Prime Video‘s Fallout series may have amassed a dedicated fanbase over its two-season run, but Chris Avellone thinks otherwise. He contributed to the plot of Fallout: New Vegas, but doesn’t seem to think the show’s dialogue is up to par. In a recent interview, the Obsidian co-founder critiqued Hollywood writers’ ability to adapt video games, going as far as to say that several lines in the Fallout show left him “embarrassed.”
Chris Avellone dishes out harsh criticism for Fallout TV show’s dialogue
While speaking with Insider Gaming, Avellone explained how Hollywood often underwhelms while turning video games into a film format.
“I kind of wish the game writing for TV shows like that where they’re mimicking a game, would kind of elevate a bit,” he remarked. “[Cyberpunk] Edgerunners was really cool, no problems there but sometimes I just wish the script quality on the Fallout TV show was a little higher. I guess I feel embarrassed when I see some of the lines being done but it’s a fun show.”
The Fallout veteran continued, “I don’t mean to put all Hollywood writers in this category but I think some of them still struggle with, ‘Okay, well I’m writing a game franchise and obviously those game writers didn’t really know what they were doing because I’m a respected Hollywood writer and I know how these things are supposed to look.'”
He further added, “I think for some of them it’s really easy to dismiss that work and go in their own direction which they think is more solid but the problem is when they do that they don’t have any real sense of, they probably haven’t played Fallout 3 or Fallout 4 or New Vegas, so a lot of the context has gone and so have opportunities.”
Despite his criticism of the Fallout series’ writing, Avellone praised the show’s cast, calling Walton Goggins’ portrayal of The Ghoul “amazing.” He also lauded Ella Purnell’s take on Lucy, stating that the British actress “has the right features and cast and delivery for being a naive Vault dweller with a little bit of steel in there.”
Fallout Season 3 is currently in production and does not have an official release date.
