🔗 Share this article

The post-apocalyptic TV show has come back to streaming services, and it's safe to say that audiences were delightfully shocked by the excellence of its debut season. By depicting the retro-futuristic, post-apocalyptic United States through the lenses of three separate characters, it succeeded in capturing multiple facets of the player's experience.

There was vault-dweller Lucy, trying to uphold her morals and discovering that the barren landscape made that exceptionally challenging; Brotherhood initiate Max, the Brotherhood of Steel initiate, who starts doubting his organization's leadership and unleashes plenty of trouble in robotic power armour; and the Ghoul, a fan-favorite figure who has long since lost any sense of morality out in the irradiated badlands.

Building Anticipation for the Second Season

The show's first season ending revealed a major secret about the culprits behind the atomic conflict that trapped a society in underground vaults for hundreds of years. It also raised plenty of questions open for the upcoming chapter – and, now, anticipations are significantly higher.

“We'd gladly accept ‘not terrible’ – we should print that on merchandise,” says the show's co-creator.

“Heading into the initial season, everyone’s like, ‘Just get it right’,” comments the game director. “We are ecstatic with the response to the show, so now people are bringing more enthusiasm and different expectations.”

The Mojave Beckons for Season Two

The second 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 embodies a arid atmosphere, a Southwestern essence, that’s so key to that game,” notes Nolan. “That parched, desolate Route 66 vibe of the game is so much enjoyable to translate into the show.”

In the series narrative, a long time has elapsed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists arrive there. However, the creators suggest that it does reference the gamer's experience.

Crafting a Tangible World

The Fallout TV series is notable for its tactile feel – its makers prioritized real props and sets were fabricated, mirroring the improvised nature of the outposts in the games.

“Being a genre enthusiast, so many shows I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all filmed against a digital backdrop,” observes another of the showrunners. “The primary goal of an adaptation, especially of a interactive medium, is to feel like it’s real.”

Indeed, pretty much every element you see on-screen is practical, even the notoriously frightening irradiated monsters known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are brought to life with animatronics, and were apparently quite terrifying up close.

A Labor of Love

The Fallout series works because it is developed by accomplished storytellers who are also dedicated players, in collaboration with the visionaries behind the source material. This mutual respect for the lore is clear in the finished show.

The second season is launching on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a binge-able batch, offering a different experience from the previous season. This schedule will foster a altered weekly discussion, a dynamic the showrunners themselves are excited to engage with.

“It's richer, it’s bigger, it’s funnier, it has a lot of twists,” says the game director. “I am excited to seeing what people think.”