Fallout is an unexpected masterpiece of game adaptation

Nicholas Grant

Amazon prime’s latest major release, Fallout, has earned its spot in the top four of the streaming services returning releases, and rightfully so. The post-apocalyptic sci-fi made its debut back in 2024 where it garnered attention for being one of the few good video game adaptations, along with HBOs hit series, The Last of Us. But you don’t need to be a fan of the video games to enjoy this series. The show is well stylized, funny and interesting. It’s sure to hold the attention of viewers unfamiliar with the games, even in a world where thousands of titles are available on demand.

Back in 2024, Fallout’s first season was released, and to the surprise of many reviewers in the mainstream, it was actually a pretty good show. Despite the notable names behind the series (Johnathan Nolan and Lisa Joy: the creators of Westworld), those following the show’s development were skeptical that a video game adaption could tell the story and get the tone right. Fallout proved them all wrong though, with its dark, funny tone and its faithful adaptation, and entrancing world and tension. 

Fallout is set in a post-apocalyptic world, where nuclear bombs destroyed civilization. There were a fortunate few who hid themselves away in vaults in anticipation for the end of the world. Fast forward 200 years later, and enter our first of three main characters: Lucy (Ella Purnell). She’s the descendant of people living in one of those vaults, until one day, tragedy struck at home. She bid farewell to the comfort of her safe, secluded vault life, and into the Wasteland. Lucy’s values, born and bred from a peaceful vault life, are hard to reconcile with the lawlessness of the surface. Our other main character, is Cooper Howard (Walton Goggins), a nearly “immortal” ghoul who’s survived the war and still lives on. He’s an actor turned cowboy and bounty hunter of the Wasteland, and every moment he’s on screen is magnetic to say the least. Our last main character is Maximus, a member of a post war faction: The Brotherhood of Steel. Maximus (Aaron Moten) is a kind, although a bit dim, aspiring member of the Brotherhood of Steel, he starts off in a training camp where he hopes to one day become a knight of the order that saved his life as a child. 

Where Fallout really shines, is how it tells its stories: with comedy, irony, and plenty of it. It’s a silly show with silly characters that inhabit such a serious and grim world. The tone is complimented excellently by the soundtrack, which is usually happy-go-lucky with ironic undertones. The show’s elements work together brilliantly to show the silliness and humour of the situations the characters find themselves in, just like the game. Additionally, Fallout so excellently builds tension through its use of pre and post nuclear war scenes to both contrast and parallel each other. It keeps you guessing as the intrigue and suspense is built on both sides, and as we see our characters unravel. The character of Cooper Howard is one of the many highlights of the show. The superstar actor, turned horribly irradiated and nearly immortal from the nuclear fallout, is tied fundamentally to the plot, where his character shines on both sides of the timeline.

That said, Fallout isn’t a perfect show. It definitely has some issues that might turn people away, for one, the gore is a little much, and the show uses violence and gore a bit gratuitously at times. Though blood and guts are a-plenty in the Fallout games, it’s not really necessary in TV, and doesn’t serve the same kind of purpose it does in the games. There are many gory moments that just felt unnecessary and a bit too over-the-top. While Fallout always remains interesting, it stalls at times, more so in the beginning of season 2, than in season 1, but it’s a small stain on an otherwise very well paced show.

Fallout all-in-all is an excellent video game adaptation, and a pretty damn good show that deserved a little more attention than it got in last year’s Emmy’s. If you’re someone who has played the games, or someone who appreciates a funny, post-apocalyptic sci-fi, this show is for you. As long as you’re not so bothered by its gore and violence. It’s a wonderfully crafted world that blends drama, comedy and thriller elements so, so well.