Summary
Just days away from its premiere, theFalloutTV show continues to receive criticism. Finally, Ella Purnell stepped in to address some of the useless criticism aimed at the show and share her thoughts.
The long-awaited television adaptation of the belovedFalloutgame has arrived. However, despite fans' anticipation, the show has faced criticism, particularly regarding its perceived ‘woke’ content and the decision to center the narrative around a female protagonist.Purnell, portraying Lucyas the protagonist of the series, has finally addressed these concerns, sharing her perspective on the matter.
In an exclusive interview withRefinery29 Australia, Purnell addressed the unfounded criticism surrounding the game’s and TV show’s political narrative. She has also shared her opinion and admiration for the show’s choice to center the story around a female protagonist. The criticism primarily focused on these aspects, with some going so far as to label it as ‘woke’ solely because of these decisions.
Purnell confronted the unfounded criticism surrounding the political narrative of both the game and TV show, asserting, “Falloutis an inherently political game,” emphasizing the game’s deep societal analysis. She affirmed the show’s commitment to this essence, insisting on maintaining a politicalnarrative akin to the game itself. “I really like the mirror it holds up to society and I really liked the comedy,” she elaborated. “They’ve managed to nail the tone of the game so well and blend this mix of comedy and drama. Humans have this way of finding humor and comedy as a coping mechanism to deal with quite heavy topics. It’s what I do at least, when I’m talking about something heavy. I just throw a couple of jokes in there.”
Regarding the other criticisms, Purnell commendedthe show’s decision to feature a female lead. Although it would seem fitting for writers to center theFalloutTV series around a female protagonist, the show has regrettably encountered an unjustified backlash. Purnell expressed her admiration, saying, “I love seeing women in survival dramas and seeing women sort of explore the very depths and the extent of what they’re capable of in desperation. Really getting into the nitty gritty of what survival means — you’re starving, you’re desperate, you’re exhausted. You’re not this together, pretty picture that films originally depicted women as.” She pointed out that only recently have women been shown to explore the same emotional depths as men, adding, “Seeing women be violent and gory and not shy away from having to make really brutal decisions… Anything that’s smart and, I suppose, political in a way — and I thinkFallouthits on all those points.”
Purnell is no stranger to video game adaptations and dystopian worlds. Having previously worked onNetflix’sLeague of Legendsadaptation,Arcane, and portraying Jackie inthe acclaimed seriesYellowjackets, she brings experience to the table. However, she admits to feeling pressure when tackling adaptations, particularly of well-established franchises. She acknowledges the weight of the responsibility and the importance of treating the source material with reverence, especially with a monumental franchise likeFallout. Her aim is to honor both the devoted fans of the series and the hard work of those involved in creating the games.
Falloutpremieres exclusively on Prime Video on April 10th.
Fallout
Fallout is a franchise built around a series of RPGs set in a post-nuclear world, in which great vaults have been built to shelter parts of humankind. There are six main games, various spin-offs, tabletop games, and a TV series from Amazon Studios.
