The post-apocalyptic TV show has made a triumphant return to streaming services, and it's safe to say that viewers were pleasantly surprised by the quality of its debut season. By illustrating the atomic-age, nuclear-ravaged United States through the lenses of three separate characters, it managed to capture various facets of the gamer's journey.
There was vault-dweller Lucy, striving to do the right thing and discovering that the ruined world made that exceptionally challenging; Brotherhood initiate Max, the Brotherhood of Steel new recruit, who starts doubting his organization's dogma and causes plenty of trouble in powered exoskeleton; and the Ghoul, a fan-favorite figure who has completely shed any ethical bearings out in the contaminated wastes.
The show's first season ending disclosed crucial details about the culprits behind the nuclear war that trapped a population in bomb-proof bunkers for an extended period. It also left several enigmas open for the second season – and, on this occasion, expectations are considerably elevated.
“We’ll take ‘not terrible’ – we should print that on merchandise,” quips Jonah Nolan.
“Going into the first season, everyone’s like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” states a key figure from the games. “We are thrilled with the response to the show, so this time people are arriving with more enthusiasm and different expectations.”
The second season is set in the neon-lit city, the setting of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is often praised for having the best writing and cast in the franchise, even if it was a bit broken at launch.
“It embodies a sun-baked feel, a Mojave vibe, that’s so key to that game,” says Nolan. “That dusty, blasted-out iconic highway aesthetic of the game is so much fun to translate 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 suggest that it will honor the player’s journey.
The Fallout TV series is notable for its tangible quality – its production team insisted on physical models and sets were built, reflecting the improvised nature of the settlements in the games.
“Being a genre enthusiast, so many series I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all standing in front of a blue screen,” observes co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The key objective of an translation, especially of a interactive medium, is to appear as if it’s tangible.”
Actually, almost each creature you see on-screen is practical, even the legendarily scary mutated beasts known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are portrayed by animatronics, and were reportedly rather intimidating up close.
The Fallout series works because it is crafted by talented film-makers who are also longtime fans, with the help of the game developers behind the source material. This common understanding for the lore is apparent in the final product.
The new batch of episodes is launching on a weekly basis rather than as a binge-able batch, representing a shift from the first season. This format will allow for a new weekly discussion, something the team themselves are looking forward to engage with.
“It's richer, it’s more expansive, it’s more humorous, it has a lot of surprises,” teases the game director. “I’m looking forward to seeing what people think.”
A tech enthusiast and digital strategist with over a decade of experience in emerging technologies and innovation consulting.