🔗 Share this article

The Fallout TV show is back to its platform, and it's fair to say that audiences were agreeably astonished by the excellence of its initial run. By illustrating the retro-futuristic, nuclear-ravaged United States through the eyes of three different characters, it managed to capture various facets of the player's experience.

There was vault-dweller Lucy, striving to do the right thing and learning that the barren landscape made that very difficult; Brotherhood initiate Max, the militant faction new recruit, who starts challenging his cult's dogma and creates a lot of havoc in mechanized battle suit; and the Ghoul, a fan-favorite figure who has completely shed any ethical bearings out in the irradiated wilderness.

Setting the Stage for the Second Season

The show's first season finale disclosed crucial details about the culprits behind the global annihilation that sealed a society in subterranean shelters for an extended period. It also left plenty of questions open for the upcoming chapter – and, on this occasion, expectations are significantly higher.

“We'd gladly accept ‘pretty good’ – we should print that on merchandise,” remarks the show's co-creator.

“Starting the first season, everyone’s like, ‘Just get it right’,” states Todd Howard. “We’re over the moon with the response to the show, so now people are arriving with more eagerness and new expectations.”

A New Vegas Vibe for Season Two

The second season is taking place in the neon-lit city, the setting of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is widely regarded for having the best writing and personalities in the series, despite the fact that it was a bit broken at launch.

“It has a sun-baked feel, a Southwestern essence, that’s so integral to that game,” notes Nolan. “That dusty, blasted-out Route 66 feeling of the game is so much fun to bring into the show.”

In the show's timeline, a considerable period has passed since the story of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists arrive there. However, the creators suggest that it does reference the fan's adventure.

The Importance of Physical Sets

The Fallout TV series is praised for its physical authenticity – its production team ensured authentic items and environments were constructed, reflecting the makeshift nature of the outposts in the games.

“As a sci-fi fan, so many productions I watch, I’m aware that they’re all filmed against a blue screen,” comments co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The key objective of an adaptation, especially of a interactive medium, is to appear as if it’s real.”

Indeed, pretty much every element you see on-screen is real, including the infamously terrifying irradiated monsters known as the apex predators. In the show, they are created using practical effects, and were apparently rather intimidating up close.

A Labor of Love

The Fallout series resonates because it is developed by accomplished storytellers who are also passionate gamers, alongside the game developers behind the franchise. This common understanding for the lore is evident in the final product.

The second season is debuting on a weekly basis rather than as a full-season drop, marking a change from the initial release. This schedule will allow for a different viewing experience, something the showrunners themselves are looking forward to engage with.

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