Behind the Scenes of Fallout, the Gaming World’s Most Astonishing Television Success

The post-apocalyptic TV show is back to streaming services, and it's fair to say that viewers were delightfully shocked by the excellence of its debut season. By illustrating the retro-futuristic, nuclear-ravaged United States through the lenses of three distinct characters, it managed to capture different facets of the player's experience.

There was Lucy the vault dweller, attempting to act with integrity and learning that the wasteland made that exceptionally challenging; Brotherhood initiate Max, the militant faction initiate, who begins to question his cult's leadership and unleashes significant chaos in robotic power armour; and the Ghoul, a fan-favorite figure who has completely shed any ethical bearings out in the contaminated badlands.

Setting the Stage for Season Two

The show's first season finale disclosed key information about those responsible for the global annihilation that sealed a society in subterranean shelters for an extended period. It also raised numerous mysteries unresolved for the next installment – and, this time, anticipations are much greater.

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

“Starting the first season, people were like, ‘Just get it right’,” comments the game director. “We are thrilled with the response to the show, so now people are arriving with more enthusiasm and altered expectations.”

The Mojave Beckons for Season Two

The new season is located in the neon-lit city, the backdrop of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is often praised for having the most compelling narratives and cast in the franchise, even if it was technically flawed at launch.

“It’s more of a desert vibe, a Mojave vibe, that’s so key to that game,” notes Nolan. “That dusty, blasted-out Route 66 aesthetic of the game is so much enjoyable to bring into the show.”

In the show's timeline, a considerable period has passed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the characters arrive there. Yet, the creators hint that it will honor the gamer's experience.

The Importance of Physical Sets

The Fallout TV series is notable for its tangible quality – its makers ensured physical models and environments were built, mirroring the cobbled-together nature of the outposts in the games.

“As a sci-fi fan, so many series I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all filmed against a blue screen,” says co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The whole point of an translation, particularly of a interactive medium, is to feel like it’s real.”

Indeed, pretty much each creature you see on-screen is physical, including the legendarily scary mutated beasts known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are brought to life with practical effects, and were by all accounts rather intimidating up close.

Made by Fans, for Fans

The Fallout series works because it is developed by accomplished storytellers who are also longtime fans, in collaboration with the visionaries behind the video games. This common understanding for the universe is apparent in the end result.

The second season is launching on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a binge-able batch, marking a change from the previous season. This format will allow for a different weekly discussion, a dynamic the creators themselves are excited to engage with.

“It delves deeper, it’s more expansive, it’s wittier, it has a lot of twists,” says the game director. “I’m looking forward to seeing what people think.”