Exploring the Fallout Universe, the Gaming World’s Most Surprising TV Hit

The post-apocalyptic TV show is back to its platform, and it's safe to say that fans were pleasantly surprised by the quality of its initial run. By illustrating the atomic-age, post-apocalyptic United States through the eyes of three separate characters, it effectively portrayed multiple facets of the gamer's journey.

We followed Lucy the vault dweller, attempting to uphold her morals and discovering that the wasteland made that incredibly hard; Max, the Brotherhood of Steel rookie, who starts doubting his cult's leadership and creates a lot of havoc in powered exoskeleton; and Walton Goggins's character, a breakout character who has entirely abandoned any ethical bearings out in the radioactive badlands.

Setting the Stage for the Second Season

The show's first season conclusion disclosed key information about the culprits behind the global annihilation that sealed a population in underground vaults for an extended period. It also posed numerous mysteries open for the second season – and, on this occasion, anticipations are significantly higher.

“We’ll take ‘not terrible’ – let’s get that on a poster,” says one of the series creators.

“Heading into the first season, everyone’s like, ‘Just get it right’,” comments the game director. “We are ecstatic with the response to the show, so now people are coming in with more enthusiasm and altered expectations.”

A New Vegas Vibe for Season Two

The new season is taking place in New Vegas, the setting of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is often praised for having the best writing and cast in the series, despite the fact that it was somewhat buggy at launch.

“It’s more of a desert vibe, a Mojave vibe, that’s so key to that game,” notes Nolan. “That dusty, blasted-out Route 66 aesthetic of the game is so much enjoyable to incorporate into the show.”

In the show's timeline, a considerable period has elapsed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the characters arrive there. However, the creators suggest that it acknowledges the player’s journey.

The Importance of Physical Sets

The Fallout TV series is praised for its tactile feel – its makers prioritized authentic items and environments were constructed, reflecting the cobbled-together nature of the outposts in the games.

“Being a genre enthusiast, so many series I watch, I’m aware that they’re all filmed against a green screen,” observes another of the showrunners. “The key objective of an adaptation, especially of a video game, is to appear as if it’s authentic.”

Actually, almost every element you see on-screen is practical, even the notoriously frightening mutated beasts known as the apex predators. In the show, they are brought to life with puppets, and were apparently pretty frightening up close.

Made by Fans, for Fans

The Fallout series succeeds because it is made by talented film-makers who are also longtime fans, in collaboration with the original creators behind the source material. This mutual respect for the world is clear in the finished show.

The second season is debuting on a weekly basis rather than as a all-at-once release, offering a different experience from the previous season. This schedule will allow for a new weekly discussion, a dynamic the team themselves are looking forward to observe.

“It has more depth, it’s bigger, it’s more humorous, it has a lot of surprises,” teases Howard. “I am excited to seeing what people think.”