Fallout Season 2 builds on the success of the first season with a ruthless roadtrip to New Vegas, deeply satisfying connections to the games, and a timely smart commentary about fractured society. Oh, and let’s not forget the gleeful blood-soaked violence!
For those who haven’t played the games, New Vegas is a rebuilt version of Sin City in the post-apocalyptic wasteland that is home to all variety of weird and wonderful characters, as well as a few bloodthirsty ones. It’s run by the mysterious billionaire Mr. House (Justin Theroux) who uses the city to further his own agenda.
The first season was met with widespread critical praise when it debuted back in April 2024. So, it was no surprise when Amazon renewed it for two more seasons, giving showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet room to explore more vaults, monsters, and mysteries.
Expectations from fans are pretty high, and we’re here to ease any worries – because after seeing six episodes we can confirm that Fallout Season 2 is a pulse-pounding riot with a gripping storyline that
What is Fallout Season 2 about?
This time, Vault-dweller Lucy MacLean (Ella Purnell) is on the hunt for her father Hank (Kyle MacLachlan) after he was revealed to be working for Vault-Tec and incinerated the city of Shady Sands, which had managed to rebuild after the apocalypse.
She’s also joined by The Ghoul/Cooper Howard (Walton Goggins) who is searching for his family because they’ve seemingly survived the last 200 years in a vault elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the Brotherhood of Steel is at breaking point as tensions between the various chapters is reaching boiling point, and Maximus (Aaron Moten) is faced with a terrible decision that could make or break the Wasteland itself.
Fallout Season 2 delivers the live-action New Vegas of our dreams
Let’s not beat around the Mojave desert here, Fallout Season 2 gives fans the New Vegas they’ve been itching to see in all of its neon-lit, idiosyncratic glory. From Elvis impersonators in the streets, to Mr. House’s shiny Lucky 38 casino, it feels like an utter treat getting to see Lucy and the Ghoul wander around the iconic location. Sprawling practical sets, effects, and fan-favorite characters make it feel visceral and lived in, as if the original game has miraculously exploded right out of your console.
Obviously, it’s not enough just to copy and paste something from the games – the story has to be worth it, and oh boy, does the plot raise the stakes in a fascinating way. It kicks off by tapping into Justin Theroux’s elegantly twisted billionaire, Mr. House, exploring a cruel mind-control experiment that he’s been running for a long, long time. At times it feels like the subplot is just a replacement for the Cold Fusion McGuffin in the first season, but those concerns are dispelled by the midpoint of the season.
It also seems like nearly every alliance is cracking in one way or another, whether it’s Lucy and the Ghoul bickering about Lucy’s Golden Rule, the Brotherhood on how to handle Cold Fusion, or the Vault Dwellers as they try to manage life with a broken water chip.
Nature vs. nurture in fractured America
Nuclear paranoia might be the show’s obvious thematic messaging, it subtly explores how fractured society has become thanks to knee-jerk reactions to heritage, beliefs, and technology. While it doesn’t point the finger at any one problem in particular, it adds a layer of sophistication to a world where people in Power Armor also punch each other for fun like an unhinged version of Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots.
Lucy might’ve been reluctant to embrace the wacky wasteland, but she’s more open to the darker side of this world if it gives her the edge she needs on her mission… If we wanted to be intelligent about it, there’s a nature vs. nurture debate in there. Her do-gooder, Vault Dweller upbringing is challenged more than last season, and she’s forced to grow to deal with new threats – like the brutish, roman-styled army, Caesar’s Legion.
But on a base level, seeing her use iconic weapons, drugs, and other Easter egg moments to stay alive makes Fallout Season 2 somehow even more fun than the first. That’s not to say Fallout Season 1 needed improving, because it was a brilliant starting point for the show.
But the scope is much bigger this time around, with more serious ramifications for the survivors of the wasteland. It also subtly sets the stage for even bigger things further down the line — but to say any more risks being sniped by someone from the top of Dinky the Dinosaur.
Is Fallout Season 2 good?
It ain’t a kick in the head that’s for sure. Yes, Fallout Season 2 is good and absolutely worth your time, regardless of whether you’re familiar with the games or not. The sophomore season does an excellent job of introducing New Vegas and its bizarre inhabitants in a way that won’t alienate newcomers, but it’s a true treat for players.
Guest stars like Macaulay Culkin might take you out momentarily, but cameos like the Home Alone star make this wonderfully weird show feel more alive somehow. Throw in some brutal (V.A.T.S inspired) action, classic monsters, and a killer soundtrack, and it’s another huge success for Prime Video.
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