🔗 Share this article

The post-apocalyptic TV series is back to Prime Video, and it's fair to say that fans were agreeably astonished by the quality of its initial run. By illustrating the retro-futuristic, post-apocalyptic United States through the eyes of three different characters, it effectively portrayed various facets of the gamer's experience.

We followed vault-dweller Lucy, attempting to do the right thing and finding that the wasteland made that exceptionally challenging; Max, the Brotherhood of Steel rookie, who starts doubting his organization's dogma and unleashes significant chaos in robotic power armour; and the Ghoul, a standout performance who has completely shed any sense of morality out in the irradiated badlands.

Building Anticipation for Season Two

The show's first season finale disclosed key information about those responsible for the nuclear war that trapped a group of people in subterranean shelters for centuries. It also posed plenty of questions unresolved for the upcoming chapter – and, on this occasion, hopes are considerably elevated.

“We’ll take ‘not terrible’ – let’s get that on a poster,” quips Jonah Nolan.

“Starting the initial season, people were like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” adds the game director. “We are thrilled with the response to the show, so this time people are arriving with more excitement and new expectations.”

A New Vegas Vibe for Season Two

The upcoming season is located in New Vegas, the location of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is often praised for having the sharpest dialogue and cast in the franchise, even if it was a bit broken at launch.

“It has a sun-baked feel, a Southwestern essence, that’s so integral to that game,” explains the co-creator. “That dusty, desolate iconic highway vibe of the game is so much fun to incorporate into the show.”

In the series narrative, a long time has elapsed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the characters make their way there. However, the creators hint that it acknowledges the fan's adventure.

Crafting a Tangible World

The Fallout TV series is distinguished by its tactile feel – its creators ensured physical models and environments were fabricated, mirroring the cobbled-together nature of the settlements in the games.

“As a sci-fi fan, so many productions I watch, I’m aware that they’re all filmed against a green screen,” observes another of the showrunners. “The whole point of an adaptation, particularly of a interactive medium, is to seem like it’s real.”

In fact, pretty much each creature you see on-screen is practical, including the notoriously frightening radioactive creatures known as the apex predators. In the show, they are brought to life with practical effects, and were apparently pretty frightening up close.

A Labor of Love

The Fallout series resonates because it is developed by skilled directors who are also dedicated players, in collaboration with the visionaries behind the video games. This shared passion for the world is apparent in the final product.

The second season is debuting on a weekly basis rather than as a binge-able batch, marking a change from the previous season. This format will create a different audience reaction, a dynamic the team themselves are eager to witness.

“It delves deeper, it’s bigger, it’s wittier, it has a lot of surprises,” teases Howard. “I can't wait to seeing what people think.”