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The Fallout TV series is back to streaming services, and it's fair to say that audiences were pleasantly surprised by the quality of its first season. By illustrating the retro-futuristic, nuclear-ravaged United States through the perspectives of three different characters, it succeeded in capturing various facets of the gamer's adventure.

There was Lucy the vault dweller, striving to do the right thing and finding that the wasteland made that very difficult; Brotherhood initiate Max, the militant faction rookie, who starts doubting his organization's leadership and creates a lot of havoc in powered exoskeleton; and the Ghoul, a fan-favorite figure who has entirely abandoned any moral compass out in the irradiated wastes.

Setting the Stage for Season Two

The show's first season finale revealed key information about the culprits behind the nuclear war that sealed a group of people in subterranean shelters for an extended period. It also raised plenty of questions unanswered for the next installment – and, now, anticipations are considerably elevated.

“We'd gladly accept ‘pretty good’ – we should print that on merchandise,” says Jonah Nolan.

“Heading into the first season, people were like, ‘Just don't mess it up’,” comments Todd Howard. “We’re over the moon with the feedback to the show, so now people are bringing more eagerness and altered expectations.”

The Mojave Beckons for Season Two

The second season is set in New Vegas, the setting of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is widely regarded for having the best writing and characters in the franchise, despite the fact that it was somewhat buggy at launch.

“It embodies a sun-baked feel, a Mojave vibe, that’s so integral to that game,” says Nolan. “That parched, blasted-out Route 66 feeling of the game is so much fun to incorporate into the show.”

In the show's timeline, a significant amount of time has passed since the story of the New Vegas game by the time the characters make their way there. However, the creators hint that it does reference the fan's adventure.

The Importance of Physical Sets

The Fallout TV series is distinguished by its physical authenticity – its makers prioritized authentic items and locations were built, echoing the improvised nature of the outposts in the games.

“Being a genre enthusiast, so many productions I watch, I’m aware that they’re all standing in front of a blue screen,” comments another of the showrunners. “The whole point of an translation, especially of a interactive medium, is to seem like it’s real.”

Actually, almost every element you see on-screen is physical, including the notoriously frightening radioactive creatures known as Deathclaws. In the show, they are portrayed by animatronics, and were apparently pretty frightening up close.

Made by Fans, for Fans

The Fallout series succeeds because it is crafted by talented film-makers who are also dedicated players, with the help of the original creators behind the source material. This common understanding for the world is clear in the finished show.

The second season is launching on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a all-at-once release, marking a change from the first season. This format will foster a altered weekly discussion, something the creators themselves are looking forward to witness.

“It's richer, it’s bigger, it’s funnier, it has a lot of surprises,” promises Howard. “I can't wait to seeing what people think.”