🔗 Share this article

The Fallout TV series has made a triumphant return to its platform, and it's safe to say that audiences were delightfully shocked by the quality of its debut season. By portraying the atomic-age, post-apocalyptic United States through the eyes of three distinct characters, it managed to capture multiple facets of the gamer's journey.

We followed vault-dweller Lucy, attempting to act with integrity and discovering that the ruined world made that incredibly hard; Brotherhood initiate Max, the militant faction new recruit, who begins to question his organization's dogma and unleashes plenty of trouble in mechanized battle suit; and the Ghoul, a breakout character who has entirely abandoned any sense of morality out in the irradiated wastes.

Setting the Stage for a New Chapter

The show's first season ending disclosed key information about those responsible for the nuclear war that sealed a society in subterranean shelters for an extended period. It also left plenty of questions unanswered for the second season – and, on this occasion, hopes are significantly higher.

“We’ll take ‘not terrible’ – let’s get that on a poster,” remarks the show's co-creator.

“Heading into the initial season, everyone’s like, ‘Just get it right’,” adds a key figure from the games. “We’re over the moon with the reception to the show, so now people are arriving with more eagerness and different expectations.”

The Mojave Beckons for the Next Installment

The new season is located in the neon-lit city, the backdrop of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is often praised for having the sharpest dialogue and cast in the series, even if it was somewhat buggy at launch.

“It’s more of a arid atmosphere, a Southwestern essence, that’s so essential to that game,” notes the co-creator. “That dusty, blasted-out iconic highway vibe of the game is so much rewarding to bring into the show.”

In the series narrative, a long time has elapsed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists arrive there. Nevertheless, the creators indicate that it acknowledges the gamer's experience.

The Importance of Physical Sets

The Fallout TV series is praised for its tactile feel – its production team prioritized real props and locations were built, echoing the cobbled-together nature of the settlements in the games.

“Being a genre enthusiast, so many series I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all filmed against a digital backdrop,” comments co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The primary goal of an adaptation, especially of a video game, is to appear as if it’s tangible.”

Indeed, almost everything you see on-screen is physical, even the infamously terrifying mutated beasts known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are portrayed by practical effects, and were by all accounts rather intimidating up close.

Made by Fans, for Fans

The Fallout series succeeds because it is crafted by talented film-makers who are also passionate gamers, alongside the game developers behind the franchise. This shared passion for the universe is apparent in the final product.

The new batch of episodes is being released on a weekly basis rather than as a full-season drop, marking a change from the initial release. This format will foster a new viewing experience, something the creators themselves are eager to witness.

“It delves deeper, it’s bigger, it’s funnier, it has a lot of twists,” teases Howard. “I’m looking forward to seeing what people think.”