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

The Fallout TV series is back to Prime Video, and it's safe to say that fans were delightfully shocked by the caliber of its initial run. By depicting the atomic-age, nuclear-ravaged United States through the perspectives of three separate characters, it succeeded in capturing different facets of the gamer's journey.

We followed vault-dweller Lucy, attempting to do the right thing and discovering that the ruined world made that very difficult; Brotherhood initiate Max, the Brotherhood of Steel rookie, who starts challenging his organization's leadership and unleashes plenty of trouble in mechanized battle suit; and Walton Goggins's character, a fan-favorite figure who has completely shed any moral compass out in the irradiated badlands.

Setting the Stage for the Second Season

The debut season's conclusion revealed key information about the culprits behind the nuclear war that sealed a group of people in bomb-proof bunkers for hundreds of years. It also raised several enigmas open for the upcoming chapter – and, now, hopes are significantly higher.

“We’ll take ‘not terrible’ – let’s get that on a poster,” says one of the series creators.

“Heading into the initial season, everyone’s like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” adds Todd Howard. “We are thrilled with the feedback to the show, so now people are arriving with more enthusiasm and altered expectations.”

A New Vegas Vibe for the Next Installment

The second season is located in New Vegas, the backdrop of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is widely regarded for having the most compelling narratives and personalities in the franchise, even if it was a bit broken at launch.

“It’s more of a arid atmosphere, a Mojave vibe, that’s so integral to that game,” says the co-creator. “That parched, blasted-out iconic highway vibe of the game is so much rewarding to incorporate into the show.”

In the series narrative, a long time has passed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists arrive there. Nevertheless, the creators suggest that it acknowledges the gamer's experience.

Crafting a Tangible World

The Fallout TV series is praised for its tangible quality – its creators ensured authentic items and sets were constructed, echoing the cobbled-together nature of the outposts in the games.

“Being a genre enthusiast, so many series I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all standing in front of a green screen,” observes another of the showrunners. “The whole point of an adaptation, especially of a video game, is to feel like it’s tangible.”

In fact, almost every element you see on-screen is physical, including the notoriously frightening irradiated monsters 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 succeeds because it is developed by accomplished storytellers who are also longtime fans, alongside the visionaries behind the franchise. This shared passion for the lore is clear in the end result.

The second season is debuting on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a binge-able batch, offering a different experience from the initial release. This approach will allow for a altered weekly discussion, a dynamic the showrunners themselves are looking forward to engage with.

“It delves deeper, it’s larger in scale, it’s wittier, it has a lot of surprises,” teases Howard. “I’m looking forward to seeing what people think.”