‘Fallout’ Season 2 Review – New Monsters Raise Wasteland Stakes

Navigating the translation of gaming history into television and film is a thankless task, often bogged down by over-critical fans unsatisfied by the lack of deeper lore, references and accuracy to the original format. New interpretations of beloved media rarely unanimously stick the landing, yet Amazon Prime’s Fallout Season 1 achieved this remarkable feat, securing 16 Emmy nominations, 1 Emmy Win and high praise from fans of both old and new. With Season 1 debuting nearly 2 years ago, anticipation for the resolution of cliffhangers and unresolved mysteries is palpable, leaving audiences itching for a return to Fallouts retro-futuristic irradiated wasteland littered with monsters both human and unexplainable. 

Fallout Season 1 followed Vault Dweller Lucy, played by Ella Purnell (Yellowjackets), embarking on a journey to rescue her kidnapped father and Vault’s overseer, Hank (Kyle MacLachlan), who carried an unexpected twist; being a focal player behind the nuclear destruction of America.  Accompanied by Walton Goggins (The White Lotus) as The Ghoul/Cooper Howard, and the Brotherhood of Steel’s squire Maximus (Aaron Moten) their journeys with Lucy intertwined, overlapped and occasionally conflicted. Relationships evolved beyond their survivalist instincts, relying on one another for the resolution of their individual goals – even if do-gooder Lucy occasionally failed to recognise these ulterior motives. From refreshingly creative title cards to explosive battles against Deathclaws, Fallout Season 2 returns with renewed quality, higher stakes and passion for finer details. 

Season 2 returns where it left off, as Lucy and The Ghoul hunt the escaped Hank to New Vegas, an infamous location amongst gaming fans linked to Vault-Tec’s evil empire in the nuclear dystopia. Finding audiences in familiar surroundings and no time jump to cause confusion, the action begins immediately. Early episodes remain entertaining, but emerge less seamless than the prior season, stumbling somewhat in the larger narrative and struggling to grasp a consistent momentum. This typically slow-paced energy proves a slight annoyance when compared to its predecessor, but soon becomes thrilling and unstoppable when the stakes are raised. 

Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks), Hank, rightfully earns bountiful screen presence throughout Season 2, fleshing out the sinister plotline he chases. Being previously limited in this element for the pursuit of an atmospheric mystery, unforeseen twists continue to deliver gripping drama through the brilliance of The Ghoul’s pre-atomic flashbacks. Golden Globe winner MacLachlan is expectedly superb, delivering subtle mannerisms and psychotic undertones to his logical, yet twisted, scientist persona. However, Ella Purnell’s Lucy suffers a slight reduction in early plot significance due to this, taking a backseat for exploration of The Ghoul’s, Hank’s and Mr House’s relationship. Much to the pleasure of his fanatics, Goggins’ bathes in this limelight, elevating his performance alongside Justin Theroux’s (Mulholland Drive) secretive RobCo CEO Mr House, as he aims to unravel the enigma surrounding of America’s planned nuclear annihilation during pre-war sequences. 

Purnell may feature less as the protagonist of Season 2, but her affable, can-do, overly trusting attitude continues to infuse Lucy with an undeniable charm that spawns the series’ heart. Etching the series into gaming adaptation history, her stellar performances capturing the special essence of the franchise. Audiences will recognise the character becoming increasingly muted to the belligerent chaoticness of the wasteland, frequently testing her moral compass and marking the root of her newfound mission. Unconvinced by her hardiness, Goggins’ stoic Ghoul routinely questions her ability to strive outside the vault and bring her father to justice, occasionally proven correct in doing so. Yet this musters a captivating determination, and truly hilarious laughs, that Purnell carries from script to screen exceptionally. A performance guaranteed to leave audiences craving a depth to the character slightly richer than what Season 2 provides.  

Minor criticisms largely stem from Lucy given little mystery to continuously explore, having already uncovered the atrocities surrounding her father and now solely geared towards actioning consequences. Minimal effort within her storyline is made to actually replace this puzzle, leaving Lucy’s writing feeling occasionally one dimensional, even when Purnell delightfully ups the zaniness. Ultimately, the flaws within Fallout’s return resides in a congested aspiration to revisit minor side plots alongside Lucy, The Ghoul, Vault 31, 32, 33, Maximus, The Brotherhood of Steel, Hank and elaborate upon the unfolding of the atomic war – a difficult task given an episode count of 8. Similarly, Aaron Morten’s (Emancipation) Maximus suffers a disappointing seperation from Lucy and The Ghoul for much of Season 2, a character best thriving when previously paired on-screen with the vault dweller.

Alongside gorgeous sets, impeccably detailed prosthetics and practical, full-sized power armours within the Brotherhood of Steel, an intelligent goofiness blesses Season 2, never crossing the line into unbelievable outlandishness. Boasting sensational humour, colourful personalities and characteristics attributed to much of the game’s success, Fallout’s atomic wasteland returns as immersive as ever. Encouraging riveting and phenomenal fun in the absence of mystery, making some narrative limitations surprisingly easy to gloss over. Introductions of new, highly craved, wasteland creatures, created by incredible VFX, tease fans of the series, poking fun at their impatience as the writers asking for a little more before high-stakes action. Whilst disappointment with Lucy’s screentime may be expected, the freedom and evolution it allows The Ghoul makes this nearly worthwhile, inspiring emotional drama given the familial ties he possesses to Vault-Tec. 

Whilst a minor step down from Season 1’s heights, Fallout Season 2 showcases an earnest love for source material that came before, yet a desire to evolve into a unique storytelling experience. From fan favourite monsters to incredible pre-war depth, Season 2 showcases an exceptional admiration to not just rehash what previously worked, but build upon established lore from the games. Brimming with love for the games, Fallout Season 2 is certain to bombard fans with clever references but never alienate those absent of the hair-raising playthrough experience. Whilst the reduction in Lucy’s importance is currently passable, the already green lit Season 3 must reintroduce substance to the character and balance the astonishing talents of Ella Purnell to maintain it’s electrrifying quality.

Fallout Season 2 releases weekly on Prime Video starting Tuesday, December 16