In a film and television landscape that has recently been rife with video game adaptations, Amazon Prime’s  “Fallout” series manages to be something special. 

Based on the Bethesda Softworks game series of the same name, “Fallout” follows three lead characters as they trek across the irradiated wasteland searching for a severed head that contains the key to rebuilding civilization.  

The post-apocalyptic wasteland of “Fallout” is crawling with mutants, monsters, psychopaths and strangers of all types. Whether it’s a snake oil salesman or a jarred brain attached to a robotic vacuum cleaner, the wasteland’s inhabitants all feel vibrant and unique.  

As a video game series, “Fallout” has always been known for its contrast of zany, over-the-top comedy with the suffering caused by war and greed, and this tone is translated incredibly well to the television adaptation.

“Fallout’s” greatest achievement is how well the look and feel of the games translate onto the screen. Every detail of the show is carefully crafted to be as close to the games as possible, and the use of practical effects for almost all of the visuals makes everything feel incredibly lifelike.  

As fans of the games know, interactions with the non-player characters (NPCs) who populate the wasteland can often be strange or uncanny. This aspect is, astonishingly, included in the show.  

Occasionally, characters in the show will deliver lines in a flat, almost robotic cadence meant to mimic the experience of interacting with an NPC in one of the games. While it may be jarring for newcomers to the series, veteran “Fallout” players and fans will already be in on the joke.

The show caters well to established “Fallout” fans, but viewers without prior knowledge of the series might feel disoriented by its more unorthodox elements. By trying to adapt hundreds of hours worth of background information and worldbuilding into an eight-episode television series, important information is sometimes glossed over, leaving unfamiliar viewers confused as to what’s going on. 

The best example is in the show’s second episode when The Enclave is mentioned without any context.  In the games, The Enclave is a morally dubious organization made up of the remnants of America’s government, military, and corporate powers, who survived the nuclear apocalypse. 

This is an incredibly important faction in the “Fallout” series, but it is not clearly explained in the show. It may be explored further in the show’s second season, but for those unfamiliar with the source material, it could be a sticking point for confusion.

Overall, the “Fallout” show is a nuclear blast for established fans, though it might struggle to convey its nuance to newcomers. The show manages to almost perfectly adapt the feel and visual style of its source material while telling an intriguing story at the same time. The series is a worthwhile watch for fans of zany science fiction, retrofuturistic aesthetics, post-apocalypse stories, or just bloody, gun-slinging adventure stories.  

Official Score: 8/10 

Categories: Arts & Entertainment