Fallout series (2024)
For as long as I can remember, I have been a die-hard fan of the Fallout video game franchise. I mean that as in I legitimately don’t remember how or when I became a Fallout fan but I was hooked immediately. I played Fallout 3 first before moving on to New Vegas and Fallout 4 once it was released. I even went back and played the original 2 games in 2018. Over the years my views on Fallout as a franchise and Bethesda as a whole began to shift, but that is a story for another time. But I still love those games and I still replay 3 and New Vegas often. When a show for the franchise was announced, I was skeptical for a few reasons, the primary reason being I was concerned about the show’s setting, being the ruins of Los Angeles, interfering with the established lore of the first two games of the series as well as New Vegas. After watching through the show with my brother I can safely say that, while there are a few lore inconsistencies, which will be discussed, and some confusing elements about the story, my initial concerns were unfounded and I thoroughly enjoyed the show, and even loved many aspects of it. So without further ado, here is my review of the Fallout TV show. I will try to keep this review as spoiler free as possible but if I do spoil anything I do apologize but you have been warned. Also, this is my first ever review of something, so this is probably may not be as professional as I'd like, but here goes.
Sets
The sets of the show are expertly done, with props scattered throughout the series that any fan of the game would be able to recognize such as Sugar Bombs, Nuka-Cola and stimpacks. The show could easily not have done this but they went that extra mile to make the props and costumes truly feel like Fallout. Everything like the Pip-Boy devices on the arms of Vault Dwellers, to the scattered husks of the iconic robots found in the show to the Power Armor worn by members of the Brotherhood of Steel and the notable weapons found from then games. The buildings and ruins of the world that the characters roam around are haunting to see with the many skeletons found in the outside world doing well to highlight the haunting reality of this new world. Overall, they really went all out and pulled out all the stops to truly make this world feel like the world of Fallout
Sets: 10/10
Setting and Atmosphere
Set 219 years after nuclear Armageddon, the Fallout franchise has always been known for its wild, wacky and darkly comedic tones scattered throughout the barren wasteland. Stuff like the Wild Wasteland perk of New Vegas and the Republic of Dave in Fallout 3 made the game what it is and the show captures this to a T. Stuff like a strange snake oil salesman character and people with funny looking deformities living underground along with the occasional quirky dialog give the show the dark humor and wackiness and atmosphere that fans expected. There were many moments where I and my brother were laughing our asses off at the sudden wild and in your face moments that come when you least expect it and it left me with the feeling that the creators of the show truly understood what kind of tone the series needed to have for the fans to enjoy it.
Setting and Atmosphere: 10/10
Story
The story of the show itself is, in my opinion, a bit of a mixed bag. Without getting too far into it, the creators went and made some stuff happen in the story and the world at large that I do not think should have been done or that I would have done. Several story beats make little sense if you pause to think about it and there are a couple lore inconsistencies that some believe break the world’s lore. Personally, I feel that these inconsistencies are not exactly lore breaking but instead are just poorly explained and probably needed much better context then what was given. This has led to a bit of controversy and a sort of civil war in the fanbase between those that claim the show almost completely ruins the events of some of the games and those that believe that this breaks nothing and that the other side are a bunch of whiny fanboys upset at nothing. I lean somewhere in the middle. I believe that these issues can break the lore but that the fanbase hasn’t given the creators time to explain anything either in interviews or in the probably inevitable future seasons. Still, disregarding these inconsistencies, the story is incredibly enjoyable and is a great intro to the world of Fallout for newcomers while also having enough Easter eggs and background tidbits that fans can easily catch. It is important to remember that this is an incomplete story and until any future seasons are announced then we cannot take these inconsistencies as the destruction of the lore of the story.
Story: 7/10
The Rest
This is where I discuss everything I feel I am not qualified enough to talk about. I don’t really have an ear for good or bad acting (unless it’s truly horrendous) but I really enjoyed every character’s performances (as always, Walton Goggins f’ing kills it in everything he is in) and didn’t think anything bad about any of the acting.
The effects of the show are a bit hit and miss. Some of the CGI is down right cartoonish or straight up bad but not all of it. Practically, the make up was great, especially that of the Ghouls and it really looked like everyone had been living in a post apocalyptic wasteland.
Cinematography was good, nothing world breaking but it was visually appealing.
The score was just as haunting as other Fallout games and I really enjoyed the numerous inclusions of oldies songs that Fallout has loved to use since the first game’s opening cinematic
Editing was fine, there are quite a few long pauses of black screen that transition to another scene and those get annoying after a while but I’m not sure how you do better.
The Rest: 9/10
Overall the Fallout show is everything that a video game adaptation should be . It encapsulates everything that a game adaptation should be without all of the unnecessary stuff that usually ruins these productions. I still remember a time where no one wanted to adapt video games because the ones that did failed miserably at it. But this show truly, beyond a shadow of a doubt, IS Fallout at its very best. Those that are deeply invested in that lore have drawn up many criticisms that I feel have merit but the outrage is a bit much for an unfinished show. But for newcomers of the franchise this is the perfect hopping on point and I can honestly say that I am relieved to not have to add Fallout onto the list of my favorite franchises that Hollywood hasn’t ruined.
Overall: 8/10
Thanks for reading this review. I really wanted to get my thoughts out on this since I love and care about this franchise so much. I don’t know if I’ll do more of these but we’ll see, I’m always trying to improve how I write. In any case, have an awesome day.
Kris B.
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