🔗 Share this article

The Fallout TV show is back to streaming services, and it's safe to say that viewers were delightfully shocked by the caliber of its first season. By depicting the retro-futuristic, nuclear-ravaged United States through the perspectives of three distinct characters, it effectively portrayed multiple facets of the player's experience.

There was Lucy the vault dweller, trying to do the right thing and discovering that the barren landscape made that very difficult; Max, the militant faction initiate, who starts doubting his faction's dogma and causes a lot of havoc in robotic power armour; and the Ghoul, a fan-favorite figure who has completely shed any sense of morality out in the contaminated wastes.

Setting the Stage for Season Two

The show's first season finale disclosed key information about who helped cause the nuclear war that condemned a population in underground vaults for centuries. It also raised plenty of questions open for the upcoming chapter – and, on this occasion, expectations are considerably elevated.

“We'd gladly accept ‘pretty good’ – let’s get that on a poster,” remarks Jonah Nolan.

“Starting the initial season, people were like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” adds a key figure from the games. “We are thrilled with the reception to the show, so this time people are arriving with more eagerness and altered expectations.”

The Mojave Beckons for the Next Installment

The new season is set in New Vegas, the backdrop of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is widely regarded for having the sharpest dialogue and cast in the series, even if it was a bit broken at launch.

“It embodies a arid atmosphere, a Mojave vibe, that’s so integral to that game,” notes Nolan. “That dusty, desolate Route 66 aesthetic of the game is so much enjoyable to incorporate into the show.”

In the show's timeline, a long time has passed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists arrive there. Yet, the creators indicate that it will honor the player’s journey.

The Importance of Physical Sets

The Fallout TV series is notable for its physical authenticity – its creators ensured real props and locations were built, mirroring the cobbled-together nature of the outposts in the games.

“As a sci-fi fan, so many shows I watch, I’m aware that they’re all standing in front of a green screen,” says co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The key objective of an adaptation, especially of a video game, is to seem like it’s authentic.”

In fact, almost each creature you see on-screen is practical, even the notoriously frightening radioactive creatures known as the apex predators. In the show, they are brought to life with practical effects, and were by all accounts pretty frightening up close.

Made by Fans, for Fans

The Fallout series works because it is crafted by talented film-makers who are also longtime fans, in collaboration with the visionaries behind the franchise. This common understanding for the lore is clear in the end result.

The new batch of episodes is being released on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a full-season drop, offering a different experience from the previous season. This schedule will foster a altered viewing experience, something the team themselves are eager to witness.

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