Inside Fallout, the Gaming World’s Most Surprising TV Hit
The post-apocalyptic TV show has come back to streaming services, and it's safe to say that fans were delightfully shocked by the excellence of its first season. By portraying the retro-futuristic, post-apocalyptic United States through the perspectives of three distinct characters, it effectively portrayed different facets of the player's journey.
We followed vault-dweller Lucy, trying to do the right thing and finding that the wasteland made that very difficult; Brotherhood initiate Max, the militant faction rookie, who begins to question his organization's authority and unleashes plenty of trouble in powered exoskeleton; and Walton Goggins's character, a standout performance who has long since lost any moral compass out in the contaminated badlands.
Building Anticipation for Season Two
The show's first season finale unveiled a major secret about who helped cause the global annihilation that trapped a society in bomb-proof bunkers for hundreds of years. It also raised several enigmas unanswered for the next installment – and, on this occasion, anticipations are significantly higher.
“We’ll take ‘not terrible’ – we should print that on merchandise,” says Jonah Nolan.
“Going into the first season, people were like, ‘Just get it right’,” adds the game director. “We are thrilled with the reception to the show, so this time people are bringing more eagerness and different expectations.”
The Mojave Beckons for the Next Installment
The new season is located in the neon-lit city, the location of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is widely regarded for having the best writing and characters in the franchise, despite the fact that it was somewhat buggy at launch.
“It has a arid atmosphere, a Mojave vibe, that’s so integral to that game,” explains the co-creator. “That dusty, blasted-out iconic highway vibe of the game is so much enjoyable to bring into the show.”
In the show's timeline, 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 does reference the fan's adventure.
Crafting a Tangible World
The Fallout TV series is notable for its physical authenticity – its makers ensured physical models and locations were fabricated, reflecting the improvised nature of the towns in the games.
“Being a genre enthusiast, so many series I watch, I’m aware 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 appear as if it’s real.”
Indeed, pretty much each creature you see on-screen is practical, including the infamously terrifying radioactive creatures known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are created using puppets, and were reportedly quite terrifying up close.
A Labor of Love
The Fallout series works because it is developed by skilled directors who are also dedicated players, alongside the game developers behind the source material. This shared passion for the lore is evident in the final product.
The new batch of episodes is launching on a weekly basis rather than as a full-season drop, representing a shift from the previous season. This approach will create a different weekly discussion, something the showrunners themselves are eager to observe.
“It's richer, it’s bigger, it’s funnier, it has a lot of revelations,” teases Howard. “I can't wait to seeing what people think.”