time has passed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists arrive there. Yet, the creators suggest that it will honor the player’s journey.
The Importance of Physical Sets
The Fallout TV series is praised for its tangible quality – its production team ensured physical models and locations were built, echoing the makeshift nature of the outposts in the games.
“As a sci-fi fan, so many shows I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all standing in front of a green screen,” observes co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The key objective of an adaptation, especially of a video game, is to seem like it’s real.”
Indeed, almost each creature you see on-screen is real, including the legendarily scary radioactive creatures known as the apex predators. In the show, they are portrayed by puppets, and were by all accounts quite terrifying up close.
A Labor of Love
The Fallout series succeeds because it is developed by talented film-makers who are also passionate gamers, with the help of the original creators behind the video games. This mutual respect for the universe is evident in the final product.
The second season is being released on a weekly basis rather than as a binge-able batch, representing a shift from the first season. This schedule will allow for a different audience reaction, something the showrunners themselves are eager to observe.
“It's richer, it’s larger in scale, it’s more humorous, it has a lot of revelations,” says Howard. “I’m looking forward to seeing what people think.”