Prime Video's post-apocalyptic drama, “Fallout,” has returned for its second season, and it's even bigger and more explosive than the first. Inspired by the acclaimed video game, the first season saw creators Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner follow the naive vault dweller Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell) as she left her luxurious underground home to venture into the dangerous outside world in search of her father, Hank (Kyle MacLachlan).
On her quest, Lucy encountered the Brotherhood of Steel soldier, Maximus (Aaron Moten), who has lived a very different life than hers. She also crossed paths with the infamous Ghoul (Walton Goggins), a ruthless bounty hunter armed to the teeth, determined to uncover what happened to his family. In a sprawling and terrifying second season that unearths long-buried secrets, Lucy grapples with her identity, her morality, and how to survive in this desolate wasteland.
Creators: Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Graham Wagner
Stars: Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Walton Goggins
The eight-episode second season (critics received six for review) picks up exactly where the first left off. After discovering the truth about her father's involvement in the nuclear holocaust, Lucy heads to New Vegas with the Ghoul by her side, determined to bring her father to justice. Their journey is filled with nightmarish encounters, terrifying creatures, betrayals, and dozens of killings at the hands of the volatile Caesar's Legion. Lucy and the Ghoul's forced journey is an endless feast for both video game fans and newcomers alike.
Meanwhile, Maximus, despite being knighted by the Brotherhood of Steel, is growing increasingly disillusioned with the military cult's mission. Additionally, the second season flashes back more than 200 years to the months leading up to the apocalyptic Great War of 2077. As Cooper Howard (also played by Walton Goggins) grapples with understanding what's to come, the audience also learns more about his wife, Barb (Frances Turner), her role as a high-ranking Vault-Tec executive, and her relationship with the infamous founder of RobCo Industries (Justin Theroux).
Meanwhile, everyday life is changing for the vault dwellers who are unaware of the outside world. Lucy's brother, Norm (Moisés Arias), remains locked in Vault 31 and must find a way out. Vault 33, under the leadership of Betty (Leslie Uggams), is experiencing a water crisis, and Lucy and Norm's cousin, Chet (Dave Register), who has been transferred to Vault 32, becomes increasingly suspicious of Stephanie (Annabel O’Hagan), the newly appointed Overseer.
Despite the absurdity of this scenario, Robertson-Dworet and Wagner manage to imbue a visceral truth and emotion about humanity, greed, and sacrifice as recurring themes throughout the narrative. Episode 2, "The Golden Rule," opens in Shady Sands during Maximus's childhood. What unfolds in the following scenes is so poignant and heartfelt that it will likely bring even the most stoic viewer to tears.
As Maximus returns to the Brotherhood of Steel and earns the trust of Elder Cleric Quintus (Michael Cristofer), his uncertainty about the organization and its mission grows. While the Brotherhood is an essential component of the "Fallout" world for those venturing into this adventure, the narrative moves at such a rapid pace that it's difficult to keep everything straight. In fact, the pieces don't begin to fall into place until much later, making the second season more frustrating than the first.
Although not all the storylines are equally compelling, the series' structure and pacing keep it moving forward so that the audience doesn't completely lose interest. For viewers familiar with the "Fallout" video game universe, seeing the nods to New Vegas and the various factions come to life on screen for the first time undoubtedly adds a layer of interest and enjoyment that might be lost on newcomers.
Even amidst some slower sequences, "Fallout" is a genuine marvel. Like the first season—which received 16 Emmy nominations, including for Outstanding Drama Series and for Goggins as Outstanding Lead Actor—the series is brimming with mid-20th-century music and dialogue, which contrasts beautifully with the desolate wasteland of 2296. Once again helmed by production designer Howard Cummings, the series is so richly textured that there's something new and surprising to admire in every frame.
While the second season isn't quite as structurally sound as the first, the secrets and revelations that unfold will keep viewers glued to their screens. As human beings, we are constantly faced with difficult choices, and in "Fallout," the consequences of those choices, both our own and those of others, are explored in compelling ways.
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