🔗 Share this article

The post-apocalyptic TV series has come back to streaming services, and it's fair to say that audiences were pleasantly surprised by the excellence of its debut season. By depicting the atomic-age, post-apocalyptic United States through the lenses of three distinct characters, it effectively portrayed various facets of the gamer's adventure.

There was Lucy the vault dweller, attempting to do the right thing and learning that the wasteland made that very difficult; Brotherhood initiate Max, the Brotherhood of Steel new recruit, who begins to question his organization's dogma and causes significant chaos in powered exoskeleton; and the Ghoul, a breakout character who has completely shed any sense of morality out in the irradiated wilderness.

Building Anticipation for the Second Season

The debut season's ending unveiled a major secret about who helped cause the global annihilation that condemned a society in subterranean shelters for hundreds of years. It also posed numerous mysteries unanswered for the next installment – and, on this occasion, expectations are significantly higher.

“We’ll take ‘not terrible’ – let’s get that on a poster,” says Jonah Nolan.

“Heading into the first season, everyone’s like, ‘Just get it right’,” states a key figure from the games. “We’re over the moon with the response to the show, so now people are arriving with more eagerness and different expectations.”

The Mojave Beckons for Season Two

The new season is located in the neon-lit city, the setting of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is widely regarded for having the most compelling narratives and cast in the series, even if it was somewhat buggy at launch.

“It’s more of a sun-baked feel, a Southwestern essence, that’s so essential to that game,” notes Nolan. “That dusty, desolate iconic highway vibe of the game is so much enjoyable to translate into the show.”

In the show's timeline, a long time has passed since the story of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists make their way there. Yet, the creators hint that it will honor the gamer's experience.

The Importance of Physical Sets

The Fallout TV series is notable for its tactile feel – its makers insisted on physical models and sets were built, echoing the improvised nature of the settlements in the games.

“Being a genre enthusiast, so many productions I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all filmed against a blue screen,” observes another of the showrunners. “The primary goal of an adaptation, especially of a video game, is to feel like it’s authentic.”

Indeed, pretty much everything you see on-screen is physical, including the notoriously frightening mutated beasts known as the apex predators. In the show, they are brought to life with practical effects, and were reportedly quite terrifying up close.

Made by Fans, for Fans

The Fallout series resonates because it is crafted by skilled directors who are also passionate gamers, in collaboration with the visionaries behind the video games. This shared passion for the lore is apparent in the finished show.

The new batch of episodes is being released on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a all-at-once release, marking a change from the initial release. This format will allow for a altered audience reaction, something the showrunners themselves are eager to observe.

“It has more depth, it’s more expansive, it’s wittier, it has a lot of twists,” promises the game director. “I am excited to seeing what people think.”