Fallout defeats illness that 99% of Netflix series have – and there are 4 reasons why

Nuclear-contaminated deserts can be a great travel destination. At least that’s what many Fallout fans think, who have been accompanying lead actress Lucy (Ella Purnell) on her adventures through the apocalyptic wasteland of the Amazon series for two weeks. The sci-fi trip is fun, not least because it looks great. No comparison to Netflix productions like Rebel Moon – Part 2: The Scar Maker, One Piece or The Witcher. But why is their look so different?

The Netflix look destroys Rebel Moon and One Piece

The aesthetics of a series may be a niche topic for some, but for many film fans, it’s a problem. The term “Netflix look” has now become established, which is said to affect various productions on the streaming service. Blockbuster disappointments like Rebel Moon – Part 1: Child of Fire are just as much a part of this as the acclaimed One Piece series or Jupiter’s Legacy. What exactly is the Netflix look supposed to be?

The term refers to a certain aesthetic: images often appear flat and empty, while colors look very saturated. There is almost excessive sharpness at the edges of the image. As a result, some sets and costumes appear careless or downright cheap. Despite all of their strengths, some One Piece fans criticized the cosplay look of the costumes. But why doesn’t Fallout have these problems?

Fallout’s beauty comes from four reasons

The first reason is: creative freedom for producers. According to a VICE report, Netflix insists on using certain cameras for its series and films, all of which are at least 4K capable. Amazon is apparently more generous. The series creators like Jonathan Nolan even seem to use old camera lenses that blur the backgrounds distort like a kaleidoscope and thus create a unique look.

But the biggest reason is actually the production design. The sets in the Amazon series are equipped with an incredible attention to detail. Oily rags, rusty steel, broken racks, stained clothing, dust, dirt, blood: Not a square millimeter of the image indicates that it was made; the immersion is dense and stable every second. That’s more than I can say for One Piece. And I say that as a fan.

Reason three is practical sets with comparatively little CGI content. Gigantic ruins on the beach, car graveyards in the forest or houses in which the desert sand is higher than the window sill – there are really many locations.

Nolan and Co. have also decided to make their series analogue on 35mm film instead of using digital alternatives. This gives Fallout’s grainy images a tangible substance, deep blacks, three-dimensional faces. This is the fourth and final reason. In contrast, the spaceships in the smooth digital panoramas of Rebel Moon 2 look like they were taken from a cutscene from an old video game.

Fallout is the current one best answer to a serious Netflix problem. Because what use is the most exciting story if the unwanted carnival look of the costumes constantly pulls me out of the story? What if the brightly colored candy aesthetic of oversaturated colors leaves no room for tragedy? What if extremely complex sets are always immediately recognizable as sets?

What’s next for Fallout?

Amazon recently renewed Fallout for a second season, confirming suspicions about the series’ success. Now that the series has proven its potential, the money will be easy for Season 2. Hopefully the makers stick to the elements of their handmade aesthetic.

However, it is not expected that the Netflix look will disappear soon. The technical specifications have long since become business practice for hundreds of projects. And the positive response from series like One Piece or The Witcher proves her right. I like both. But I would swap her imagery for the nuclear wasteland of Fallouts at any time.

Fallout: How good is Amazon’s biggest sci-fi series of the year really?

Fallout has landed on Amazon with eight episodes at once and is delighting many fans of the video game original. But how good is the sci-fi series really? In addition to the gaming community, can it also attract all other series lovers?

We’ll delve into the world of the beloved game franchise and then explain how the adaptation works. We talk about the characters, the intoxicatingly lively atomic dystopia and various Easter eggs. Is Fallout the best sci-fi series of the year?