“Fallout”, released on April 10 on Amazon Prime, is a show based on the hit game Series of the same name. It takes place in the year 2296, over two hundred years after the world came to an end via nuclear destruction during the Great War of 2077. Most of Humanity was scorched, save for those who found safety in the U. S’s many Vaults designed by Vault-Tec, remaining in isolation while the rest of the world burned. Now the once great United States of America has been turned into a desolate wasteland comprised of mutated monstrosities and factions each with their own end goal.
The story follows three characters, each with their own motives. The first of our trio is Lucy, played by Ella Purnell. Lucy is a Vault Dweller of Vault 33, who was supposed to get married to another Vault Dweller of Vault 32, only to discover the residents of 32 were supposedly killed by a group of raiders led by a woman named Moldaver. Lucy’s father ends up being taken away as a result, leading Lucy to leave the vault herself to find him in the vast world above.
Next, we have Maximus, played by Aaron Moten. Maximus is a member of the Brotherhood of Steel, a faction who uses pre-war tech to collect pre-war tech to make sure no one else has pre-war tech. He doesn’t share the same terroristic motives the faction has and over the course of the story he begins to doubt the Brotherhood and his place there.
Finally, we have Cooper Howard, aka. The Ghoul, played by Walton Goggins. He’s a former actor turned Bounty Hunter after becoming ghoulified when the bombs dropped in 2077. Throughout the show we go back and forth from past and present learning of who he was and how he came to be the ruthless man of the 23rd century.
Each of he three characters become intertwined with a member of The Enclave, a deserter, after they have taken a valuable object that could change the Wasteland forever. They would have to bring the deserter’s head to their respective destinations to achieve their goal, and only fate would determine if they succeeded.
There’s also a side plot focusing on the residents of Vault 33 as they begin to grow suspicious of the mystery behind the death of Vault 32’s residents and what lies behind Vault 31.
Ella does a good job playing Lucy in the series; starting off as a naïve person doing whatever she can to maintain her morals in a world that forsaken them long ago, slowly adapting to her surroundings overtime. The same goes for Walton as The Ghoul; he does an amazing job playing a mercenary cowboy who knows everything about the Wasteland and what it takes to survive.
The show does a wonderful job in creating the world of Fallout with all the sets and scenes resembling the feel of the games themselves; from the power armor suits, to the locations and the people who live in them. It also does a good job in recreating the feeling of the games, such as the slow-motion effects of Fallouts V.A.T.S system and the fear of encountering some of the more lethal monsters that exist in the world. The choice of music from the 40s-50s-60s also gives the show a timeless feeling.
While portraying an entertaining story, the show occasionally fails to deliver on the storyline. While it isn’t too complicated, it retcons some of “Fallout’s” canon, leaving fans of the games confused by what did and what didn’t happen.
Overall, the show is a great addition to the Fallout timeline, expanding the world more than ever. You can watch all eight episodes of the first season on Amazon Prime, and there’s more to come with season two confirmed. So, whether you’ve played the games, or are just a big fan of action and violence, this show is for you.
Lee Cloward can be reached at [email protected]