When Bethesda’sFalloutwas announced to beadapted into a television showin 2020, many were skeptical. The 27-year-old franchise has been one of gaming’s most celebrated and beloved IPs. Furthermore, video game adaptations have been hit-or-miss. For everyThe Last of UsandCastlevania, you haveFar CryandAlone in the Dark. Although, with Bethesda’s involvement, Prime Video being the streaming provider, and leading creatives Jonathan Nolan (Interstellar) and Lisa Joy (Reminiscence), it became clearFalloutwould be a big project. That feeling grew with eachteaseandtrailer, yet there was still doubt if it could live up to the legacy.
Now, four years later, after watching all eight episodes of season one of Prime Video’s live-action adaptation, set to release on April 10, I can say with certainty that despite not being a straight-up adaptation of the games,Falloutstands out as being an exciting, fun and fitting addition to the series. If anything, it’s a perfect showcase of how to approach adapting video games: building on top of what’s been done and making it shine.
Stars of the Midnight Range
The story follows three main characters: vault-dweller Lucy, gunslinger Ghoul and squire Maximus. Their paths converge, collide and even combine, all headed in the same direction for different reasons. Each character is given their own unique personality that shows throughout. While Lucy may try to talk to the enemies, Ghoul will just go straight to guns blazing. They bounce off each other, each filling the nooks and crannies the other doesn’t have (like Maximus' ego vs Lucy’s selflessness).
On that note, the performances inFalloutare surprisingly great. It’s hard to recall anyone else tackling these characters as well as the cast did. Specifically, the main trio, consisting of Lucy (Yellowjackets' Ella Purnell), Ghoul (Justified’s Walton Goggins) and Maximus (Emancipation’s Aaron Moten), shine in their roles. In fact, a lot of the stars in the show are known for being in smaller roles, so it gives a ton of actors time in the spotlight, like Moisés Arias (Hannah Montana), Johnny Pemberton (Superstore) and Sarita Choudhury (Homeland).
Atom Bomb Baby
Fallout’s narrative is exceptional. It juggles its many main characters with a sense of ease, able to tell multiple stories and not have the viewer get lost. Watching the show, one is constantly reminded of Nolan’s previous work,HBO’sWestworld. The sci-fi show, over the course of four seasons, tackled a lot of varying perspectives and made viewers care about them, regardless of whether they agreed with them or not. you may see a lot ofWestworld’s DNA inFallout, just with an apocalyptic setting, a comedy-driven script and a lot more monsters (in the literal sense).
The show can be a slow burn. Its pilot is a bit cluttered, cramming in a lot of backstory and prerequisite information for the plot to progress and grow. Throughout the eight episodes, however, you see the seeds sown in it grow and develop into bigger and deeper plot points. Once things get going and twists and turns are revealed,Falloutshows its true colors. It throws a lot of things at you fast but gives you time, narrative-wise, to adapt.
Falloutworks best as an apocalyptic dark dramedy. While there are action scenes, it’s the dialogue and characters that take center stage within its crazy world. You can see the inklings of civilization before the bomb and how humanity adapted around it. There are some political undertones, which is to be expected from the series. They don’t feel too forced and don’t take away from the story at hand. Balancing the comedy and drama can be hard and Fallout does fall victim to that from time to time. Some jokes slide under dramatic plot developments or feel too out of left field.
For a video game adaptation, the production value is cranked up to 11. The sets, costumes, visual effects and makeup are extremely impressive. The ghouls look hauntingly realistic and the cities and townspeople look ripped out of the games, down to the crassly-built signs and makeshift armor. Plus, the show’s retro-futuristic aesthetic immediately evokes memories of charting the many regions in the games. Bethesda did have a hand in creating the show (including Todd Howard as Executive Producer) and it shows in the best ways possible. I’m a big advocate for adaptations bringing on the creators and contributors of what’s being adapted.The Last of Usdid it.The Super Mario Bros. Moviedid it. And nowFallout.
One of the show’s standout features is the script. Comedy can be hit or miss for me, especially with films, yet I found myself genuinely laughing a ton throughoutFallout. Whether it was ridiculous circumstances, sharp dialogue or just weird stuff in the background, it works well. Much of the dialogue seems straight from a Fallout title. And, as previously mentioned, you can tell Bethesda had a hand in the production.
Crawl Out to the Fallout
One thing that wasn’t expected was the gore factor, which was very present in this show. I found myself countless times cringing at the vitriol, which I give major props to the makeup and visual effects teams for. It looks mighty realistic. The crazy gore does feel fitting forFallout, as one minute you may be charting the wastelands listening to oldies then the next you’re fighting an onslaught of Mole Rats. You just have to buckle up and enjoy the wild ride.
In terms of fan service, there’s a decent amount in the form of Easter Eggs (like Pip-Boys and Vault Boy) and classic music from the franchise. It charts its own path, however, not bound to hit all the markers of aFalloutgame. Future seasons, which hopefully are announced, may change that, but don’t expect it to be chock full of secrets and such.
Prime Video’s Fallout Captures the Series' Apocalyptic Mayhem in New Trailer
Check out the newest trailer and info for Prime Video’s adaptation of Bethesda’s Fallout, along with a new release date.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t say I was skeptical about Fallout when it was announced. To tackle a series as big as Fallout would seem almost impossible. I am so glad to be proven wrong. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it was mine. A nice, steamy, bloody and impressive cup of tea. It’s one of the most entertaining video game adaptations ever created. Truth be told, we’re in a golden age of adaptations, withThe Last of Us,CastlevaniaandArcaneleading the charge. Now we can addFalloutto that coveted list.
Falloutisn’t perfect, but that’s what makes it fun. It’s amateur yet smart, with wit all around. Both fans and non-fans of the franchise can easily love this show. It has the potential to be a lot bigger and knows it. It does leave a lot on the line in terms of continuing the story, as many plot points go unresolved or hinted at. It’s a bold move, as adaptations have a lot riding on them, especially video game ones. Still,Falloutis the rare project that deserves to get renewed not just because of its cliffhangers, but for its ability to prove once more that, if given proper care and time, video game adaptations can work.
Falloutwill stream exclusively on Prime Video on April 10th at 6 p.m. PST/9 p.m. EST.
