“Fallout” (Prime Video) S1 Review by Rafy Mediavilla (@Rmediavilla) #FalloutOnPrime
Based on one of the greatest video game series of all time, Fallout is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. 200 years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind — and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird, and highly violent universe waiting for them.
A little note before we dive into the review. I have to say that while I am not completely familiar with video games, meaning I have not played video games I am familiar with the setting and look and feel of the video game itself, not the stories behind the video games, I will look at the series the same way I did while reviewing the Halo (Paramount+) series as a stand-alone project.
With that being said, I am happy to report the second I finished the series, I basically binge-watched all 8 episodes in one day, because it episode ends in a killer cliffhanger that leaves you wanting to see more, to the point I ended up buying Fallout 4 and Fallout New Vegas to play on my Steam Deck since I feel reading the storylines of these videos and watching some gameplay on YouTube these two video games from the franchise and the one that are similar enough to the series to the point I think It will help with the craving of wanting to see more of Fallout till Season 2 comes out.
The production design, and the makeup, wardrobe, and hairstyling styling team deserve all the credit in the world for making this series as faithful as possible to what the video games feel and look like. The people studied the video games from start to finish and managed to replicate every single detail as seen in the video games within the series. From the wardrobe to the look and feel of the vaults, to the countless gadgets and gizmos as they appear on the video game. To the look and feel of the characters that surround the video games. The production design, and the makeup, wardrobe, and hairstyling styling team made the story that is not tied to the video game itself work, by giving us the spectator the experience of playing the video game without actually playing the video game.
Performance-wise. Will our lead character is Lucy MacLean, played by Ella Purnell, and her co-star during this first season is Maximus, played by Aaron Moten, I feel both Lucy and Maximus will play bigger roles in the story once we enter into Season 2 of the series. I say this because in season one we mostly entered into their character as we see a little bit of their backstory as we get introduced to them, I truly feel the full development of their character will be a focal point coming into season two. Their performances were great, but who truly shines in season one was actor Walton Goggins as Cooper Howard as his character goes through a rollercoaster of emotions having to see his family get destroyed by a nuclear blast, and having his life turn into this anti-hero type of persona who is constantly battling with his emotions.
I have to give honorable mentions to actor Moises Arias who plays Norm MacLean, and actress Sarita Choudhury who plays Lee Moldaver, because this series is so packed with awesome characters that much like Lucy and Maximus, their characters will also play pivotal roles once season two comes out.
Story-wise, I want to say this is where the story I feel parts ways with the video games. We are introduced to characters who were born and raised within the Vualt-tec world and have no real prior knowledge of the outside world, and most of the series is focused on these characters looking for answers regarding what is going on in the outside world. The expectation of Cooper Howard who is fully aware of what happens in the outside world, given the focal point of the aspect of the story when we put his perspective of what happens side by side with the people who live hidden in a Vault-tec vault. I loved how Cooper Howard’s character was developed for the series as we constantly see how his emotions change over time. I love how each episode keeps you wanting for more between Lucy and Norm searching for answers regarding their families, and Maximus’s search for purpose in this world.
In the end, “Fallout” on Prime Video is a must watch series regardless if you are a fan of the video game or not. It has a little of everything from mystery to social commentary and sarcastic tones that will have chuckling from time to time. I truly believe “Fallout” as a series has a lot of potential because of the nature of the store, and the idea of the many vaults that surround the Fallout universe within the story. Where the first couple of seasons we are focusing on Lucy’s family and their relationship with Vault-tec down the line ‘Fallout” as a series can deviate and focus on other Vault-tec vaulters and their stories, given they continue to recreate the auro behind the Fallout video games as well as the did for season one.
