The follow-up of a successful debut is often harder to do than the first, and that’s doubly so when the inspiration for a show comes from most beloved installment of the underlying franchise. That is exactly the challenge Fallout Season 2 faces off as the TV series shifts its stage to the bright lights of New Vegas when the series returns to December 16 at 9PM ET/6PM PT on Prime Video. However, while other video game adaptations such as The Last of Us suffers from a small a sophomore fall, Fallout continues to get more crass, vulgar and abrasive in the most entertaining ways.

Editor’s note: We’ve been given the first six of Fallout 2’s eight seasons for this review, so if this season’s finale doesn’t make it to its landing, blame the Enclave.

The second season picks up directly after the first as Lucy (played by Ella Purnelle) and The Ghoul (Walton Goggins) cross the wilderness to hunt down Lucy’s father. And right away, we’re immediately reminded of the magnetic chemistry between our vault-dwelling leading lady and her charming naivete and our post-apocalyptic cowboy tormented by the dark pragmatism of simply living in excess. This simple combo not only often provides the setup for Lucy’s signature catchphrase – which is both unique and refreshing – it also sets the stage for some interesting plot points. Just hearing The Ghoul say things like “Do more drugs” using Goggin’s classic drawl and without a hint of irony is a real treat.

One of the potential pitfalls of a second season though, is an expanded storyline. That’s because unlike Fallout games where you get to lead the action, we’re just here for the ride as we flip between Lucy’s search for her father, the existential crisis facing many vaults and an expanded role for Maximus (Aaron Moten) as he suddenly finds himself near the top of the Brotherhood of Steel’s org chart.

But somehow, the showrunners managed to make each branching path as attractive as the others. There are signs of his range in the first season, but Moses Arias shines as Lucy’s brother Norm as the leader of a new crew (I tried to keep this review as spoiler-free as possible) while Annabel O’Hagan as Overseer Harper does an amazing job of transitioning between being out of her depth and completely uncut for a moment.

The one path that still feels like it hasn’t quite hit its stride is Maximus’, due in large part to the fact that the character’s actions often feel more influenced by circumstance than by personal will. In some ways, it’s the continuation of someone explaining their own morality, which rarely feels as convincing or motivated as someone with a plan. But there is more intrigue there.

Meanwhile, for fans of the games, the number of Easter eggs and callbacks is very pleasing. The set design and cinematography make the desert a character in its own right, although the last thing I want to see is someone eating flea soup. We’re also treated to an ever-growing zoography of nuclear critters like rad scorpions, all kinds of mutants and more, along with appearances from iconic characters like everyone’s favorites. security robot with cowboy code. And I appreciate how the show spends a little extra time going into multiple factions (like The Legion and NCR), which pays homage to the main series while acting as an interesting side quest at the same time.

With so much going on, it can be easy for a series to get overwhelmed. But the pacing isn’t sloppy, because while the show doesn’t actually get to New Vegas until the fourth episode, the journey there is so much fun that I don’t mind. Perhaps the most important, although perfect reproduction is impossible New Vegas on TV (because you can’t choose your own adventure here like you can in the game), it feels real It’s Fallout The showrunners nailed the balance between respecting the source material and tweaking the story to fit a different medium.

That’s a huge credit to the franchise, especially from a genre that’s often maligned for its lack of depth or nuance. But it’s also a credit to this series, which continues to be a prime example of how to make the jump from pixels to TV screens look gook. And after seeing The Last of Us stumbling a little in his second cour, I might even say so Fallout is the best live-action video game crossover to date.