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The post-apocalyptic TV series is back to streaming services, and it's fair to say that fans were agreeably astonished by the excellence of its initial run. By illustrating the atomic-age, post-apocalyptic United States through the eyes of three different characters, it managed to capture different facets of the player's experience.

There was Lucy the vault dweller, striving to act with integrity and finding that the ruined world made that incredibly hard; Max, the Brotherhood of Steel initiate, who starts doubting his cult's dogma and unleashes plenty of trouble in robotic power armour; and the Ghoul, a breakout character who has entirely abandoned any moral compass out in the radioactive badlands.

Setting the Stage for a New Chapter

The show's first season ending unveiled crucial details about those responsible for the global annihilation that condemned a population in underground vaults for centuries. It also left plenty of questions unanswered for the next installment – and, on this occasion, hopes are considerably elevated.

“We’ll take ‘pretty good’ – we should print that on merchandise,” remarks the show's co-creator.

“Going into the initial season, people were like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” comments a key figure from the games. “We’re over the moon with the feedback to the show, so now people are coming in with more eagerness and altered expectations.”

A New Vegas Vibe for Season Two

The upcoming season is located in New Vegas, the setting of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is frequently celebrated for having the best writing and cast in the series, despite the fact that it was a bit broken at launch.

“It’s more of a sun-baked feel, a Mojave vibe, that’s so key to that game,” says Nolan. “That dusty, blasted-out Route 66 feeling of the game is so much enjoyable to translate into the show.”

In the series narrative, a significant amount of time has elapsed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the protagonists arrive there. Yet, the creators indicate that it acknowledges the player’s journey.

The Importance of Physical Sets

The Fallout TV series is distinguished by its tangible quality – its creators insisted on physical models and locations were constructed, reflecting the cobbled-together nature of the settlements in the games.

“Being a genre enthusiast, so many shows I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all filmed against a green screen,” observes another of the showrunners. “The key objective of an adaptation, particularly of a video game, is to appear as if it’s authentic.”

In fact, virtually every element you see on-screen is real, even the legendarily scary irradiated monsters known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are portrayed by puppets, and were reportedly rather intimidating up close.

Made by Fans, for Fans

The Fallout series works because it is made by talented film-makers who are also dedicated players, with the help of the game developers behind the franchise. This common understanding for the universe is evident in the end result.

The new batch of episodes is being released on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a binge-able batch, representing a shift from the previous season. This approach will foster a new weekly discussion, a dynamic the showrunners themselves are looking forward to engage with.

“It delves deeper, it’s more expansive, it’s funnier, it has a lot of surprises,” says Howard. “I can't wait to seeing what people think.”