🔗 Share this article

The post-apocalyptic TV show is back to its platform, and it's fair to say that viewers were delightfully shocked by the quality of its initial run. By illustrating the retro-futuristic, post-apocalyptic United States through the eyes of three distinct characters, it managed to capture various facets of the player's adventure.

We followed Lucy the vault dweller, attempting to act with integrity and learning that the wasteland made that exceptionally challenging; Max, the militant faction new recruit, who starts doubting his cult's leadership and causes a lot of havoc in powered exoskeleton; and the Ghoul, a breakout character who has long since lost any sense of morality out in the contaminated badlands.

Building Anticipation for the Second Season

The show's first season finale unveiled a major secret about those responsible for the global annihilation that condemned a society in bomb-proof bunkers for centuries. It also raised several enigmas open for the next installment – and, on this occasion, hopes are considerably elevated.

“We'd gladly accept ‘not terrible’ – we should print that on merchandise,” quips Jonah Nolan.

“Heading into the first season, everyone’s like, ‘Just get it right’,” states Todd Howard. “We are thrilled with the reception to the show, so this time people are coming in with more enthusiasm and different expectations.”

A New Vegas Vibe for Season Two

The second season is taking place in New Vegas, the setting of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is often praised for having the sharpest dialogue and characters in the series, even if it was a bit broken at launch.

“It’s more of a arid atmosphere, a Southwestern essence, that’s so essential to that game,” notes Nolan. “That parched, blasted-out iconic highway feeling of the game is so much enjoyable to translate into the show.”

In the series narrative, a considerable period has elapsed since the story of the New Vegas game by the time the characters arrive there. Yet, the creators hint that it does reference the fan's adventure.

The Importance of Physical Sets

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

“As a sci-fi fan, so many shows I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all filmed against a digital backdrop,” observes another of the showrunners. “The key objective of an adaptation, especially of a interactive medium, is to appear as if it’s tangible.”

In fact, virtually everything you see on-screen is physical, even the legendarily scary radioactive creatures known as the apex predators. In the show, they are portrayed by practical effects, and were apparently pretty frightening up close.

Made by Fans, for Fans

The Fallout series works because it is developed by talented film-makers who are also passionate gamers, alongside the game developers behind the franchise. This common understanding for the lore is evident in the final product.

The new batch of episodes is being released on a weekly basis rather than as a full-season drop, offering a different experience from the previous season. This format will allow for a new viewing experience, something the team themselves are looking forward to engage with.

“It's richer, it’s larger in scale, it’s funnier, it has a lot of revelations,” teases the game director. “I can't wait to seeing what people think.”