“We felt like that would be the best thing…”: Side-By-Side Quotes Show Why Halo’s TV Show Failed Where Fallout’s Succeeded
While one video game adaptation chose to stay grounded, another chose to fly.
TV shows and feature films based on comic books and video games have become the norm in recent times. With complex characters and nuanced story arcs that enable character development instead of limiting it, video games have become a creative inspiration for many talented directors working with major production houses.
From HBO’s faithful take on The Last of Us to Prime Video’s unique visualization of Fallout, shows based on video games have often managed to recapture the magic of the title they were trying to emulate. However, some shows are more successful at this than others.
The Fallout of a Failed Adaptation of Halo
While Fallout’s stellar showing could be chalked down to its talented cast of actors, that would be a major disservice to the showrunners’ vision of recapturing the magic of a player experiencing a Fallout title for the first time. With well-integrated Easter eggs and references to the games working in tandem with a compelling original storyline that blended the factions from the games very well, the show’s first season has been a huge success.
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In contrast, the Halo TV show on Paramount+ attempted to blend elements of the game with a more grounded approach to its take on the adventures of Master Chief Petty Officer John-117. The series’ first season failed to deliver a cohesive Halo experience to viewers who played the games it was based on and was recently cancelled despite a better record in its second season.
Vastly Different Approaches, Vastly Different Outcomes
While it could be puzzling as to why two TV shows based on video games could have such a huge different in response from fans of the source material, statements from the shows’ respective studios could shed some light on that conundrum.
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The post below from a fan – along with responses from others – showcases how Fallout and Halo were the result of two entirely different visions for what their shows would look like.
While Fallout’s producer underlines how emulating the experience of its video game namesake was a part of their original vision for the show, Halo’s showrunner’s approach was to simply use the game as a template for their interpretation of Master Chief’s adventures.
It’s a dichotomy that best showcases itself in fan responses to both shows. Some fans even made comparisons to other popular shows like The Mandalorian to emphasize their opinions.
Other fans wonder how the Halo show could choose to diverge from its rich source material considering just how much its players loved the original games.
Other fans are hoping for a reboot on Halo that would be a tad more effective at recapturing the experience that its fans were used to from the games.
Halo’s cancellation may not be disappointing to fans of the original game who would have liked to see a version of Chief that is more aligned with the one they once embodied in the games.
But until then, it seems that Fallout will retain its accolades as one of the best video game adaptations around.
