Inside Fallout, Gaming’s Most Surprising TV Hit
The post-apocalyptic TV show is back to streaming services, and it's accurate to state that audiences were pleasantly surprised by the caliber of its initial run. By depicting the retro-futuristic, post-apocalyptic United States through the lenses of three separate characters, it succeeded in capturing different facets of the player's experience.
There was Lucy the vault dweller, trying to act with integrity and finding that the barren landscape made that very difficult; Max, the militant faction new recruit, who starts doubting his organization's authority and creates plenty of trouble in powered exoskeleton; and the Ghoul, a breakout character who has completely shed any sense of morality out in the radioactive badlands.
Setting the Stage for Season Two
The show's first season finale unveiled key information about those responsible for the global annihilation that condemned a group of people in bomb-proof bunkers for centuries. It also raised numerous mysteries open for the upcoming chapter – and, this time, hopes are considerably elevated.
“We’ll take ‘pretty good’ – we should print that on merchandise,” remarks Jonah Nolan.
“Going into the initial season, everyone’s like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” states Todd Howard. “We are thrilled with the reception to the show, so now people are bringing more enthusiasm and new expectations.”
A New Vegas Vibe for Season Two
The upcoming season is taking place in the neon-lit city, the location of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is often praised for having the best writing and characters in the series, even if it was a bit broken at launch.
“It embodies a desert vibe, a Southwestern essence, that’s so integral to that game,” explains the co-creator. “That dusty, desolate iconic highway feeling of the game is so much enjoyable to incorporate into the show.”
In the show's timeline, a considerable period has elapsed since the story of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists make their way there. Nevertheless, the creators hint that it does reference the fan's adventure.
Crafting a Tangible World
The Fallout TV series is distinguished by its physical authenticity – its production team ensured authentic items and sets were constructed, mirroring the improvised nature of the towns in the games.
“As a sci-fi fan, so many productions I watch, I’m aware that they’re all filmed against a blue screen,” says co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The key objective of an translation, especially of a video game, is to feel like it’s real.”
Actually, pretty much each creature you see on-screen is real, including the infamously terrifying radioactive creatures known as the apex predators. In the show, they are created using puppets, and were by all accounts rather intimidating up close.
Made by Fans, for Fans
The Fallout series resonates because it is made by skilled directors who are also passionate gamers, in collaboration with the visionaries behind the video games. This shared passion for the universe is evident in the final product.
The second season is debuting on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a full-season drop, marking a change from the previous season. This approach will create a new weekly discussion, something the showrunners themselves are excited to witness.
“It's richer, it’s larger in scale, it’s wittier, it has a lot of twists,” teases the game director. “I can't wait to seeing what people think.”