Fallout: The Television Series

[Nerys Myk]

The neo-50s (atomic-punk?) setting threw me at first. Couldn't quite wrap my head around it. But I quickly got into it. It's plays with a lot of 50's tropes that wouldn't work in a "realistic" post-apocalypse.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Not the show for you. It's not built with 2020s understanding in mind. The whole franchise is set up with divergent technological development and world history. History did not unfold like our world. You had an increase in.efforts towards use of atomic energy, robots, and wars over resources. The Great War was anticipated so the US government had a whole host of vaults built as well.as plans against Armageddon.

It's steeped in 50s era Americana culture, of constant consumerism culture and corruption of industry and government. There was rampant paranoia over Communist infiltrators and on going attitudes similar to the Red Scare and McCarthy style politics of "unAmerican Activities."

This lore is quite deep but going at it for realism will be disappointing.

Having never played the games and having no real knowledge of the franchise, I dived into this (for two episodes anyway) expecting a realistic post-apocalyptic series. Felt like I was watching someone play Fortnite instead. Oh well, I gave it a try.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Why does Gamma Radiation make the Hulk? Why does Cosmic radiation make the Fantastic Four? Why does a yellow sun give Superman powers and a red sun takes them away?

How do the zombies in the Walking Dead even realistically function the way they do?

This isn't a 'real world'. This is a fantasy world.

I can buy the BS radiation in the Hulk and FF movies, because they were grounded in the real world. The same goes for Superman and his fantastical powers. I don't watch the "Walking Dead." The few zombie movies I do like, I watch for scares, not realism.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

It's a shame you're bouncing off the series, because I thought it was really good and I liked Lucy as a protagonist. She's from a society where everyone helps each other and does their part to keep things working or else they all die, so the real world is like an alien planet to her. But she puts on a brave face and goes off into the wasteland with no clue what she's doing or where to go, because she's a plucky optimist who gets things done.

We know she's not going to die in two episodes out there, as she's the lead character, but the real question is how much of her optimism and morality is going to survive in this world. Will the wasteland wear away her upbeat attitude, or will she stick to her principles in the face of overwhelming bleakness?

Also there's more going on with the weirdness in the wasteland than it seems. Some of the less realistic elements are due to scientists playing around with nature, and there's been a lot of history since the bombs dropped.

Generally, a TV show has one episode to capture my attention. Alternatively, I stay with the show until I get bored, With Fallout, I was bored after two episodes. The main character being optimistic and upbeat kills the show. It's the post-apocalypse, why is anyone upbeat and jolly like that? My reason to tune in was to watch a gritty, dark, post-apocalyptic drama. It's not gritty, it's not dark, it doesn't feel post-apocalyptic, and it's too goofy to be dramatic. After two episodes, I'm left wanting to break out my Jericho DVD's or give Jeremiah a go on Roku.

 

[fireproof78]

expecting a realistic post-apocalyptic series.

First mistake on this one.

But live and learn.

 

[Set Harth]

The same goes for Superman and his fantastical powers.

Superman and his fantastical powers are grounded in the real world?

 

[fireproof78]

For those kind of interested in some ideas of science of Fallout, this YT maker has some ideas, and comments on the significant differences between our universe and the Fallout universe, mainly the emphasis on nuclear weapons and power, and the on going Cold War era hostilities and doctrine of mutually assured destruction that led to an arms race, building up nuclear arsenals, and political tensions.

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[Nerys Myk]

Superman and his fantastical powers are grounded in the real world?

Only in real worlds with a red sun.

 

[JD]

Generally, a TV show has one episode to capture my attention. Alternatively, I stay with the show until I get bored, With Fallout, I was bored after two episodes. The main character being optimistic and upbeat kills the show. It's the post-apocalypse, why is anyone upbeat and jolly like that? My reason to tune in was to watch a gritty, dark, post-apocalyptic drama. It's not gritty, it's not dark, it doesn't feel post-apocalyptic, and it's too goofy to be dramatic. After two episodes, I'm left wanting to break out my Jericho DVD's or give Jeremiah a go on Roku.

It's worth keeping in mind the environment she grew up in, she spent her whole life down in the vault, where everything was completely controlled, and everybody was basically brainwashed into being the way she was. It was meant to be the '50s idealized perfect life, with everybody always happy and cheerful and ever always perfect. And whole her arc in the season basically having all of that stripped away as she experiences what life is like on the surface.
And if you don't like the '50 style and look of Fallout, you're really going to want to stay away from Hello Tomorrow, which takes it to even more of an extreme.

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[Commander Troi]

Generally, a TV show has one episode to capture my attention. Alternatively, I stay with the show until I get bored, With Fallout, I was bored after two episodes. The main character being optimistic and upbeat kills the show. It's the post-apocalypse, why is anyone upbeat and jolly like that? My reason to tune in was to watch a gritty, dark, post-apocalyptic drama. It's not gritty, it's not dark, it doesn't feel post-apocalyptic, and it's too goofy to be dramatic. After two episodes, I'm left wanting to break out my Jericho DVD's or give Jeremiah a go on Roku.

