🔗 Share this article Behind the Scenes of Fallout, Gaming’s Most Surprising Television Success The Fallout TV series has come back to its platform, and it's fair to say that audiences were pleasantly surprised by the quality of its first season. By portraying the atomic-age, post-apocalyptic United States through the eyes of three distinct characters, it succeeded in capturing different facets of the gamer's adventure. We followed vault-dweller Lucy, trying to act with integrity and discovering that the ruined world made that exceptionally challenging; Brotherhood initiate Max, the Brotherhood of Steel new recruit, who starts challenging his cult's authority and causes plenty of trouble in mechanized battle suit; and Walton Goggins's character, a fan-favorite figure who has completely shed any sense of morality out in the contaminated badlands. Setting the Stage for Season Two The debut season's ending revealed crucial details about the culprits behind the global annihilation that condemned a population in underground vaults for an extended period. It also left several enigmas unresolved for the second season – and, on this occasion, expectations are significantly higher. “We'd gladly accept ‘pretty good’ – we should print that on merchandise,” says the show's co-creator. “Heading into the first season, people were like, ‘Just get it right’,” comments a key figure from the games. “We’re over the moon with the feedback to the show, so this time people are bringing more eagerness and different expectations.” The Mojave Beckons for the Next Installment The second season is set in the neon-lit city, the location of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is frequently celebrated for having the most compelling narratives and characters in the franchise, despite the fact that it was technically flawed at launch. “It’s more of a sun-baked feel, a Mojave vibe, that’s so integral to that game,” says Nolan. “That parched, blasted-out Route 66 vibe of the game is so much fun to incorporate into the show.” In the series narrative, a significant amount of time has passed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the characters arrive there. Nevertheless, the creators hint that it acknowledges the gamer's experience. The Importance of Physical Sets The Fallout TV series is praised for its physical authenticity – its makers ensured authentic items and sets were constructed, echoing the cobbled-together nature of the towns in the games. “Being a genre enthusiast, so many productions I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all filmed against a green screen,” observes co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The whole point of an adaptation, especially of a video game, is to seem like it’s authentic.” Actually, almost every element you see on-screen is physical, even the notoriously frightening irradiated monsters known as the apex predators. In the show, they are portrayed by practical effects, and were apparently pretty frightening up close. A Labor of Love The Fallout series succeeds because it is made by talented film-makers who are also longtime fans, alongside the original creators behind the franchise. This shared passion for the world is evident in the finished show. The new batch of episodes is debuting on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a binge-able batch, offering a different experience from the previous season. This format will allow for a different weekly discussion, a dynamic the team themselves are looking forward to witness. “It has more depth, it’s larger in scale, it’s wittier, it has a lot of revelations,” teases Howard. “I’m looking forward to seeing what people think.”