Dec. 16 was the premiere of “Fallout” Season two.Led by showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet for Amazon Prime Video, the series is based on the role-playing video game franchise of the same name.
The show’s narrative takes place two centuries after the Great War of 2077, a global conflict that saw a nuclear holocaust and the collapse of civilization.
The second season doubles down on what most video game adaptations get wrong, in my opinion. “Fallout” respects the source material without being trapped by it. The series tells a unique story that takes place within the world of the games while honoring its overall themes and tone.
We continue to follow the same main trio we got to know during the previous season.
Ella Purnell stars as Lucy MacLean, a former resident of Vault 33—one of the many underground shelters constructed by the pre-war corporation Vault-Tec. After the isolation of her society is shattered and her father, Hank MacLean, is kidnapped by raiders, Lucy sets out to the surface in hopes of finding him.
Walton Goggins returns to play Cooper Howard, otherwise known as the Ghoul, a pre-war Hollywood actor turned mutant bounty hunter after extensive exposure to radiation. By the end of the previous season, the Ghoul chooses to aid Lucy in her search for her father, whose connections to Vault-Tec may hold crucial answers about the fate of his own family.
The two characters offer an interesting and engaging dynamic during the first half of the season. Lucy’s wide-eyed optimism and apparent moral compass sharply contrast with the Ghoul’s hardened cynicism, shaped by two centuries of surviving in the wasteland.
Maximus, performed by Aaron Moten, is the series’ third central character. A member of the Brotherhood of Steel, a militaristic post-war faction hellbent on preserving order in the wasteland through the hoarding of pre-war technology, he rounds out the core of the show through his perspective.
After meeting and travelling with Lucy in the previous season, we see Maximus’ rise in the Brotherhood’s ranks and the many new responsibilities he has to bear. Moten’s performance makes Maximus feel grounded yet compelling. His character acts as another audience surrogate to life on the surface.
Season two expands the thematic scope, the narrative focus shifting between power struggles among wasteland factions and the actions of prewar corporations whose influence sealed the world’s fate long before the bombs fell.
As an avid, long-time fan of the game series, I believe “Fallout” is able to walk the middle ground when it comes to presenting its world and necessary background information in an easy, digestible way for newcomers, while sprinkling in tasteful fanservice for devoted players.
Besides its story, one of the show’s strongest aspects is its phenomenal art direction. “Fallout” proves itself to be a masterclass in set design, creating a wasteland that feels tactile and real. The show’s environments are steeped in decay. And the abandoned towns the characters explore look convincingly lived-in and aged.
The costume and prop design are also in a league of their own. The stark contrast between the vibrant blue vault dwellers’ suits and the weathered armor worn by the surface dwellers are examples of great visual storytelling, while the various weapons and items the characters use are translated from the games to live-action outstandingly.
The culmination of these elements functions as both the story’s backdrop and a means of enhancing viewer immersion.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the show’s soundtrack. “Fallout” continues the use of upbeat mid-century songs to juxtapose the violent, harsh reality of the wasteland that was pioneered in the games.
The show isn’t without its flaws, however.
My main criticism so far is the early pacing, as the overall narrative drags while the season’s subplots wait to fully take shape. Nonetheless, the strength of the series’ ensemble largely makes up for this, keeping the story engaging even when momentum slows.
Overall, “Fallout” Season two is a phenomenal continuation. The franchise has always been a commentary on the cycle of war and a critique of late-stage capitalism, and the show embodies these qualities very well in my opinion.
The second season maintains the tone of its predecessor while continuing to explore its characters and world in interesting ways.
If you enjoyed the first season, I highly recommend you check out the second season before its finale, which is slated to release for streaming on Feb. 4.
As of writing, the season is on its sixth episode. You can watch the trailer here.