Based on the hit video game “Fallout”, the show debuts with a strong narrative that brings viewers into a world ravaged by a nuclear apocalypse. Across its first four episodes, the show perfectly balances action with character development, offering a glimpse into the struggle for survival in a nuclear fallout. In the first four episodes, viewers are introduced to the three main characters, Lucy Maclean, Maximus, and Cooper Howard, A.K.A The Ghoul. Lucy lives in an underground vault with her family and crewmates in peace. However, a group of raiders attack the vault and kidnap Lucy’s father, who is the overseer in charge of the vault. Lucy takes it upon herself to leave the vault and venture off into the unknown to save her father. We then meet Maximus, a soldier who is a part of the Brotherhood of Steel, a group made up of former military soldiers before the nuclear fallout. Maximus is a squire and has been assigned a knight to work with on a bounty mission. After his knight dies, Maximus decides to take the knight’s armor and venture off to finish the mission and kill the bounty. Lastly, we meet Cooper Howard, a former Hollywood actor who is now a mutant cowboy terrorizing anyone who gets in his way. Cooper has been alive for over 2 centuries due to radiation poisoning because of the nuclear bombs (which we learn were dropped by Vault-Tec, a company that makes vaults similar to the one that Lucy lived in). After hearing about a large bounty for a scientist related to Vault-Tec, Cooper travels to secure the bounty and get his revenge on the company.
Before watching Fallout, I had never played the videogame and I did not know any of the lore or information regarding the storyline. The show filled in previous events from the game series that I was unaware of, which helped me understand location references and characters that appeared in the show. You don’t need to have played the video game series to enjoy this series. This show does a great job involving all of the three main characters in each episode, giving the characters an equal amount of screen time and the same level of importance. So far, the plot has been fascinating, and the pacing is well done – it was difficult to turn off the television at the end of episode 4! I’m very excited to finish the rest of the series (which I will review as well once completed)! I’m going to need to start playing the Fallout video games when I get a chance. At the halfway point of the show, I give Fallout a 10/10. The show has also been renewed for a second season, so watch Fallout on Amazon Prime before the next season arrives.
