Exploring Fallout, Gaming’s Most Astonishing TV Hit
The post-apocalyptic TV show is back to its platform, and it's safe to say that viewers were agreeably astonished by the caliber of its debut season. By illustrating the atomic-age, nuclear-ravaged United States through the perspectives of three distinct characters, it managed to capture various facets of the gamer's journey.
We followed vault-dweller Lucy, striving to uphold her morals and discovering that the wasteland made that very difficult; Brotherhood initiate Max, the Brotherhood of Steel rookie, who starts doubting his cult's leadership and unleashes plenty of trouble in robotic power armour; and the Ghoul, a breakout character who has completely shed any ethical bearings out in the radioactive wastes.
Setting the Stage for the Second Season
The show's first season conclusion revealed crucial details about those responsible for the global annihilation that trapped a group of people in underground vaults for an extended period. It also posed several enigmas unresolved for the upcoming chapter – and, now, anticipations are much greater.
“We’ll take ‘pretty good’ – we should print that on merchandise,” says the show's co-creator.
“Starting the first season, everyone’s like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” states the game director. “We are thrilled with the feedback to the show, so now people are bringing more excitement and altered expectations.”
The Mojave Beckons for Season Two
The upcoming season is located in New Vegas, the setting of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is widely regarded for having the sharpest dialogue and cast in the franchise, despite the fact that it was a bit broken at launch.
“It has a desert vibe, a Southwestern essence, that’s so key to that game,” explains the co-creator. “That dusty, blasted-out Route 66 vibe of the game is so much enjoyable to translate into the show.”
In the series narrative, a significant amount of time has elapsed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the characters make their way there. Yet, the creators hint that it does reference the fan's adventure.
The Importance of Physical Sets
The Fallout TV series is praised for its tactile feel – its production team ensured real props and locations were fabricated, echoing the cobbled-together nature of the outposts in the games.
“Being a genre enthusiast, so many productions I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all standing in front of a digital backdrop,” observes another of the showrunners. “The whole point of an translation, especially of a video game, is to feel like it’s tangible.”
In fact, pretty much every element you see on-screen is physical, even the legendarily scary irradiated monsters known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are portrayed by puppets, and were by all accounts rather intimidating up close.
Made by Fans, for Fans
The Fallout series succeeds because it is developed by accomplished storytellers who are also passionate gamers, in collaboration with the original creators behind the franchise. This shared passion for the universe is apparent in the finished show.
The new batch of episodes is being released on a weekly basis rather than as a full-season drop, offering a different experience from the first season. This approach will create a different viewing experience, something the creators themselves are excited to observe.
“It has more depth, it’s bigger, it’s wittier, it has a lot of surprises,” promises the game director. “I can't wait to seeing what people think.”