A Gritty, Violent, Surprisingly Funny Trip Through the End of the World

TV SERIES REVIEW
Fallout: Season One
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Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Drama
Year Released: 2024, 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD 2025
Runtime: 7h 55m
Director(s): Jonathan Nolan, Clare Kilner, Fred Toye, Daniel Gray Longino
Writer(s): Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Graham Wagner, others
Cast: Ella Purnell, Walton Goggins, Aaron Moten, Moisés Arias, Sarita Choudhury, Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Emerson, Leslie Uggams, Xelia Mendes-Jones
Where to Watch: available July 8, 2025, pre-order your copy here: www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: There’s no shortage of post-apocalyptic stories on screen, but what sets FALLOUT: SEASON ONE apart is how confidently it charges through the wreckage, blowing the dust off its video game roots to build something truly cinematic, dark, hilarious, and emotionally grounded. It’s not just an adaptation—it’s an evolution.

Based on the long-running video game franchise of the same name, the series takes place more than 200 years after nuclear war turned the surface of Earth into a scorched wasteland. But the show isn’t content to just throw us into chaos—it’s interested in how people make a meaning after the end, and what kinds of systems rise when all others fall. It’s a pointed, clever show that often balances violence, satire, optimism, and absurdity in the same scene.

Leading the charge is Ella Purnell as Lucy, a bright-eyed Vault dweller who is forced to confront the brutal realities of life outside. She’s equal parts naive and capable, and Purnell brings a wide range to the role that grows deeper as Lucy gets tangled in the moral gray areas of the surface. Walton Goggins plays dual roles: one as Cooper Howard, a smooth-talking actor, and the other as the Ghoul, a ruthless gunslinger mutated by radiation. Watching Goggins maneuver between these personas is mesmerizing. He adds a bitter wisdom and tragic backstory that lends the series real dramatic weight.

Aaron Moten, Kyle MacLachlan, and Moisés Arias round out the ensemble, with solid support from a deep bench that includes Sarita Choudhury, Michael Emerson, Xelia Mendes-Jones, and others. The cast doesn’t just fill archetypes—they feel like fully formed people trying to make sense of a world that stopped making sense centuries ago.

Visually, the series is beyond a triumph. Shot partially on 35mm film, it captures a grimy, sun-bleached, and uniquely stylized version of Los Angeles that feels pulled right from the games, yet adapted in specifically cinematic ways. Every set feels tactile and lived-in, from irradiated deserts and creature-infested ruins to Vault interiors stuck in 1950s nostalgia. The production design never leans on spectacle alone—it’s deeply character-driven, reinforcing the absurdity of a culture that froze its values in amber before blowing itself to hell.

But what truly elevates FALLOUT is its tightrope walk. There are mutated animals, cowboy standoffs, heads getting vaporized, and a healthy dose of deadpan wit. It gleefully leans into its weirdness, while never losing track of the emotional stakes. One moment you’re watching someone get ripped apart, and the next you’re sitting with a character’s grief or twisted moral dilemma. Somehow, it works.

That dexterity can be credited partly to co-showrunners Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner, who found the voice for this adaptation. They understand that FALLOUT has always been about more than just mayhem. It’s a series rooted in philosophical questions—What’s worth rebuilding? What does survival cost? The show takes those questions seriously, even as it splashes blood across the screen.

Jonathan Nolan, who directed the first three episodes, brings a slick confidence to the early setup, establishing a strong rhythm that carries through the rest of the season. The world is so rich, and the performances so grounded, that it’s easy to stay invested even when the story strains under the weight of its lore.

The Blu-ray and 4K UHD release packs even more for fans. Exclusive behind-the-scenes content includes an in-depth look at Goggins’ transformation into the Ghoul, breakdowns of the show’s practical effects and makeup, and a fun Vault-Tec-style animated tutorial. If you’re picking up the limited edition Amazon-exclusive Steelbook, the packaging and collectible art cards alone make it a worthwhile grab. Still, the bonus content will give longtime game fans an even deeper appreciation for the care that went into this adaptation.

Even if you’ve never touched a controller, this first season of FALLOUT makes its story accessible. That’s no small feat given how much worldbuilding it has to introduce. The writers avoid the trap of constant exposition, letting the oddities of the Wasteland speak for themselves. There’s a lot left to uncover in this world, and thankfully, a second season is already confirmed. The final moments of Season One tee up a bigger, more dangerous world beyond the California Wasteland, and if the creative team can maintain this balance of chaos and clarity, there’s no doubt it’ll be worth following.

FALLOUT: SEASON ONE proves that game-to-screen adaptations don’t have to compromise—they can thrive when the right people are behind the camera, willing to trust both the material and the audience. With sharp writing, standout performances, and an unapologetically strange tone that hits every note just right, this is a rare kind of TV event: bleak, bold, and unexpectedly full of heart.

SPECIAL FEATURES
Commentary (exclusive to the physical release)
Animated Content - A step-by-step career walkthrough with a focus on what really matters, produced by Vault-Tec executive Bud Askins.
Becoming The Ghoul - Award-winning actor Walton Goggins plays not one but two central characters in Fallout. This in-depth look highlights the dichotomy of The Ghoul and Cooper Howard, and their long journey from past to present.
Console to Camera - The Fallout universe has a rich legacy with tens of millions of fans around the world. Go behind the scenes of Prime Video’s new series and explore how and why, after nearly three decades, it was the perfect time to make the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. leap from game to screen.
Creating the Wasteland - The VFX team for Fallout breaks down the various ways, mostly practical, they brought the Wasteland to life.
Inside Season One - Go inside the making of Season One.
Meet the Filmmaker (and fanatic) Jonathan Nolan - Todd Howard and Bethesda Game Studios waited over 25 years to find someone with the ‘Profile’ to bring their iconic universe to life.
Prosthetics & Makeup Gone Nuclear - Let’s face it - when it comes to Prosthetics and Makeup design in Fallout, Gore and Ghouls go hand-in-hand.
Safe and Sound - Composer Ramin Djawadi and the team behind the sounds of Fallout reflect on the many musical notes of Season One.
Set Your Sets on 2296 - Inside the cinematography and production design for Fallout, and how Jonathan Nolan and team achieved a very specific (and unforgettable) look for post-apocalyptic Los Angeles.
The Costumes of Fallout - Costume designer Amy Westcott and the Fallout producers unpack how they brought the Fallout factions to life.
Welcome to the World of Fallout - An atomic past creates wild new futures. The cast and filmmakers of Fallout discuss the unique tone, characters, and vast world of the post-apocalyptic sci-fier, based on the beloved video game franchise.
Writing for the Wasteland - Showrunners Geneva Robertson Dworet and Graham Wagner describe how they created the ultra-unique tone of Fallout.  

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