Fallout Season 2: “A Wild Ride That’s Fun, Yet Overstuffed”

After a first season that blew away the expectations of both hardcore fans and skeptics, Fallout is back with a fresh set of episodes that transport us directly to New Vegas.

Release date: November 16

Available on: Prime Video

Showrunners: Geneva Roberson-Dworet, Graham Wagner

Episodes reviewed: 6 of 8

We dive right back into the action. Lucy (Ella Purnell) has been scouring the Wasteland for her father (Kyle MacLachlan), and when she finally finds him, it turns out he wasn’t exactly kidnapped. Instead, he’s been dragged to the surface to answer for his heinous war crimes and the Ghoulification of her mother. Rather than face the consequences, he steals a suit of armor from the Brotherhood of Steel and makes a beeline for New Vegas. Lucy and the Ghoul (Walton Goggins) are hot on his trail, but our favorite skeletal bounty hunter has his own agenda.

Their journey is anything but smooth. As they navigate the remnants of the so-called luckiest city in the world, they encounter everything from Deathclaws and Mirelurks to a bizarre clash between two rogue factions, and yes, even Macaulay Culkin. Hank, realizing he’s likely being hunted by Lucy and the Ghoul, sets up shop in an unexpected part of Vegas, fully embracing his villainous side.

Meanwhile, Maximus (Aaron Moten) has finally gained the Brotherhood’s respect, but he’s questioning if it was worth the trouble. After being disrespected in front of the high council, he seeks some fun with a member of a different Brotherhood faction. But things take a turn when he realizes he might have ignited a civil war.

Down in Vault 33, water is running low, and the situation is getting bizarre. But no worries—Norm (as seen in the trailer) manages to escape his predicament and manipulates a group of recently thawed Vault dwellers into heading to the surface for reasons that remain unclear.

Oh, and there’s a sinister mustached figure named Mr. House (Justin Theroux) causing heads to explode.

If you were to strip away all the plotlines from Fallout season 2, you’d be left with a cast of characters wandering through what used to be Las Vegas, Nevada. The visual recreation is so stunning that I’d probably rate it five stars just for the depiction of the Strip.

After season 1 showcased a sunken city off the coast of Africa as the Wasteland backdrop, expectations were high for how they would bring the various locations from the video game to life. New Vegas is a fan-favorite not just for its engaging storyline and memorable characters, but also for its striking setting. Season 2 is fully aware of this and remains committed to faithfully recreating the game’s world.

The once-glamorous, now dystopian city has been meticulously recreated, street by street and sign by sign. While I usually don’t get caught up in fan service, the sight of the Lucky 38 casino in all its glory, the Sunset Sasparilla factory (I’ve never been so excited to see bottle caps), and even a stray box of Sugar Bomb cereal hit me right in the feels. The attention to detail in bringing New Vegas to life is akin to the craftsmanship of the Jim Henson Creature Shop in creating animatronics for Five Nights at Freddy’s—it taps into that childlike wonder of wanting video games to be real.

“If you touch that gun, I’m gonna have to maim you.” This isn’t something season 1 Lucy, who Ella Purnell described as a newborn, would say—and it’s a welcome change. Lucy is not just our protagonist; she’s the brightest light in the dark, unforgiving Wasteland. Throughout season 1, she witnessed the true horrors of the post-apocalyptic world, yet she managed to keep her heart intact.

I was initially concerned that Lucy might remain overly innocent, filled with “Okey dokey!” responses to even the slightest violence. However, the season 2 premiere opens with the Ghoul in a tight spot, waiting for Lucy to rescue him. Instead of jumping in right away, she takes her time, watching as the Ghoul is tortured by a group of rogue criminals before finally deciding to intervene. This sets the tone for the following episodes: goodness is exhausting, and what are we even doing here? The heart remains, but our main characters are weary of playing nice—except for a certain half-dead cowboy bounty hunter.

It turns out that being angry and alive for 200 years can soften you. The Ghoul joins Lucy in her quest to bring Hank to justice, not out of a sense of duty, but because he believes his wife and daughter are somewhere in a vault in New Vegas. The strength of this season lies in his backstory as the once-beloved Hollywood actor Cooper Howard, revealed through various flashbacks.

There’s a deep melancholy in every scene featuring Cooper, and it’s not a bad thing. It showcases Goggins’ dedication to the character and his impressive acting skills. The contrast between Cooper Howard and the Ghoul is less stark than it seems. As Cooper uncovers more about his wife Barb (Frances Turner) and her connection to the apocalypse (and that mysterious mustachioed Mr. House), he begins to unravel. When we see a dapper Cooper Howard in the Lucky 38 casino or against a backdrop of dazzling lights, there’s a palpable sense of misery. It’s so intense that it makes the Ghoul seem like an optimist by comparison. He’s determined to find Barb and Janey, even if it means taking out a few dozen people along the way.

The only downside to the Ghoul/Cooper Howard storyline being the most compelling part of the season, alongside Lucy’s journey, is that it makes the other plotlines feel a bit dull. Even Hank’s villain arc seems to lack punch, though it’s entertaining to watch Kyle MacLachlan navigate his new life post-Vault in a sharp suit. Hank even appears in Cooper Howard’s flashbacks, younger and more eager, but he’s merely a background character while Cooper delves into the mysteries of Vault-Tec’s corruption—an intriguing plot that keeps me hooked. The idea of the literal mother of your child being at the center of the apocalypse is unforgettable.

This is the same issue I had with season 1: things are getting strange in the vaults, and I just can’t seem to care. It’s not for a lack of interesting characters—Eye Patch Lady, aka Steph Harper (Annabel O’Hagan), is becoming increasingly menacing, and it’s a joy to watch. Ultimately, the story just doesn’t hold the same excitement as what’s happening on the surface.

In season 1, the time spent in the vault was crucial for understanding Lucy’s sheltered upbringing and her father Hank’s kidnapping. In season 2, however, the cuts back to the Vault feel more like interruptions to the main storyline. While Lucy and the Ghoul search for Hank and Maximus tries to avoid civil war, the residents of Vault 33 are busy starting an “Inbreeding Support Group” and blowing their entire “snack budget”—and that’s the biggest conflict down there, aside from the dwindling clean water supply. Norm’s storyline isn’t much more thrilling either. While his impromptu leadership over a group of thawed Vault dwellers is meant to connect back to the main plot, I find it hard to care.

Overall, it’s great to be back. Watching Lucy and the Ghoul evade a Deathclaw while flashbacks reveal Cooper Howard’s not-so-sunny past is a treat. As someone who genuinely fears a real-life apocalypse (and doubts our society would handle it well), I’m captivated by the factors leading to man-made disasters. The tangled web of Vault-Tec, Mr. House, and those head-exploding devices keeps me engaged. Perhaps it’s because this web also involves Cooper Howard, whose unraveling past paves the way for his transformation into the Ghoul, allowing their paths to finally converge.

Despite being a bit overcrowded and occasionally convoluted, Fallout season 2 is a blast, and I can’t wait to see Ella Purnell’s Lucy MacLean sweetly apologize while taking out more foes. But if nothing else: come for the scenery, stay for the Ghoul.

Fallout season 2 is airing weekly on Prime Video.