Inside Fallout, Gaming’s Most Unexpected Small Screen Triumph
The Fallout TV series is back to its platform, and it's fair to say that viewers were delightfully shocked by the excellence of its first season. By portraying the atomic-age, post-apocalyptic United States through the perspectives of three different characters, it succeeded in capturing different facets of the gamer's journey.
There was Lucy the vault dweller, attempting to do the right thing and discovering that the wasteland made that very difficult; Max, the Brotherhood of Steel new recruit, who starts doubting his cult's dogma and creates a lot of havoc in mechanized battle suit; and the Ghoul, a standout performance who has long since lost any moral compass out in the contaminated badlands.
Setting the Stage for the Second Season
The debut season's ending revealed a major secret about the culprits behind the nuclear war that trapped a population in subterranean shelters for an extended period. It also raised several enigmas unanswered for the next installment – and, now, hopes are considerably elevated.
“We'd gladly accept ‘not terrible’ – let’s get that on a poster,” quips the show's co-creator.
“Starting the initial season, people were like, ‘Just get it right’,” adds the game director. “We’re over the moon with the reception to the show, so now people are coming in with more enthusiasm and altered expectations.”
A New Vegas Vibe for Season Two
The second season is set in New Vegas, the setting of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is frequently celebrated for having the sharpest dialogue and cast in the series, despite the fact that it was a bit broken at launch.
“It embodies a desert vibe, a Mojave vibe, that’s so essential to that game,” says the co-creator. “That parched, desolate Route 66 feeling of the game is so much fun to translate into the show.”
In the show's timeline, a significant amount of time has passed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists make their way there. However, the creators indicate that it does reference the gamer's experience.
The Importance of Physical Sets
The Fallout TV series is notable for its physical authenticity – its creators ensured physical models and locations were built, mirroring the improvised nature of the outposts in the games.
“As a sci-fi fan, so many shows I watch, I’m aware that they’re all filmed against a digital backdrop,” says another of the showrunners. “The key objective of an translation, particularly of a video game, is to seem like it’s authentic.”
Indeed, pretty much every element you see on-screen is practical, including the notoriously frightening irradiated monsters known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are created using practical effects, and were reportedly pretty frightening up close.
A Labor of Love
The Fallout series works because it is crafted by accomplished storytellers who are also passionate gamers, in collaboration with the original creators behind the franchise. This shared passion for the lore is clear in the final product.
The second season is debuting on a weekly basis rather than as a full-season drop, marking a change from the first season. This schedule will allow for a new viewing experience, a dynamic the team themselves are looking forward to witness.
“It's richer, it’s larger in scale, it’s funnier, it has a lot of revelations,” promises Howard. “I am excited to seeing what people think.”