The Beginning

I started watching "Fallout" with a mix of skepticism and curiosity. I usually avoid series because I tend to get tired of them quickly, so I went into "Fallout" with low expectations. However, I quickly became fascinated in a way I hadn't experienced with a series in a long time. This production not only respects the key elements of the video games it adapts but also integrates them into the narrative in a genuinely engaging and respectful manner. As a fan of the games, it was a relief and a joy to see the universe I admire so much being adapted so competently.

One of "Fallout's" greatest achievements is its narrative. Full of intense plots and captivating characters, the series grips us from the first episode. The three protagonists, each with their own story and personal motivations, intertwine organically, creating a web of intrigue that keeps us eager to uncover their outcomes. The solid and striking performances by the actors significantly contribute to this immersion, bringing the characters to life in such a natural way.

Visually, "Fallout" is a masterpiece. Although it has a more colorful tone than the games, the settings and characterizations remain faithful to the identity established by the saga. Every detail, from the post-apocalyptic wreckage to the retro-futuristic attire, the dystopian and perilous world, but also the music, presents everything that fans of the games love so much.

In the end, "Fallout" is more than just a video game adaptation; it's a lesson in how to honor and expand an intellectual property. With an engaging narrative, high-level performances, and stunning visual aesthetics, the series proves to be a magnificent experience that satisfies both longtime fans and a new audience. It's the purest example of how videogame adaptations should be.

The amount of hype and expectations I had for this show was close to zero. Then, when I learned Johnathan Nolan was attached, I grew some faith. But almost nothing could have convinced me this was not going to be another Rings of Power debacle... or Paramount Halo debacle.

I have never been happier to be wrong in my life!

Fallout in a word is phenomenal! It is without a doubt an all-around amazing TV show. As a huge fan of the games and having fond memories of coming home from school every day to boot up my Xbox to play Fallout 3 or Fallout New Vegas, I am extremely satisfied.

This show is just d*mn near perfection, and I do not use that word lightly. Everything in this show is Fallout! The tone, the atmosphere, the story, and its characters. It is all faithful to the source material.

The whole show just made me feel like I was playing Fallout. How everything progressed, how reveals came to light, how Lucy played fantastically by Ella Purnell reminded me of the first time I played Fallout. As a gamer, there is just so much to love here!

The story is great, the writing is great, the performances are great, the music is great. Everything is fantastically well made!

From the sights and sounds to the radroaches, 10 mm pistol, stimpacks, radaway, and its quirky charm, this is without a doubt the best video game adaptation I have seen in my life!

Words alone can not describe the sheer happiness and joy this show has brought me. Then that ending teasing the great possibilities to come... well, let's just say I screamed! There were absolutely no shortage of fan boy moments.

If there was ever a reason to subscribe to Prime, well look no further because Fallout is that reason! If this quality maintains, then I am extremely excited for the future of this show.

Now, if you'll execuse me, it's time to boot up the ol 360 the Mojave wasteland awaits... and well war... war never changes!

IMDb: 10/10 Letterboxd: 5/5

Watched on Prime Video in 4k Dolby Vision.

Not gonna spoil.... 3D print this episode out and make it a blurprint for less worth shows to aspire to when some writers lapse. Kudos to this team and Prime as a whole for keeping their hands off and ensuring this show stays legit. It's a model for other intellectual sci-fi/weirdo content to stay true to the original subject matter. Less said is more, which is that so hard to figure out?

Not gonna spoil.... 3D print this episode out and make it a blurprint for less worth shows to aspire to when some writers lapse. Kudos to this team and Prime as a whole for keeping their hands off and ensuring this show stays legit. It's a model for other intellectual sci-fi/weirdo content to stay true to the original subject matter.

If you come to "Fallout," as I did, not knowing the games, you might want to Google the backstory. Otherwise you're sure to be puzzled.

The first scene of the show occurs in the year 2077, however, the furniture, clothing, hair styles and electronics are totally1950s era. The only thing out of place is a fleeting glance at a robot. It says to the lady of the house: "Ready to be of service, madam."

The explanation? We are viewing an American /Earth alternate universe. Apparently the fear of nuclear war, which gripped our America after WW2, was so extreme that it's stunted this America's social & technological growth. In many ways, leaving America style-stuck in the fifties.

The stunted technological growth has prevented the invention of the transistor and circuit boards. That's why radios, TVs and such are all still dependent on Tube Technology.

And so it seems, from the building fear of Nuclear war in the 1950's, up to the first scene of this show, in 2077, America's industry have focused their efforts on building elaborate life-sustaining vaults. These are designed to house Americans underground. Thus keeping an elite segment of the population safe from nuclear war FALLOUT.

That is a clever premise indeed. Making this dystopian universe unlike most others. Frankly I had grown a bit tired of shows exploring apocalyptic and dystopian worlds. Especially the ones which are midnight-dark and depressing. Happily, that's not the case with Fallout. While some scenes are genuinely terrifying, there are more than enough scenes which treat us to intelligent and logically placed comedy.

Another factor which lightens the brooding atmosphere is the (song) music which is appropriate to the action and interspersed throughout each episode. Mostly vocal selections from the 40s and 50s.

The incidental music is composed by Game of Thrones genius Ramin Djawadi. It's excellent. And if you normally skip the end titles, don't. The graphics are different for each ending and they are accompanied by beautuful Djawadi compositions.

While Fallout may not be the greatest science fiction episodic series, it's among the best. It's original enough not to be hackneyed. The acting is solid, the CGI is excellent, the scripts are good and this all provides for some terrific sci-fi entertainment.

A lot of people would argue that we're living in a Golden Age for video game adaptations, and with the releases of "The Last of Us" and now "Fallout," one could argue that they were right. It's only a few years ago that a new video game adaptation was doomed from the start, but they've proved that a lot can be achieved through solid storytelling. This final episode rounds out a season-long arc and sets the stage for exciting things to happen in the future, and it's one of the more exciting finales that I've seen in a while, because of some insanely fun writing.

In this post-apocalyptic world, it's great to see that the writers are taking such a personal angle to the bigger picture. The episode's big twist could have easily been effective on the merits of what it means, but because of the personal connections between these characters, it takes the big scale of everything and turns it into an intimate discovery of treachery and betrayal that has big impacts on these characters, especially Lucy McLean, who has gone through a huge character journey throughout this show and is spun in a direction that will surely make for an interesting dynamic in future seasons. And the personal angle is featured in all the individual storylines that come to an exciting climax in this episode, but despite some characters ending their arcs in triumph, the episode has a constant somber tone throughout. It's a deliberate choice for sure, and it works wonders, because there's a lot of unfinished business to attend to before this world can have a happy future. The adaptation here has gone beyond a simple adaptation of the games, and have used the intricacies of an incredible world to form their own story and it certainly shows that there's a medium for everything, because as a show, this has the opportunity to do so much. It was a delight following it, but seeing where the finale ended up and how it sets the stage for the future, it's a show that I will definitely have to keep up with when it returns, hopefully very soon.

"The Beginning" certainly feels like the beginning of a new chapter that will jump off of what this episode gave us, which was pretty perfect. The personal angle makes it all work, and despite the fun of the big scales and the action sequences, it's the characters and their struggles that keep us coming back.