🔗 Share this article Inside the Fallout Universe, Gaming’s Most Astonishing Small Screen Triumph The post-apocalyptic TV series has come back to its platform, and it's fair to say that audiences were agreeably astonished by the excellence of its initial run. By portraying the atomic-age, nuclear-ravaged United States through the perspectives of three different characters, it effectively portrayed different facets of the player'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 militant faction new recruit, who starts challenging his cult's authority and unleashes a lot of havoc in powered exoskeleton; and the Ghoul, a fan-favorite figure who has entirely abandoned any sense of morality out in the irradiated badlands. Setting the Stage for a New Chapter The show's first season conclusion revealed key information about the culprits behind the global annihilation that sealed a population in underground vaults for an extended period. It also raised plenty of questions open for the next installment – and, this time, expectations are considerably elevated. “We'd gladly accept ‘not terrible’ – let’s get that on a poster,” says one of the series creators. “Going into the first season, everyone’s like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” adds Todd Howard. “We are ecstatic with the feedback to the show, so now people are coming in with more excitement and new expectations.” The Mojave Beckons for the Next Installment The upcoming season is located in New Vegas, the setting of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is often praised for having the best writing and personalities in the franchise, despite the fact that it was a bit broken at launch. “It embodies a desert vibe, a Southwestern essence, that’s so key to that game,” explains Nolan. “That dusty, desolate Route 66 vibe of the game is so much rewarding to bring into the show.” In the series narrative, a significant amount of time has passed since the story of the New Vegas game by the time the characters arrive there. Yet, the creators suggest that it acknowledges the player’s journey. Crafting a Tangible World The Fallout TV series is notable for its tactile feel – its makers insisted on physical models and environments were fabricated, echoing the improvised nature of the settlements in the games. “Being a genre enthusiast, so many shows I watch, I’m aware that they’re all filmed against a green screen,” comments co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The whole point of an adaptation, especially of a video game, is to appear as if it’s tangible.” Actually, virtually each creature you see on-screen is physical, including the legendarily scary radioactive creatures known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are brought to life with animatronics, and were by all accounts rather intimidating up close. A Labor of Love The Fallout series resonates because it is crafted by accomplished storytellers who are also longtime fans, in collaboration with the game developers behind the source material. This shared passion for the lore is apparent in the finished show. The second season is debuting on a weekly basis rather than as a all-at-once release, offering a different experience from the first season. This approach will create a altered weekly discussion, a dynamic the showrunners themselves are excited to observe. “It's richer, it’s bigger, it’s funnier, it has a lot of twists,” promises Howard. “I’m looking forward to seeing what people think.”