With the Fallout season 2 premiere dropping earlier than anticipated, you likely want to tune right into the episode. The big question is whether it’s going to be okay to watch if the kids haven’t gone to bed yet.
Now, I will preface this with I know that every child is different. I have a teenager who is more than interested in the goriness of horror movies and post-apocalyptic worlds. However, she has a younger sister who gets squeamish at everything. Two children can be raised in the same house, and you’ll still find that not all TV shows are suitable for all of them.
So, at the end of the day, you need to do what’s right for your children. That being said, I’ve watched the first three episodes of Fallout season 2. I won’t share spoilers, but I will alert you to the level of language, violence, and more that sets the age rating for the series.
Fallout season 2 quickly earns its TV-MA rating
Like the first season, Fallout season 2 is officially rated TV-MA. This means that it’s aimed at adults, and it’s probably not all that suitable for children under the age of 18. That being said, they’re all different, right?
So, what is it that makes this age rating? We take a look at the main components.
Sex & nudity: There isn’t any of this in the first few episodes. Just like with the first season, the focus is on survival, but there could be some sex coming up later. After all, Fallout season 1 had a moment between Steph and Chet, and with them living in Vault 32 together, there is a chance that they could end up hooking up again. But this is on the milder side compared to many other TV-MA shows.
Violence & gore: This is where Fallout earns its TV-MA rating. You’ve seen the first season, right? You know that people are killed, limbs are blown off, and heads are chopped off. Remember that people were literally carrying around a decapitated head as if it was just a normal bag!
Well, while there’s no head carrying, there is plenty of gore and violence from the start. We get to see some of the other experiments that happened in the past, and they do involve some exploding body parts. Think The Boys level of violence and gore as soon as season 2 opens. I swear, there was a much bigger budget for this during the second season!
And yes, this continues throughout the first three episodes. I will give the series its due and it doesn’t get overly torturous with the gore, but there are moments that will make you feel sorry for certain creatures.
Language: Look, people are not going to be conscious about the amount they swear in an apocalyptic world. The F-bomb is one of the most common, although I still appreciate Lucy’s use of “fudge” instead. Later on, there is at least one use of the C-word. Yes, Fallout season 2 goes there.
Alcohol & drugs: Yes, the characters drink. Cooper continues to drink his martinis now and then when we get past storylines, and we see him smoking now and then — because, think of the time that this past is meant to emulate.
In the post-apocalyptic world, people are literally doing whatever they can to survive. I guess you can view what The Ghoul takes as a drug, although it’s technically medicine he needs to avoid turning onto a creature. This is all minor compared to the violence, though, and it’s more of a conversation that you can have with teens about survival.
Overall verdict: Who is Fallout season 2 appropriate for?
With the level of gore and violence throughout the first three episodes of Fallout season 2, I do agree with the TV-MA rating, but I will add a caveat. It all depends on your children. This would have been great for the 16-year-old me, and the teenager in my house would love the level of gore and violence. It doesn’t faze her, and it’s not like she’s running around taking inspiration from it! Plus, she’s a gamer, and has seen all of this in the Fallout games and in Borderlands.
That being said, it’s not for younger members of the family. Wait for them to go to bed, because the violence and whole post-apocalyptic world can be scary.
Fallout season 2 premieres on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Prime Video. Episodes will then air on Wednesdays at 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT.