Fallout made a surprising splash in 2024 with its first season, with many claiming it was a rare gem in a sea of unsatisfying video game adaptations. I, myself, was also pleasantly surprised by the show, after worrying that the narrative would find itself astray from the themes and lore of the games. Luckily, I was proven wrong, and was even more excited when it was teased that the show’s second season would center around the characters’ journey to the legendary New Vegas. Now that season two is out, how does it measure up? I’d say that Fallout season two is a hit for sure, but not without its flaws.
Ain’t That A Kick in the Head?
Season two picks up right where the last season ended. Lucy (Ella Purnell) and The Ghoul/Cooper Howard (Walton Goggins) have set off for New Vegas in search of Lucy’s father, Hank (Kyle MacLachlan), while Maximus (Aaron Moten) reconvenes with the Brotherhood of Steel. These plotlines, along with those in the vaults, make up the core narrative of the season. With our characters more separated than ever, and with the general narrative having a definitively less clear endpoint than that of the first season, it sometimes feels like the show has trouble juggling all of its subplots.
For instance, Norm’s (Moises Arias) subplot sees him leading a group of seemingly clueless vault dwellers through the wasteland, and slowly beginning to uncover the truth about Vault-Tec’s intentions. Unfortunately, this plot line is constantly faced with cutaways, and is ultimately left open-ended so that it can presumably be continued in season three. It’s frustrating because the show is constantly presenting really intriguing situations, often laden with heaps of lore implications, but just before the narrative threatens to go somewhere, we cut to another perspective. At one point, the Brotherhood of Steel plot is essentially put on hold, and we are given only a mere tease in the finale as to how this may conclude.
Ultimately, I think this is the consequence of the show having only eight episodes to a season. Plenty of scenes love to take their time and meander, often at the expense of other scenes. While it feels frustrating in that regard, I’m not actually against the meandering. This is a television show where we are ultimately immersing ourselves in the journey of these characters, which permits some stopping to smell the proverbial flowers. What I do have a problem with, however, is the other subplots being cut short. Even just a couple extra episodes would have made this show’s pacing much better, and we would be able to experience the full scope that the creators are clearly going for.
A Wasteland Recreated
New Vegas is a bit of a delicate topic with the fans of the Fallout franchise. The setting was introduced in Obsidian’s 2010 Fallout: New Vegas, often touted as the best game in the series, or at least the best game since the series switched to the modern role-playing game format. So, when it was revealed that we were going to Vegas in the second season, it was clear there was a lot to tackle here. How would Amazon deal with the plethora of factions with storied histories, or all of the iconic landmarks from the game, or even on the fact that the fate of the Mojave wasteland changes drastically based on the player’s choices? The first season may have stayed mostly faithful, but this would prove to be an entirely different beast.
Luckily, I’d say that season two stays mostly faithful to the games, and provides a decently adequate followup to the open-ended New Vegas. I won’t spoil exactly how the show interprets the end of the game, but suffice to say that there’s a little here for fans of all the main factions. The New California Republic, as well as the Legion both have substantial presence in the Mojave. Better yet, Mr. House (Justin Theroux) plays a massive role in this season, especially in the pre-war flashbacks with the pre-ghoulified Cooper Howard. Most impressive are the appearances of the iconic Deathclaws, giant hybrid monsters that prowl the wasteland. They are made with some stunning practical effects here, and they truly do feel imposing. While there are some discrepancies, I ultimately found myself pretty satisfied with the show’s depiction of the iconic wasteland.
Joining the Party
At the heart of Fallout’s success is its characters. Much like the games, there is a massive and varied cast of characters here, and their interactions shape the narrative into something that is not just enjoyable, but oftentimes incredibly intriguing. The dynamic between the endlessly optimistic Lucy and the aged and nihilistic Cooper is wonderful, as we get to see how these characters clash with each other, but also how their worldviews might rub off on each other. Norm’s newfound disillusionment with the Vault-Tec corporate ideology allows him to grow as a character, and seeing him take a leadership role is a delight to watch.
Kyle Maclachlan gets much more to do this season as Hank. Now the central antagonist of the season, we see him scheming and inflicting cruelty on the denizens of the wasteland, all while sporting the iconic Vault-Tec corporate courtesy. Another elevated character is Johnny Pemberton as Thaddeus, now morphing into some sort of mutant after ingesting a mysterious substance in the first season. Thaddeus is admittedly mostly comic relief, with his incompetent eagerness painting him to be a bit of a bumbling fool, but he also serves as a light in the dark alongside Maximus, as both share a more hopeful outlook on the future of the wasteland.
The House Always Wins
At the end of the day, Fallout season two delivers an entertaining season of television, if a bit short. Through fun characters and a legendary wasteland brought to life, the show presents a narrative worthy of the games, complete with iconic factions, conspiracy, and post-apocalyptic action. While an extra episode or two would have really elevated this season, there’s still a lot to love here, and I’m ultimately satisfied with what we’ve been given. Season three can’t come soon enough.
Sources: IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, IMDb, BethesdaSoftworks, IMDb, IMDb
Images: Amazon MGM Studios
