Exploring the Fallout Universe, Gaming’s Most Surprising Television Success
The Fallout TV show has come back to its platform, and it's safe to say that audiences were delightfully shocked by the caliber of its first season. By portraying the retro-futuristic, nuclear-ravaged United States through the lenses of three distinct characters, it effectively portrayed multiple facets of the gamer's journey.
We followed Lucy the vault dweller, striving to do the right thing and discovering that the ruined world made that exceptionally challenging; Max, the militant faction rookie, who starts doubting his cult's leadership and causes significant chaos in robotic power armour; and the Ghoul, a standout performance who has long since lost any sense of morality out in the irradiated wilderness.
Setting the Stage for the Second Season
The show's first season finale revealed key information about those responsible for the global annihilation that condemned a population in bomb-proof bunkers for centuries. It also raised several enigmas open for the second season – and, now, expectations are much greater.
“We’ll take ‘not terrible’ – we should print that on merchandise,” remarks one of the series creators.
“Going into the initial season, people were like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” adds a key figure from the games. “We’re over the moon with the response to the show, so now people are bringing more excitement and new expectations.”
A New Vegas Vibe for Season Two
The second season is set in New Vegas, the location of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is widely regarded for having the sharpest dialogue and personalities in the series, even if it was technically flawed at launch.
“It’s more of a sun-baked feel, a Southwestern essence, that’s so integral to that game,” notes Nolan. “That dusty, desolate iconic highway aesthetic of the game is so much rewarding to incorporate into the show.”
In the series narrative, a significant amount of time has passed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists make their way there. Nevertheless, the creators hint that it will honor the fan's adventure.
The Importance of Physical Sets
The Fallout TV series is distinguished by its physical authenticity – its makers insisted on authentic items and locations were built, mirroring the improvised nature of the settlements in the games.
“As a sci-fi fan, so many productions I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all standing in front of a blue screen,” says co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The primary goal of an translation, particularly of a interactive medium, is to seem like it’s real.”
Actually, virtually every element you see on-screen is practical, including the notoriously frightening mutated beasts known as the apex predators. In the show, they are created using practical effects, and were apparently rather intimidating up close.
Made by Fans, for Fans
The Fallout series succeeds because it is crafted by accomplished storytellers who are also dedicated players, with the help of the game developers behind the source material. This common understanding for the lore is apparent in the final product.
The second season is being released on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a full-season drop, marking a change from the initial release. This format will allow for a altered viewing experience, something the team themselves are excited to engage with.
“It delves deeper, it’s larger in scale, it’s funnier, it has a lot of twists,” teases the game director. “I’m looking forward to seeing what people think.”