All eight episodes of Fallout will be available to stream on Prime Video from April 11, 2024.
Synopsis
Fallout is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. Two-hundred years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind—and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird, and highly violent universe waiting for them.
Review
There’s nothing quite like the realisation that it has been 17 years since the release of Fallout to make you feel old. After four core games and several equally successful spin-offs, one of the greatest video game series of all time is coming to streaming this week with an adaption from the executive producers of Westworld and the writers behind The Office and Captain Marvel.
The eight-part series, available from tomorrow to binge on Prime Video, is an original story set within the vast universe of the games. Viewers will find themselves exploring never before seen Vaults. Uncovering the secrets of Valt-Tec. All whilst exploring the fantastical surface Wasteland which now exists in place of LA in 2296.
The series hails from executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy (Westworld), Nolan also directs several episodes across the season. The pair have teamed with co-showrunners Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel) and Graham Wagner (The Office, Silicon Valley) to create a series which strikes a fascinating balance between dark humour and post-apocalyptic action.
Fallout follows a trio of character-led narratives, each with a unique perspective on the future landscape. Anchoring the series in both the past and present is Walton Goggins as the Ghoul. His connections to pre-Great War events are central to Fallout exposing plenty of secrets and scandals. Hailing from the newly created Vault 33 is Lucy (Ella Purnell, Yellowjackets), a fish-out-of-water on the surface. Lucy has spent most of her young life in the vault and is dweller shocked by what she encounters on her first trip to the surface. Finally there’s Maximus (Aaron Moten, Emancipation), a soldier in training and member of the Brotherhood of Steel. Though he has lived his life on the surface, his indoctrination to the Brotherhood makes him almost as vulnerable as Lucy.
Surrounding each of the leads is an all-star ensemble which includes Kyle MacLachlan as Lucy’s father Hank, Michael Emerson as Wilzig, Sarita Choudhury as mysterious leader Moldaver and Moises Arias as Lucy’s brother Norm. The world of the vaults and also the surface are also filled with plenty of personalties and clever cameos. Watch out for the comical Matt Berry as “Mr. Handy”, a RobCo Industries helper bot and Chris Parnell as Ben, another unforgettable vault inhabitant glimpsed in the trailers.
From the outset, the world of Fallout is incredibly well realised. Early scenes set in 2077 lay out an enticing design language for the show which echoes that of the source material. The kitschy 1950s styling translates flawlessly to the screen. Fans of retro fashion and interior design will eat up every delicious detail on screen. From globular TVs and screens to slicked back hair and Grease-esque fashion, all of the detailing is immaculate. Likewise, fans of the games will be instantly looking for the unmistakable design of the screen layouts and technology used by the Vault dwellers.
The series needs those connections to reinforce its place in the world of Fallout given that the characters and story are entirely original. To my complete relief every element feels authentically recreated and placed within the world. Even on the less predictable surface Wasteland the creature design and lexicon of the franchise remain astonishingly intact.
I can’t say too much about the story of season 1. I say season 1 as this series needs a season 2 and beyond immediately. But to share too many details will incur the wrath of Vault-Tec and most likely Prime Video. Fallout’s three distinct narratives are so uniquely constructed that any overlap is saved for when the overarching narrative requires it. Characters cross paths and then diverge any across the eight episodes before culminating in a ridiculously compelling and well-crafted finale. The diversity of the three leads can and should help Fallout to appeal to a wide ranging audience. Ella Purnell, fresh from an already standout performance in Yellowjackets, shoulders the broad Fallout narrative as if it were weightless. She taps in to the comedy of Lucy’s naivety when it comes to the surface world and is able to make the character relatable despite being surrounded by such an alien landscape. There’s a dryness to her approach which vibes perfectly with the material she’s given.
Walton Goggins is electric to watch across his entire storyline. His ability to portray a really wide gamut of emotion is really tested here and he rises to the occasion every time. His scenes are Cooper Howard are some of the most dramatic character moments in the series. Fallout isn’t simply a Mad Max-style romp through a dystopian future, it strives to achieve a level of character drama to rival the best of streaming and cable TV. Goggins is really the source of that authority. As the Ghoul he stalks the characters and skulks around the Wasteland with a presence which is threatening but never strictly villainous. The level of complexity around Cooper/Ghoul is prevalent across Fallout and keeps the viewer neatly on their toes for the whole season. Pay close attention to plenty of secondary players who may have ulterior motives that aren’t so obvious.
Not to be underestimated it Aaron Moten as Maximus. His journey isn’t as straightforward as either Lucy or Cooper/Ghoul. Moten is tasked with finding a balance between Maximus’ Brotherhood belief’s and his experiences once out on his own in the Wasteland. Moten has a great connection with Purnell, the two share a vulnerability which stems from their separate pre-Wasteland experiences and the writers capitalise on this by having them explore particular areas of the word together. This works perfectly to bring viewers less familiar with the games into pre-existing locations like Shady Sands.
That kind of accessibility means that non-gamers shouldn’t be put off from entering the world of Fallout. Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner have been able to open up the world and make sure its characters and quirky setting are available to those with no knowledge of the games. But for those who do, there’s a treasure trove of secrets to uncover.
The production value of Fallout is impressive. The Vaults themselves feel like real working sites. The set designers and prop teams have done awards-worthy work in making these gigantic spaces look a little tired around the edges to betray their 200 year history of life after the Great War. The sets are cavernous and yet still feel lived in. The main hall of Vault 33 features an impressive mezzanine level control area as well as a picnic spot and full field of crops. Capping it all is what looks to be a Vault-Tec AR wall surrounding the crops with a 360 degree projection of the countryside which mimics the sunlight needed to help the crops grow beneath the ground. Whether accomplished through visual effects or by actual AR Wall technology, scenes in that space are unlike anything else currently on TV.
Visual effects come in to play more in the Wasteland where the production team employs CGI for huge establishing shots of the post-nuclear Los Angeles. All of the effects work, be it sprawling landscapes or some of Fallout’s legendary Gulpers, is top notch. The series certainly has the budget to ensure that its setting is given the same attention to detail as its practical set design. Larger, visual effects enhanced sets come in to play more as the season progresses and the finale in particular looks great.
Game of Thrones fans will be stoked to know that the brilliant Ramin Djawadi is providing the score for Fallout. Though the series will be remembered more for an incredible collection of classic 1940’s and 50’s music, Djawadi provides a wonderful soundscape with plenty of connective tissue with the games. Reflecting the approach to the visual language, Fallout’s musical soundtrack has plenty for long-time fans to discover whilst others will simply sit back and enjoy its perfectly curated playlist.
Verdict
It might only be April but Fallout is a strong contender for the breakout series of 2024. Built on a foundation of incredible visuals, the series takes the sensibilities of the games and crafts a compelling original story across a tightly packed eight episodes.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
