Fallout (by Amazon Prime)

Fallout is an Amazon TV show based on one of the most successful franchises in video game history. The mythology of the Fallout world always follows a protagonist (AKA the player) momentously stepping out of an underground nuclear vault shelter centuries after a devastating nuclear war and exploring the mutated dangers of the vast post-apocalyptic wasteland set within a retro-futuristic world. Movie adaptations always make me skeptical at some level. Normally, I feel they turn out to be poor imitations of the original, reflect a lack of creativity from the industry, and encourage a bad habit of almost plagiarism. I can think of a plethora of popular video games that fell victim to movie adaptations: Halo on Paramount, Monster Hunter, Warcraft, Tomb Raider, Mortal Kombat, Uncharted... while The Witcher on Netflix and The Last of Us are the only decently well-adapted TV shows in recent years. So when Fallout was announced as the movie industry’s next victim, I rolled my eyes and braced myself for the worst. But I was glad to be proven wrong.

The protagonist momentously steps out of an underground nuclear vault shelter.

Amazon’s Fallout is one of the most faithful adaptations that I have watched. From beginning to end, I felt invested in the characters shaped by the different dangers of the post-apocalyptic world, the wasteland environment, and, most importantly, the homage paid to all the preceding games through the soundtrack, Easter eggs, and subplots. Partly, I enjoyed this show more than I should because I am a video game geek. Yet, I think those new to this franchise can appreciate the superb acting from the main cast and the sweet balance between the dire and goofy moods of a nuclear wasteland, which has not been done masterfully before in other movies or shows.

Fallout 4, a favourite game of mine.

To me, there were three outstanding features of Amazon’s Fallout that won the hearts of fans and thus earned a second season. First, the world of Fallout is very amenable to multiple storylines as long as core elements are present; writers are not pressured to follow an already existing script to the tee and risk pissing fans off with holier-than-thou, uninformed changes. So this show, in fact, adds more to the lore of the overall Fallout universe and avoids the problem of being a poor imitation of the original. Secondly, I can tell the writers and production team either are fans themselves or studied the source material very well. They applied music from past games, ensured accurate designs for props, and incorporated many lores that touch on fan-favorite factions of the Fallout world. Thirdly, I have to give credit to Todd Howard, the video game director of the current Fallout franchise, for ensuring continuity between the games and the TV series. From my readings, he and his company were approached multiple times about an adaptation since 2008, but turned down several proposals that did not meet their vision. Their patience has finally been rewarded. The many years of battling the tantalizing offers and instant gratification of a Hollywood adaptation have amounted to a terrific product that elevates the Fallout franchise.

My favourite photo. Everything from the decrepit shack to the withered trees just screams Fallout.

Amazon’s Fallout may be a great show, but more importantly, a lesson to all filmmakers on how to properly approach adaptations and consider fan interests, which is to “give the fans what they want.”