Exploring Fallout, the Gaming World’s Most Unexpected Television Success
The Fallout TV series has made a triumphant return to its platform, and it's safe to say that fans were delightfully shocked by the caliber of its initial run. By portraying the atomic-age, nuclear-ravaged United States through the lenses of three separate characters, it succeeded in capturing multiple facets of the gamer's experience.
There was vault-dweller Lucy, attempting to do the right thing and learning that the barren landscape made that exceptionally challenging; Brotherhood initiate Max, the Brotherhood of Steel initiate, who starts doubting his faction's authority and unleashes a lot of havoc in powered exoskeleton; and the Ghoul, a fan-favorite figure who has completely shed any moral compass out in the radioactive wilderness.
Building Anticipation for the Second Season
The show's first season conclusion revealed key information about those responsible for the global annihilation that trapped a group of people in subterranean shelters for hundreds of years. It also raised numerous mysteries open for the next installment – and, on this occasion, hopes are significantly higher.
“We’ll take ‘pretty good’ – we should print that on merchandise,” quips one of the series creators.
“Going into the first season, everyone’s like, ‘Just get it right’,” comments Todd Howard. “We’re over the moon with the reception to the show, so now people are arriving with more excitement and different expectations.”
A New Vegas Vibe for the Next Installment
The upcoming season is set in New Vegas, the backdrop of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is frequently celebrated for having the best writing and personalities in the series, despite the fact that it was technically flawed at launch.
“It has a sun-baked feel, a Southwestern essence, that’s so essential to that game,” notes the co-creator. “That dusty, blasted-out Route 66 vibe of the game is so much fun to incorporate into the show.”
In the show's timeline, a significant amount of time has passed since the story of the New Vegas game by the time the characters arrive there. Yet, the creators suggest that it will honor the gamer's experience.
Crafting a Tangible World
The Fallout TV series is distinguished by its physical authenticity – its makers prioritized real props and locations were built, echoing the makeshift nature of the outposts in the games.
“Being a genre enthusiast, so many shows I watch, I’m aware that they’re all standing in front of a green screen,” says another of the showrunners. “The whole point of an adaptation, especially of a video game, is to appear as if it’s authentic.”
Indeed, virtually every element you see on-screen is physical, including the notoriously frightening irradiated monsters known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are brought to life with practical effects, and were by all accounts quite terrifying up close.
Made by Fans, for Fans
The Fallout series resonates because it is developed by talented film-makers who are also longtime fans, with the help of the game developers behind the video games. This shared passion for the lore is apparent in the final product.
The second season is launching on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a all-at-once release, offering a different experience from the first season. This format will allow for a different viewing experience, a dynamic the creators themselves are excited to witness.
“It's richer, it’s larger in scale, it’s wittier, it has a lot of twists,” teases Howard. “I am excited to seeing what people think.”