Behind the Scenes of Fallout, Gaming’s Most Unexpected Television Success
The Fallout TV show is back to its platform, and it's fair to say that fans were pleasantly surprised by the quality of its debut season. By portraying the atomic-age, post-apocalyptic United States through the lenses of three separate characters, it succeeded in capturing various facets of the gamer's adventure.
There was vault-dweller Lucy, striving to uphold her morals and finding that the ruined world made that incredibly hard; Max, the militant faction new recruit, who starts doubting his faction's dogma and causes a lot of havoc in mechanized battle suit; and Walton Goggins's character, a fan-favorite figure who has completely shed any ethical bearings out in the contaminated badlands.
Setting the Stage for Season Two
The show's first season finale unveiled a major secret about those responsible for the nuclear war that sealed a group of people in underground vaults for centuries. It also raised numerous mysteries open for the second season – and, this time, anticipations are considerably elevated.
“We'd gladly accept ‘not terrible’ – we should print that on merchandise,” says the show's co-creator.
“Going into the initial season, people were like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” adds the game director. “We are ecstatic with the response to the show, so now people are coming in with more excitement and new expectations.”
The Mojave Beckons for Season Two
The second season is set in New Vegas, the backdrop of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is frequently celebrated for having the sharpest dialogue and personalities in the series, despite the fact that it was technically flawed at launch.
“It has a sun-baked feel, a Mojave vibe, that’s so integral to that game,” says Nolan. “That parched, blasted-out iconic highway aesthetic of the game is so much rewarding to incorporate into the show.”
In the show's timeline, a significant amount of time has passed since the story of the New Vegas game by the time the characters make their way there. Nevertheless, the creators hint that it will honor the fan's adventure.
Crafting a Tangible World
The Fallout TV series is notable for its tactile feel – its makers insisted on physical models and locations were constructed, mirroring the cobbled-together nature of the outposts in the games.
“Being a genre enthusiast, so many series I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all standing in front of a digital backdrop,” comments co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The whole point of an translation, especially of a video game, is to appear as if it’s authentic.”
Actually, pretty much each creature you see on-screen is physical, including the legendarily scary radioactive creatures known as the apex predators. In the show, they are brought to life with practical effects, and were reportedly rather intimidating up close.
A Labor of Love
The Fallout series resonates because it is made by accomplished storytellers who are also dedicated players, with the help of the original creators behind the video games. This shared passion for the universe is clear in the final product.
The new batch of episodes is being released on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a full-season drop, representing a shift from the first season. This format will create a new viewing experience, something the creators themselves are eager to engage with.
“It delves deeper, it’s bigger, it’s funnier, it has a lot of surprises,” promises Howard. “I can't wait to seeing what people think.”