Inside the Fallout Universe, Gaming’s Most Unexpected Television Success

The post-apocalyptic TV series has made a triumphant return to its platform, and it's fair to say that audiences were delightfully shocked by the quality of its first season. By illustrating the retro-futuristic, nuclear-ravaged United States through the perspectives of three distinct characters, it succeeded in capturing multiple facets of the gamer's experience.

There was vault-dweller Lucy, trying to do the right thing and learning that the barren landscape made that exceptionally challenging; Brotherhood initiate Max, the militant faction initiate, who starts challenging his cult's leadership and creates significant chaos in robotic power armour; and the Ghoul, a standout performance who has entirely abandoned any ethical bearings out in the radioactive wilderness.

Setting the Stage for a New Chapter

The show's first season finale revealed key information about those responsible for the global annihilation that trapped a population in subterranean shelters for hundreds of years. It also posed several enigmas unresolved for the next installment – and, this time, expectations are much greater.

“We'd gladly accept ‘pretty good’ – let’s get that on a poster,” says the show's co-creator.

“Heading into the first season, people were like, ‘Just get it right’,” states a key figure from the games. “We’re over the moon with the feedback to the show, so this time people are bringing more eagerness and new expectations.”

A New Vegas Vibe for Season Two

The upcoming season is taking place in the neon-lit city, 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 technically flawed at launch.

“It has a sun-baked feel, a Mojave vibe, that’s so key to that game,” says the co-creator. “That dusty, desolate Route 66 vibe of the game is so much fun to bring into the show.”

In the series narrative, a considerable period has passed since the story of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists make their way there. Yet, the creators indicate that it acknowledges the player’s journey.

The Importance of Physical Sets

The Fallout TV series is distinguished by its tactile feel – its creators ensured physical models and locations were constructed, echoing the improvised nature of the towns in the games.

“As a sci-fi fan, so many series I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all filmed against a blue screen,” says co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The primary goal of an translation, especially of a interactive medium, is to seem like it’s tangible.”

Actually, virtually each creature you see on-screen is physical, even the legendarily scary irradiated monsters known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are created using practical effects, and were by all accounts rather intimidating up close.

A Labor of Love

The Fallout series resonates because it is crafted by talented film-makers who are also passionate gamers, in collaboration with the original creators behind the video games. 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 binge-able batch, representing a shift from the previous season. This format will allow for a new weekly discussion, a dynamic the showrunners themselves are excited to engage with.

“It has more depth, it’s larger in scale, it’s funnier, it has a lot of revelations,” says Howard. “I can't wait to seeing what people think.”