Amazon’s Fallout Is Everything We Want In A Video Game Adaptation (Spoilers)
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Fallout, Amazon’s highly-anticipated live-action adaptation of the popular video game series, premiered last Thursday, April 11th, and I am not alone in having binged all eight episodes over the weekend. At this point, I want to confess that I have never played any of the Fallout games – and I hadn’t even heard about the Amazon show before its release. I went into episode one with no context and no expectations. I came out the other side a changed person. Needless to say, there are spoilers ahead (if you haven’t yet watched the show, check out our spoiler-free article).
Fallout is based on a series of open-world role-playing games (RPGs) in which Earth has been decimated by nuclear warfare. It’s been 219 years since the bombs dropped and the world exists in a state of relentless deprivation and desperation. Below ground, the Vault dwellers are isolated from the rest of humankind and know only what history – and their leaders – have told them. Above ground, humans struggle, mutated creatures roam, wars are waged, and survival demands that you kill or be killed.
The way the show is crafted around the games’ open-world setting and role-playing nature is expertly done. By having the audience follow three distinct and very different characters, there is a feeling of exploring various types of gameplay. The many supporting characters (some of whom deserve a show of their own) and side stories showcase the games’ rich lore and extensive world-building in a way that celebrates old fans and entices newcomers.
Our three main characters – Lucy (Ella Purnell), Maximus (Aaron Moten), and The Ghoul (Walton Goggins) – are original creations of the show. I think this was a great decision by the creators. It brings freshness to the story for old fans and doesn’t give new fans the feeling of being out of their depth. The characters themselves initially appear to occupy straightforward roles – Lucy the naive heroine, Maximus the stoic hero, and The Ghoul the cynical antihero – but clever writing, excellent timing, and a healthy dose of bloodthirstiness breathe fresh life into these stereotypes. Yes, Lucy is wide-eyed, trusting, and believes in doing unto others as you would have done unto you. She also kicks ass and takes names. Sexually liberated, supremely practical, and impressively resourceful, Lucy has become one of my favorite characters of all time. Golden rule, mother f*er.
The Ghoul, on the other hand, plays into the stereotype of the hardened bounty hunter, prepared to do anything and everything to get what he wants. The more time he spends on screen, the more determined he seems to play the part of the bad guy. At the same time, we the audience are privy to flashbacks to his life in pre-apocalyptic times – his life as a Hollywood star, a father, a husband, and the poster boy for Vault-Tec. The show does an excellent job of contrasting pre- and post-war times through this lens, slowly teasing the answers to our many burning questions.
An aspiring knight of the Brotherhood of Steel, Maximus has the backstory and self-importance of a hero, but he has some unnerving aspects to his character too. Early on, he confesses that he is glad his friend is too injured to take their place as a squire; later, he chooses to watch his knight die and promptly assumes his armor and his identity. While other characters (in particular, Lucy) proclaim that Maximus is a good person, I have my doubts. I would say that his motivations are unfailingly self-serving, and I wonder if his interests will conflict with those of our other protagonists in future.
The show’s pre-apocalyptic setting is almost as fascinating as its main storyline. Canonically, the bombs were dropped in 2077, but the pre-apocalyptic setting is akin to America of the 1950s and 60s, with the music, black-and-white TV, and rampant fear of communism that characterized those decades. But there are key differences that the show slowly and teasingly reveals, including race integration, gender equality, and technological advancements. The pacing of flashbacks is well-handled and doesn’t distract from the central plot; something that is quite reminiscent of HBO’s Westworld. Given that two of the producers of Fallout, Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan (who also directed the first 3 episodes), also worked on Westworld, it isn’t surprising to see some of the best elements of that show brought back in Fallout.
One thing that can’t be said enough is that the Fallout soundtrack is phenomenal. The 1950s style is unique, vibrant, and impactful, often contrasting the crooning or playful melody with scenes of desolation and horror. From Sheldon Allman’s Crawl Out Through The Fall Out to Don’t Fence Me In by Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters to The Ink Spots’ We Three (My Echo, My Shadow, and Me), the songs are perfectly chosen, perfectly timed, and perfectly right for this story and how it’s told.
Fallout is everything a TV adaptation of a video game should be. The writing is clever, the humor is well-timed, the characters are engaging and flawed, and there is so much more I want to know about this world. Maybe it’s enough for me to say that I can’t wait for season 2 – and that I really want to try the video games.
What did you think of Amazon’s Fallout? Are you a fan of the games or a newcomer like me? Let us know in the comments, and tell me which game I should play first. And don’t forget to sign up to our email list to get Finds of the Week and our free newsletter, PopPulse Digest, delivered straight to your inbox.
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