Fallout Season 2 assessment: Viva New Vegas

The follow-up to a successful debut is usually tougher to make than the primary, and that goes double when the inspiration for a present comes from the most beloved installment of the underlying franchise. That is exactly the problem Fallout season 2 is going through because the TV sequence shifts its stage to the irradiated lights of New Vegas when the sequence returns on December 16 at 9PM ET/6PM PT on Prime Video. Nonetheless, whereas different online game variations like The Final of Us suffered from a little bit of a sophomore slump, Fallout continues to get extra crass, vulgar and abrasive in probably the most entertaining methods.

Editor’s notice: We have been offered the primary six of eight episodes of Fallout season 2 for this assessment, so if the ending of this season misses its touchdown, blame The Enclave. 

Season two picks up instantly after the primary as Lucy (performed by Ella Purnelle) and The Ghoul (Walton Goggins) make their approach throughout the wasteland in pursuit of Lucy’s father. And straight away, we’re immediately reminded of the magnetic chemistry between our main woman vault dweller and her endearing naivete and our post-apocalyptic cowboy with darkish pragmatism from having merely lived via an excessive amount of. This straightforward combo not solely typically offers the setup for Lucy’s signature catchphrase — which is each quaint and refreshing — it additionally units the stage for some attention-grabbing plot factors. Simply listening to The Ghoul say issues like “Do extra medication” with Goggin’s traditional drawl and with no trace of irony is an actual deal with.

One of many potential pitfalls of a second season although, is an expanded storyline. That is as a result of not like the Fallout video games the place you get to steer the motion, we’re simply right here for the trip as we flip between Lucy’s seek for her father, the existential crises going through a number of vaults and an expanded function for Maximus (Aaron Moten) as he instantly finds himself close to the highest of the Brotherhood of Metal’s org chart.

However one way or the other, the showrunners have managed to make every branching path simply as partaking because the others. There have been hints of his vary within the first season, however Moises Arias shines as Lucy’s brother Norm because the chief of a brand new crew (I am making an attempt to maintain this assessment as spoiler-free as attainable) whereas Annabel O’Hagan as Overseer Harper does a incredible job of switching between being out of her depth and fully unhinged at a second’s discover.

The one path that also feels prefer it hasn’t totally hit its stride is Maximus’, due largely to the truth that the character’s actions typically really feel like they’re influenced extra by circumstance than private company. In some methods, it is the continuation of somebody defining their very own morality, which hardly ever feels as convincing or pushed as somebody with a plan. However there’s nonetheless intrigue there too.

In the meantime, for followers of the video games, the variety of easter eggs and callbacks is downright pleasant. The set design and cinematography make the wasteland a personality in its personal proper, even when the very last thing I need to see is somebody eat flea soup. We’re additionally handled to an ever-growing zoography of nuclear critters akin to rad scorpions, all types of mutants and extra, together with appearances from iconic characters like everybody’s favourite cowboy-coded security robot. And I admire how the present spends a bit further time to go over the myriad of factions (like The Legion and the NCR), which pays homage to the core sequence whereas functioning as an attention-grabbing aspect quest on the similar time.

With this a lot occurring, it could be straightforward for a sequence to change into overburdened. However the pacing is not labored, as a result of whereas the present does not truly get to New Vegas till episode 4, the journey there was so entertaining that I did not thoughts. Maybe most significantly, though it could be inconceivable to fully recreate New Vegas on TV (since you’ll be able to’t select your personal journey right here like you’ll be able to within the sport), it actually appears like Fallout’s showrunners have nailed the stability between respecting the supply materials and tweaking the story to suit a special medium.

That is a giant credit score to the franchise, particularly coming from a style that always will get maligned for an absence of depth or nuance. However it’s additionally a tribute to this sequence, which continues to be a first-rate instance of methods to make the bounce from pixels to TV screens look gook. And after seeing The Final of Us stumble a bit throughout its second cour, I would even go as far as to say that Fallout is one of the best live-action online game crossover to this point.