We finished Season 2 for Fallout last week.
SPOILERS ahead, don’t read if you care.
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Season 2 was pretty solid. I think we were a few episodes in before my wife asked about a specific character arc and I told her I didn't have an answer because they don’t exist in the game. I never really thought about how people that watch the show who didn’t play the game assume that we are watching a story ( and characters ) unfold and interact based on the storyline of the game. I think that's kinda the crux of why I like the show. They are living in the same world with the same pressure from the same groups as the games, however the story is told from a new perspective. Those perspectives are very varied and they have to take place across large swaths of land and I have to remember that.
One of my initial peeves with the season was that these people ( without transportation, other than the military ) are moving from region to region very quickly. One set of scenes in California, one in Vegas, another up on the frontier in Alaska, another ( presumable ) arc in Colorado. All the jumping would take time and each of the games was siloed to a general area across our massive country. I think her comment made me let go of that notion as needed for story pacing and just kinda let it slide.
It also made me let slide some of the “bumping into” characters from previous seasons in Season 2. We are talking about a HUGE vast land.. so I think the odds of people meeting back up would be almost infinitesimal. They try to solve this with centralized places in the story ( that works to a point ) but it still seemed forced to me.
As for world building overall, the show is downright amazing. It's got the grit, it has the ruthlessness and it is absolutely spot on with the targeting of the class warfare involved prewar and in the fallout. I really enjoy that we started with a new, fresh innocent baby character in Lucy ( Ella Purnell ) , The actress plays her very well and although you see sometimes inexplicable jumps in her growth over the seasons, it does fit in well with the time that they have.
I didn't realize that there was a post credit scene, so the wife and I went back and watched it a day later. I REALLY like where that arc is going and the Elder Cleric character. He is played well by Michael Cristofer and plays a perfect power-hungry zealot leader of the Brotherhood.
Still, by far and away, Goggins steals the show. I don’t know if season 2’s story lends itself more to his screentime or they are just focusing on The Ghoul more, but I loved it. He pretty much kills any role he plays, loved him in Gemstones, Vice Principals and I haven't seen White Lotus but def this clip cracks me up every time I see it mentioned. Two great actors. Also, the supporting cast with MacLachlan, Justin Theroux and an unexpected Macauly Culkin are excellent.
Overall, I can't say enough about the series. Sounds like Season 3 is already in the works. I hope it lasts awhile and highly recommend having played the games or not.
