Fallout, the best-selling role-playing video game, comes to life in Prime Video’s large-scale live-action adaptation. Helmed by Westworld creator Jonathan Nolan and writers Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner, the series explores a future United States ravaged by nuclear war from three very different perspectives. These individuals’ worlds collide as they all attempt to not lose their heads.
“The Trap” finds two of our main protagonists suspecting something isn’t quite right about Vault-Tec. First, we open with Cooper Howard shooting a new advert. The commercial promotes the early trial vault models maintained by Vault-Tec scientists. The Hawthorne family will spend five years living in Vault 4 while researching the facility’s readiness against radiation. As the director calls cut, Cooper rendezvous with his wife Barb. Hoping to escape work for the rest of the day, Cooper is disappointed his house is volunteered to host the warp party.
Meanwhile, he meets a colleague of Barb’s, Bud Askins, who is building a new philosophy within the organization. Bud views time management as the ultimate weapon to win any war. And currently, the biggest threat of nuclear war is from the Red Scare of Communists. Hollywood is littered with commies, as Howard even lost a movie role because of his affiliation with Vault-Tec. He discusses his concerns with a colleague whose voice sounds familiar to viewers. He plans to cash in on Tinseltown’s future of being a “product” by licensing his voice to robot systems – like medic ones found in deserted Super Duper Markets.
In the present, The Ghoul awakens in the market surrounded by three sheriffs who arrest him for destruction of government property. Meanwhile, Lucy and Maximus are recuperating in Vault 4. After being quarantined, they are allowed to explore. Maximus is hesitant about the atmosphere, quickly judging it as a cult. But Lucy reassures him they are safe. Until they meet Overseer Benjamin. On top of only having one eye, he states no one is allowed on level 12. Lucy notices others with abnormal disfiguring – a man with a nose on his forehead, and a woman with blue glowing eyes. She can’t shake the feeling that something is off in Vault 4.
We return to the past with Cooper and a fellow actor, Charlie. With his acting career long behind him – mainly because of the stereotypical American Indian roles he portrayed – Charlie has radicalized against Vault-Tec. He tells Cooper how Vault-Tec owns the government being the largest company in the United States. Being in the vault business, capitalism molds them to be successful, and to be successful nuclear war is inevitable. Charlie invites Cooper to a Hollywood Forever group meeting to hear the truth about his wife’s company.
Back at home, in an emotional scene, Barb casually tells Cooper they will have to part with the family dog as they’re prohibited from the vaults. Cooper pushes back on this new policy, questioning why his hard-fought freedoms are being entrenched. Barb reminds him she suffered at home alone while he was at war, and she’s doing everything she can to make sure her family is safe.
In the present day, Lucy asks Overseer Ben about life in Vault 4. After thinking her name is Goosey, the conversation steers to why level 12 is prohibited. Benjamin sidesteps the subject. Meanwhile, Maximus explores the vault and finds its cold fusion generator. He wants it to restore his knight armor but is interrupted by vaulter Bertie. Sensing his suspensions, Bertie offers Maximus the safety and comfort of a unit, where he finds pleasantries like a hot-water shower and popcorn.
Back on the surface, The Ghoul is escorted to the self-proclaimed President Sorrel Booker for his alleged crime. After asking for needle and thread to sew his finger back on, the Ghoul kills the sheriffs and demands to know where Moldaver aka the Flame Mother, currently resides.
Back in Vault 4, Lucy and Maximus’ perspectives have flipped. Lucy is determined to escape the bunker community as something is very amiss. But Maximus has been tempted by the entrails of comfort. Determined to prove her suspicions right, Lucy traverses to the forbidden level 12. Lucy’s stealth mission goes awry as she’s captured while Maximus continues to enjoy the comforts of the vault.
Episode 6 is a great entry in the series as clues around Vault-Tec begin to unravel in the past and present. Showing the dual journeys of Cooper Howard and Lucy MacLean inching closer to the truth is excellent, alluding to a greater connection between the two strangers. Great writing and directing also make “The Trap” an enjoyable watch.
Rating: 9/10