M Ince

As a long time fan of the Fallout games I am biased in favour. But also likely to be incensed by a shoddy adaptation. In my view they got it all right. Hated the fact there are only 8 episodes though. In that time they told a story. All the leads sold their characters with skill. The actor playing Maximus especially did not even need lines. He can do pretty much everything with just his face. Exceptional. They put the game material front and centre and knew their target audience was fans of the game, and clearly set out to make us happy. I’m happy. Very happy. There was also a good story drawing on the lore of the game and even adding to it. There’s even a serious message about unbridled capitalism. But the show does not make the mistake, which is all too often made in contemporary shows, of putting the message first. The story came first, leaving me to muse on the message myself. This is inclusive story telling not an annoying political info dump on your head.

It echoes various games in pursuit of what I've come to think of as the 'Elite' ideal. Bit of no mans sky. It is Fallout in Space but maybe not so fallen. Contemporary commerce politics tropes are present but not forced. It leaves the user room for immersion. Aesthetic is Space 1999, early computing, Atari. Plus more. The Bethesda core: explore, exterminate, loot and level up cycle it there. Skills revamped, pared down: it does not matter how you start, or rather, you will scratch your level up itch but they are pushing for more character identification. So you have more immersion and a journey you remember.

Sci-Fi with lowest common denominator humour is not an easy job to pull off. But the writers clearly have a firm, confident grasp of the material and the jokes and pop culture references keep coming. By the third episode it’s hard to say where it will end.

I’ve seen every film iteration of this character and read most of the comics written about him. The lead makes the role his own. Like the character he plays I think this actor is easily underestimated. Very impressed. Gutted the House of the Mouse has not kept it going. Tip of the hat to the other actors: outstanding all round but the lead is exceptional. Also like how they’ve tried to keep a bit of realism. The punisher is not the unbelievable superhero of the comics. He’s a skilled and intelligent soldier with perhaps superhuman determination, but there’s a real effort to make it fly as real but with luck. It works. As for the cancellation, I’m no fan if a good show being flogged and milked to death until everyone is sick of it but I’d have liked an few more seasons. Maybe that’s the paradox of greatness: you have to leave the audience wanting more.

Expected generic American teen bs. Surprised at how engaging it was. It’s still just popcorn tv but a fun romp.

They know what people liked about BL and made sure it’s there. The new characters are solid, the writing is fun as before and plenty quotable. There are a few small but fun gameplay tweaks like the jumping and sliding. Expectations were high. So far expectations have been met.