Inside the Fallout Universe, Gaming’s Most Surprising TV Hit

The Fallout TV show has come back to its platform, and it's accurate to state that audiences were pleasantly surprised by the quality of its initial run. By portraying the atomic-age, post-apocalyptic United States through the perspectives of three separate characters, it managed to capture different facets of the gamer's experience.

We followed Lucy the vault dweller, trying to do the right thing and discovering that the wasteland made that incredibly hard; Brotherhood initiate Max, the Brotherhood of Steel rookie, who begins to question his organization's leadership and unleashes plenty of trouble in powered exoskeleton; and Walton Goggins's character, a fan-favorite figure who has long since lost any sense of morality out in the irradiated wastes.

Setting the Stage for a New Chapter

The debut season's finale revealed key information about those responsible for the global annihilation that trapped a population in bomb-proof bunkers for an extended period. It also left numerous mysteries unanswered for the second season – and, on this occasion, expectations are considerably elevated.

“We’ll take ‘pretty good’ – let’s get that on a poster,” quips one of the series creators.

“Starting the first season, people were like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” adds a key figure from the games. “We are ecstatic with the reception to the show, so now people are coming in with more excitement and altered expectations.”

A New Vegas Vibe for the Next Installment

The new season is located in New Vegas, the setting of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is often praised for having the most compelling narratives and personalities in the franchise, even if it was somewhat buggy at launch.

“It’s more of a sun-baked feel, a Southwestern essence, that’s so integral to that game,” explains the co-creator. “That parched, desolate iconic highway feeling of the game is so much rewarding to bring 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 arrive there. Nevertheless, the creators indicate that it will honor the player’s journey.

Crafting a Tangible World

The Fallout TV series is praised for its physical authenticity – its production team prioritized physical models and locations were fabricated, reflecting the cobbled-together nature of the towns in the games.

“As a sci-fi fan, so many productions I watch, I’m aware that they’re all filmed against a green screen,” says co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The key objective of an translation, especially of a interactive medium, is to feel like it’s authentic.”

Actually, pretty much each creature you see on-screen is practical, including the infamously terrifying radioactive creatures known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are created using practical effects, and were reportedly quite terrifying up close.

Made by Fans, for Fans

The Fallout series works because it is developed by talented film-makers who are also dedicated players, with the help of the visionaries behind the video games. This shared passion for the lore is evident in the end result.

The new batch of episodes is launching on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a full-season drop, offering a different experience from the first season. This format will create a different viewing experience, something the team themselves are eager to engage with.

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