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The post-apocalyptic TV series has come back to streaming services, and it's safe to say that viewers were pleasantly surprised by the caliber of its debut season. By depicting the atomic-age, post-apocalyptic United States through the perspectives of three different characters, it managed to capture different facets of the gamer's journey.

There was Lucy the vault dweller, attempting to act with integrity and finding that the wasteland made that incredibly hard; Max, the Brotherhood of Steel initiate, who begins to question his cult's leadership and causes plenty of trouble in mechanized battle suit; and the Ghoul, a fan-favorite figure who has long since lost any ethical bearings out in the irradiated wilderness.

Setting the Stage for a New Chapter

The show's first season finale unveiled a major secret about those responsible for the nuclear war that sealed a society in underground vaults for hundreds of years. It also left numerous mysteries open for the second season – and, now, hopes are significantly higher.

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

“Starting the first season, everyone’s like, ‘Just get it right’,” adds the game director. “We are thrilled with the reception to the show, so this time people are arriving with more enthusiasm and altered expectations.”

The Mojave Beckons for the Next Installment

The new season is taking place in the neon-lit city, the location of the beloved game Fallout: New Vegas, which is widely regarded for having the sharpest dialogue and cast in the franchise, even if it was a bit broken at launch.

“It has a arid atmosphere, a Southwestern essence, that’s so integral to that game,” says Nolan. “That dusty, desolate Route 66 feeling of the game is so much fun to bring into the show.”

In the series narrative, a long time has elapsed since the story of the New Vegas game by the time the characters make their way there. However, the creators hint that it will honor the gamer's experience.

The Importance of Physical Sets

The Fallout TV series is notable for its tactile feel – its makers insisted on physical models and environments were built, mirroring the makeshift nature of the outposts in the games.

“Being a genre enthusiast, so many shows I watch, I’m aware that they’re all filmed against a digital backdrop,” says another of the showrunners. “The whole point of an translation, especially of a video game, is to appear as if it’s authentic.”

Actually, virtually each creature you see on-screen is practical, including the legendarily scary radioactive creatures known as the apex predators. In the show, they are portrayed by practical effects, and were apparently pretty frightening up close.

Made by Fans, for Fans

The Fallout series succeeds because it is developed by skilled directors who are also longtime fans, in collaboration with the original creators behind the source material. This mutual respect for the lore is evident in the end result.

The new batch of episodes is launching on a weekly basis rather than as a binge-able batch, marking a change from the first season. This schedule will allow for a altered audience reaction, a dynamic the showrunners themselves are excited to engage with.

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