Exploring the Fallout Universe, Gaming’s Most Unexpected Small Screen Triumph

The Fallout TV series is back to streaming services, and it's safe to say that fans were pleasantly surprised by the caliber of its initial run. By depicting the retro-futuristic, nuclear-ravaged United States through the eyes of three separate characters, it managed to capture multiple facets of the gamer's journey.

We followed vault-dweller Lucy, striving to do the right thing and finding that the barren landscape made that exceptionally challenging; Brotherhood initiate Max, the militant faction rookie, who starts challenging his cult's leadership and causes a lot of havoc in mechanized battle suit; and the Ghoul, a fan-favorite figure who has completely shed any ethical bearings out in the radioactive badlands.

Building Anticipation for a New Chapter

The show's first season ending revealed key information about the culprits behind the global annihilation that condemned a population in bomb-proof bunkers for hundreds of years. It also raised several enigmas unresolved for the next installment – and, now, hopes are considerably elevated.

“We'd gladly accept ‘pretty good’ – we should print that on merchandise,” says one of the series creators.

“Starting the first season, everyone’s like, ‘Just get it right’,” states Todd Howard. “We’re over the moon with the reception to the show, so this time people are arriving with more excitement and different expectations.”

The Mojave Beckons for the Next Installment

The new season is set in New Vegas, the backdrop 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 a bit broken at launch.

“It has a arid atmosphere, a Mojave vibe, that’s so essential to that game,” says Nolan. “That parched, blasted-out iconic highway aesthetic of the game is so much enjoyable to translate into the show.”

In the show's timeline, a long time has elapsed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the characters arrive there. Yet, the creators hint that it does reference the gamer's experience.

The Importance of Physical Sets

The Fallout TV series is praised for its tangible quality – its makers insisted on authentic items and sets were constructed, mirroring the improvised nature of the towns in the games.

“As a sci-fi fan, so many series I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all filmed against a green screen,” observes co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The whole point of an adaptation, particularly of a video game, is to feel like it’s tangible.”

Indeed, pretty much each creature you see on-screen is practical, even the notoriously frightening irradiated monsters known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are brought to life with animatronics, and were apparently pretty frightening up close.

A Labor of Love

The Fallout series resonates because it is developed by skilled directors who are also longtime fans, with the help of the original creators behind the source material. This mutual respect for the lore is clear in the end result.

The new batch of episodes is launching on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a full-season drop, marking a change from the first season. This schedule will allow for a new viewing experience, something the team themselves are eager to observe.

“It's richer, it’s larger in scale, it’s funnier, it has a lot of twists,” teases Howard. “I can't wait to seeing what people think.”