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Fallout is based on the videogame which I’ve barely played, apart from a few minutes, as it’s not usually quite my sort of thing, but maybe this series can swing me round to it?
In the event of a nuclear fallout, we’re meant to be able to live underground and everything will be fine. However, given that everything in the trailer looks like the world has gone tits up, and more resembles Mad Max, I’m not sold on believing these authorities… they seem as a trustworthy as our current Tory government.
And just as reliable as them, the programme was 15 minutes late in actually premiering. How does that happen?!
Early on, we Cooper Howard (Walton Goggins – American Ultra) performing at a kid’s birthday party, albeit unenthusiastically, noting to his daughter that if they ever drop a nuclear bomb, hold your thumb up. If the cloud is smaller than your thumb, run for the hills. If it’s bigger, don’t bother running… and then it happens.
I would’ve liked more of that part of the story – unless it’s to come later – since while some duck into their bomb shelters, Cooper heads off on his horse and then it zooms ahead to 219 years later, where Vault Dweller Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell – Army Of The Dead), from Vault 33, is a teacher and member of the Young Pipefitter’s Association.
Given that she can’t find “a suitable marriage partner”, she’s eager to sign up for the Triennal Trade in Vault 32, which is the equivalent of Marriage At First Sight. She’s about to marry Monty, even though he looks like he hasn’t washed his hair in weeks. And he could’ve had a shave!
There’s good news in that radiation levels on the surface are dropping fast enough, so that they can raise their children up there, in due course, but the peace in the relationship is soon shattered by the fact hubby isn’t all that he claims, the surface ‘raiders’ are showing their hand, and it’s all kicking off in a very gory fashion.
This opener also introduces soldier Maximus (Aaron Moten) in his cool T-60 exoskeleton suit, as well as the Ghoul formerly Cooper Howard, who’s somehow still alive after all this time. How it all fits together will come in time, but while I enjoyed Lucy’s opening gambit, Maximus’ wasn’t a huge amount to shout about.
However, I’ll give a second episode a try, although the first one does including a 7-minute ‘coming this season’ at the end to give you a flavour.
For reasons best known to Amazon, this programme was not available for review before it streamed.
Fallout is on Prime Video now. All episodes are available from day one.
Cert: 
Running time: 45-75 minutes per episode (8 episodes)
Release date: April 11th 2024
Studio: Prime Video
Format: 2.39:1
Series Directors: Jonathan Nolan, Clare Kilner, Frederick EO Toye, Daniel Gray Longino, Wayne Yip
Producers: Halle Phillips, Gursimran Sandhu, Crystal Whelan, Skye Wathen, Jake Bender, Zach Dunn
Creators: Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Graham Wagner
Screenplay: Chaz Hawkins, Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Graham Wagner, Karey Dornetto, Kieran Fitzgerald, Carson Mell, Gursimran Sandhu
Music: Ramin Djawadi
Cast:
Lucy MacLean: Ella Purnell
Maximus: Aaron Moten
The Ghoul / Cooper Howard: Walton Goggins
Norm MacLean: Moises Arias
Betty Pearson: Leslie Uggams
Woody Thomas: Zach Cherry
Chet: Dave Register
Stephanie Harper: Annabel O’Hagan
Reg McPhee: Rodrigo Luzzi
Lee Moldaver: Sarita Choudhury
Barb Howard: Frances Turner
Thaddeus: Johnny Pemberton
Davey: Leer Leary
Janey Howard: Teagan Meredith
Young Rose MacLean: Elle Vertes
Young Maximus: Amir Carr
Young Lucy MacLean: Luciana VanDette
Mr. Handy: Matt Berry
Bud Askins: Michael Esper
Officer Shortsight: Brendan Burke
Dervin: Daniel J Martin
Overseer Hank MacLean: Kyle MacLachlan
Dane: Xelia Mendes-Jones
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.