You might like The Last of Us better. It's a dark, gritty, post-apocalypse drama.

 

[Avro Arrow]

My reason to tune in was to watch a gritty, dark, post-apocalyptic drama. It's not gritty, it's not dark, it doesn't feel post-apocalyptic, and it's too goofy to be dramatic.

Definitely not the series for you, then. It's the post-apocalypse of a raygun gothic world. The retrofuturism and the humour is all part of the charm.

Of course, it's perfectly OK not to like something, so if it's not for you, it's not for you. Personally, I'm really looking forward to season 2. (And season 2 of Hello Tomorrow! as well!)

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Superman and his fantastical powers are grounded in the real world?

Yes, the world around Superman is mostly realistic, at least compared to something like Fallout anyway.

It's worth keeping in mind the environment she grew up in, she spent her whole life down in the vault, where everything was completely controlled, and everybody was basically brainwashed into being the way she was. It was meant to be the '50s idealized perfect life, with everybody always happy and cheerful and ever always perfect. And whole her arc in the season basically having all of that stripped away as she experiences what life is like on the surface.
And if you don't like the '50 style and look of Fallout, you're really going to want to stay away from Hello Tomorrow, which takes it to even more of an extreme.

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All of that should have been thrown out when her vault was invaded. Where's the emotional breakdown, the crying, the screaming, the panic? My problem isn't with 50's style and overall look. My problem is the show being a 50's take on the post-apocalypse and not a 2020's take.

You might like The Last of Us better. It's a dark, gritty, post-apocalypse drama.

Thank you, is this on Max?

Definitely not the series for you, then. It's the post-apocalypse of a raygun gothic world. The retrofuturism and the humour is all part of the charm.

I guess the stuff that people love is the same stuff that made me tune out after 2 episodes.

 

[Skywalker]

I for one am thankful for this show's slightly sillier take on the the post-apocalypse. We have more than enough dark and gritty out there in the current entertainment landscape, not to mention in the real world.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

I for one am thankful for this show's slightly sillier take on the the post-apocalypse. We have more than enough dark and gritty out there in the current entertainment landscape, not to mention in the real world.

You're right, not everything needs to be dark and gritty. However, a post-apocalyptic story is dark and gritty by default and just doesn't work without that. It's the post-apocalypse!

 

[JD]

But it doesn't have to be, sometimes the best way to deal with something tragic is to counter it with silliness.

Definitely not the series for you, then. It's the post-apocalypse of a raygun gothic world. The retrofuturism and the humour is all part of the charm.

Of course, it's perfectly OK not to like something, so if it's not for you, it's not for you. Personally, I'm really looking forward to season 2. (And season 2 of Hello Tomorrow! as well!)

Is there going to be a second season of Hello Tomorrow? Based on Wikipedia it looks like it's over.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

But it doesn't have to be, sometimes the best way to deal with something tragic is to counter it with silliness.

As time goes on and you begin to heal, yes. In the immediate aftermath? Absolutely not.

 

[Commander Troi]

Thank you, is this on Max?

Yes.

 

[fireproof78]

You're right, not everything needs to be dark and gritty. However, a post-apocalyptic story is dark and gritty by default and just doesn't work without that. It's the post-apocalypse!

Oh, it gets darker and more twisted. But, it's not the realistic take you seem to want. Fallout, as a franchise, is a much different take than other post apocalyptic stories.

I for one am thankful for this show's slightly sillier take on the the post-apocalypse. We have more than enough dark and gritty out there in the current entertainment landscape, not to mention in the real world.

Indeed. And it fits the spirit of the source material quite well. Which is usually complained about with video game adaptations.

 

[Admiral Jean-Luc Picard]

Oh, it gets darker and more twisted. But, it's not the realistic take you seem to want. Fallout, as a franchise, is a much different take than other post apocalyptic stories.

For me, it was just a show I saw some ads for on YouTube. I thought to myself, isn't this based on some video games a friend of mine used to play? It's on Amazon, it's post-apocalyptic, why not? After two episodes, I realized this isn't really post-apocalyptic, this is purely a "for the video gamers" series.

 

[fireproof78]

For me, it was just a show I saw some ads for on YouTube. I thought to myself, isn't this based on some video games a friend of mine used to play? It's on Amazon, it's post-apocalyptic, why not? After two episodes, I realized this isn't really post-apocalyptic, this is purely a "for the video gamers" series.

Again, it is post apocalyptic by definition. It's just less serious at times. The series has always had a twisted humor about it.

Again, I agree it's not for you. I just also think art should should be at least understood as part of its context rather than broad labels.