While it occasionally flirts with overconfidence and a sprawling storyline that's too convoluted for its own good, Fallout Season 2 is so ferociously entertaining it proves the first one wasn't just beginner's luck.
It picks up in the immediate aftermath of the last one. Lucy (Ella Purnell) and Cooper (Walton Goggins) pursue Hank (Kyle MacLachlan) towards New Vegas, while Maximus (Aaron Moten) settles into his role as the newly appointed hero of the Enclave. Meanwhile, back in Vault 33, Norm (Moisés Arias) discovers more remnants of the past that Vault-Tec has tried to keep secret. In the past, a shady and dangerous billionaire, Mr. House (Justn Theroux) makes moves to ensure the future of RobCo even in a world devastated by nuclear hellfire.
That's a lot of moving pieces to keep track of, and Fallout takes a while to remind us where everything belongs. Each episode requires a mini-recap of its own and a couple are entirely dedicated to just exposition. It's here we can see the vast lore and plotting of the Fallout universe weigh on the narrative. As the linear structure of the first season gives way to a more expansive world, the series tries a little too hard to satisfy everyone with gags, callbacks, and familiar plot developments.
It doesn't collapse under its own weight, at least not yet, but more experienced viewers will recognize the risks well in advance. Especially as the season introduces not one or two but five new factions in the span of a single episode.
Part of that dread comes from the length; we're still limited to just eight episodes. In a longer season, entire interludes to sideplots and wacky lunatics pretending to be ancient Romans would work a lot better. Now, as fun as they are, you can't help but wonder how they'll fit in. A superficial gag only takes away from the full narrative, which leaves us waiting a full year before more answers.
This is a complaint borne from a desire for more of a good thing. As an adaptation, Fallout remains one of the best ones ever made. It captures the spirit of the original game perfectly. Naturally, one wants as much of it as humanly possible.
When Fallout Season 2 kicks into gear, it is such a blast that all other complaints feel downright petty. Fans of the New Vegas game will particularly feel noticed, as the season features needle drops, bits of memorable dialog, and beautifully realized sets directly from the 2010 title. Yes, they're gratuitious, and yes, I am weak for loving them as much as I do.
Happily, the cast is as good as ever, with Purnell and Goggins in particular delivering the goods once again. Goggins is tremendous as a man split between the past and the present, hunting for a weird semblance of vengeance and redemption that even he can't tell apart. It is mesmerizing to see which parts of himself he carries between the ages.
There's also a renewed focus on the ways the world works beyond our heroes. A flashback reveals the dying gasps of a city that attempted to thrive in an inhospitable wasteland, while the inclusion of Ceasar's Legion is a brilliantly incisive bit of satire on right wing reactionaries seeking masculinity advice from a history they've never understood.
In one of the best parts of the series, a brand new character, recently thawed into the wasteland, solemnly declares they've had a rough week: After all, they just experienced the end of the world in the span of three days. By anchoring the story between two points in time, Fallout discovers a deeply human connection that makes the prospect of nuclear war even more terrifying.
But most of all, Fallout is witty, fun, gory, and entertaining. It's everything you'd want out of an adaptation of this material, which has captivated fans for three decades at this point. If it can keep a clear head and focus on the essentials, Fallout has the capacity for an all time great run. It's already got a head start.
