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The post-apocalyptic TV series is back to its platform, and it's safe to say that fans were pleasantly surprised by the caliber of its first season. By portraying the atomic-age, post-apocalyptic United States through the lenses of three separate characters, it effectively portrayed different facets of the player's experience.

There was vault-dweller Lucy, attempting to act with integrity and finding that the wasteland made that very difficult; Max, the militant faction new recruit, who starts doubting his organization's leadership and causes plenty of trouble in powered exoskeleton; and Walton Goggins's character, a fan-favorite figure who has long since lost any ethical bearings out in the irradiated wilderness.

Setting the Stage for the Second Season

The debut season's finale unveiled key information about who helped cause the atomic conflict that trapped a group of people in bomb-proof bunkers for centuries. It also raised several enigmas unanswered for the next installment – and, on this occasion, expectations are much greater.

“We’ll take ‘not terrible’ – let’s get that on a poster,” says Jonah Nolan.

“Starting the first season, people were like, ‘Just get it right’,” adds Todd Howard. “We’re over the moon with the response to the show, so now people are bringing more eagerness and different expectations.”

A New Vegas Vibe for Season Two

The new season is taking place in the neon-lit city, the setting of the 2010’s game Fallout: New Vegas, which is often praised for having the best writing and cast in the series, despite the fact that it was somewhat buggy at launch.

“It’s more of a arid atmosphere, a Mojave vibe, that’s so key to that game,” explains Nolan. “That parched, desolate iconic highway aesthetic of the game is so much enjoyable to incorporate into the show.”

In the show's timeline, a significant amount of time has passed since the events of the New Vegas game by the time the characters arrive there. However, the creators indicate that it does reference the fan's adventure.

Crafting a Tangible World

The Fallout TV series is praised for its tangible quality – its production team ensured physical models and locations were fabricated, mirroring the makeshift nature of the outposts in the games.

“As a sci-fi fan, so many productions I watch, I’m conscious that they’re all filmed against a green screen,” says co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. “The primary goal of an adaptation, particularly of a video game, is to appear as if it’s real.”

Indeed, pretty much every element you see on-screen is real, even the notoriously frightening irradiated monsters known as the apex predators. In the show, they are brought to life with practical effects, and were by all accounts pretty frightening up close.

A Labor of Love

The Fallout series works because it is crafted by accomplished storytellers who are also passionate gamers, with the help of the game developers behind the video games. This common understanding for the world is evident in the final product.

The new batch of episodes is being released on a episode-by-episode basis rather than as a full-season drop, representing a shift from the initial release. This schedule will foster a altered weekly discussion, a dynamic the creators themselves are looking forward to witness.

“It has more depth, it’s larger in scale, it’s funnier, it has a lot of surprises,” promises Howard. “I’m looking forward to seeing what people think.”