Fallout
The 'Fallout' TV series is a post-apocalyptic action-adventure drama that brings the beloved video game franchise to the screen. Set 200 years after a nuclear war, the story follows a naive vault dweller who ventures into the dangerous wasteland to find her father, encountering hardened survivors, monstrous creatures, and complex factions. The series blends dark humor with themes of survival, morality, and the lingering consequences of a destroyed world. It is targeted at adult audiences who appreciate a gritty, satirical, and often violent take on a dystopian future.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe 'Fallout' TV series is highly violent, consistently featuring graphic depictions of gore, dismemberment, and brutal combat throughout its episodes. The violence is a primary factor for its mature rating.
Character body parts are shown being crushed or blown up, with severed limbs and graphic injuries detailed onscreen. The series includes scenes where 'people are killed, limbs are blown off, and heads are chopped off,' with one instance of a character carrying a 'decapitated head'.
Profanity
HighThe 'Fallout' TV series features a significant amount of strong language and profanity, including frequent use of expletives, which contributes to its TV-MA rating.
Episode 2 contains at least 52 obscenities, predominantly 'f' words, along with various other profanities. Episode 6 has approximately 12 obscenities, including eight instances of the 'f' word and one use of 'GD'. Reports also indicate that Season 2 will include at least one use of the 'c-word'.
Substance Use
HighThe show frequently portrays characters using various substances, including alcohol and unidentified drugs, some with visible paraphernalia and noticeable effects.
Characters are often seen consuming 'unknown substances,' frequently using 'inhaler-like devices'. The drug 'Jet,' prominent in the games, is used multiple times throughout the show, and a scene shows a character licking 'unidentified white powder'. Additionally, characters inject themselves or inhale psychoactive drugs, leading to various effects, such as a raider becoming difficult to kill due to an enhancer drug.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe 'Fallout' series is consistently intense and can be frightening due to its post-apocalyptic setting, mutated creatures, and frequent life-threatening situations, combined with graphic violence.
The desolate and irradiated landscapes of the wasteland, along with the presence of 'mutated creatures,' create a visually unsettling and fear-inducing environment. Characters are routinely placed in 'life-threatening situations' and subject to 'graphic violence such as blood, severe injuries, or dismemberment,' contributing to a high level of intensity and potential distress for viewers.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumWhile main characters have not extensively explored queer romance in the TV series, the creators explicitly discussed incorporating queerness, acknowledging its historical presence in the 'Fallout' franchise. The series features a trans masc character portrayed by a trans masc actor.
The showrunners, Nolan, Robertson-Dworet, and Wagner, confirmed discussions about 'where's queerness in this world?' during development, aiming to embed it into the show's DNA as it was in the games. There is a confirmed trans masc character in the TV series, played by a trans masc actor.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe series includes suggestive romantic situations, some partial nudity, and references to sexual acts. While explicit sexual activity is generally implied rather than shown, certain scenes contribute to a mature content warning.
In Episode 1, a newly married couple is shown having marital relations, followed by a brief shot of the man's naked rear. There is also a quick scene depicting a soldier abusing himself in an army barracks. Episode 6 features male and female cultists in a vault stripping off their jumpsuits during a 'pagan ritual,' showing upper male and female nudity. This episode also includes a young woman asking a man to 'fornicate' followed by an awkward discussion about his genitals.
Witchcraft & Occult
MediumWhile not a central theme, the series features some elements of occult practices through cultist activities. It does not depict traditional witchcraft or demon summoning but includes ritualistic nudity.
Episode 6 depicts a 'pagan ritual' within a vault where male and female cultists remove their jumpsuits, implying an occult or alternative spiritual practice.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe narrative frequently features themes of disrespect for authority and outright rebellion, inherent in its post-apocalyptic setting where traditional societal structures have collapsed. Characters often challenge established norms and engage in defiant acts for survival or personal agendas.
The protagonist, Lucy, a vault dweller, experiences a significant culture shock upon entering the wasteland, leading her to question and eventually rebel against the strict, often deceptive, rules of her insulated vault society. Various wasteland factions and individuals constantly defy any semblance of law or order, acting with self-interest and little regard for conventional authority, such as raiders engaging in violent and anarchic behavior.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumWhile the show doesn't overtly mock Christian beliefs as a central theme, it presents alternative spiritual practices and implicitly critiques traditional morality through its cynical, post-apocalyptic lens. One instance involves a 'pagan ritual.'
Episode 6 features a 'pagan ritual' within a vault where male and female cultists engage in a stripping scene, presenting a non-Christian spiritual practice. While the protagonist Lucy initially tries to uphold 'Christian, moral values,' her journey in the wasteland blends these with a 'strong humanist survivalism,' suggesting a world where traditional religious frameworks are challenged by the harsh realities of survival.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
17+ due to graphic violence, pervasive strong language, suggestive sexual content with partial nudity, and frequent substance use.
Additional Notes
The series' mature themes and graphic content are consistent with the tone of the 'Fallout' video game franchise it is based on. Parents should be aware that while some violence may be stylized, its frequency and graphic nature are significant. The satirical elements often target societal norms and institutions, which may require discernment for Christian parents.
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