Behind the Scenes of Fallout, Gaming’s Most Surprising TV Hit
The post-apocalyptic TV show has come back to Prime Video, and it's accurate to state that fans were pleasantly surprised by the quality of its first season. By depicting the atomic-age, post-apocalyptic United States through the eyes of three different characters, it succeeded in capturing various facets of the gamer's adventure.
There was Lucy the vault dweller, attempting to do the right thing and discovering that the barren landscape made that incredibly hard; Brotherhood initiate Max, the Brotherhood of Steel new recruit, who starts challenging his faction's leadership and creates significant chaos in powered exoskeleton; and the Ghoul, a fan-favorite figure who has completely shed any sense of morality out in the contaminated wastes.
Setting the Stage for a New Chapter
The show's first season ending unveiled a major secret about who helped cause the atomic conflict that sealed a society in subterranean shelters for an extended period. It also left plenty of questions unresolved for the upcoming chapter – and, now, expectations are significantly higher.
“We'd gladly accept ‘not terrible’ – we should print that on merchandise,” says Jonah Nolan.
“Going into the first season, everyone’s like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” comments the game director. “We are thrilled with the response to the show, so now people are bringing more excitement and different expectations.”
A New Vegas Vibe for Season Two
The second season is located in New Vegas, the backdrop of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is frequently celebrated for having the sharpest dialogue and personalities in the series, even if it was technically flawed at launch.
“It embodies a desert vibe, a Mojave vibe, that’s so key to that game,” notes the co-creator. “That dusty, desolate Route 66 feeling of the game is so much fun to incorporate into the show.”
In the show's timeline, 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 will honor the gamer's experience.
The Importance of Physical Sets
The Fallout TV series is distinguished by its tactile feel – its production team insisted on physical models and environments were fabricated, reflecting the improvised nature of the towns in the games.
“As a sci-fi fan, so many series I watch, I’m aware that they’re all standing in front of a blue screen,” comments co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The primary goal of an adaptation, especially of a video game, is to appear as if it’s authentic.”
In fact, virtually every element you see on-screen is real, including the notoriously frightening radioactive creatures known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are brought to life with animatronics, and were by all accounts rather intimidating up close.
Made by Fans, for Fans
The Fallout series resonates because it is developed by accomplished storytellers who are also dedicated players, with the help of the visionaries behind the franchise. This mutual respect for the universe is evident in the finished show.
The new batch of episodes is being released on a weekly basis rather than as a binge-able batch, offering a different experience from the first season. This format will allow for a new viewing experience, something the showrunners themselves are looking forward to engage with.
“It delves deeper, it’s bigger, it’s more humorous, it has a lot of twists,” teases Howard. “I am excited to seeing what people think.”
