In ‘Fallout,’ the Joke Is on Humanity

The latest in pop-culture news, recaps, and reviews, plus close reads, profiles, interviews, and more from Vulture.com. [Brand Logo]( tv review [In Fallout, the Joke Is on Humanity]( Not quite the raucous comedy it’s billed as, Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan’s heady new video-game adaptation is basically Westworld 2.0. Photo: Prime Video Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan do love their tall dark strangers. In [Westworld](, the individual in question is Ed Harris’s Man in Black, a mysterious park patron who’s a swirl of menace and moody backstory. In Fallout, Prime Video’s new streaming adaptation of the popular Bethesda video-game franchise, those traits belong to The Ghoul, a noseless mutant played by Walton Goggins who haunts the postapocalyptic milieu in black western regalia. But the connective tissue between these two works extends far beyond killer cowboys: Both also share familiar interests in heady questions about constructed realities and the recurring patterns that doom humanity. Indeed, if you’ve been longing for the think-y futuristic noir of Westworld, [which never got to conclude its story](, Fallout will likely sate your appetite. Despite the source material, it’s basically Westworld 2.0. [read more]( Hungry for more? [Subscribe now]( to save over 40% on unlimited access to Grub Street and everything New York. The Latest TV Recaps • Vanderpump Rules: [Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Breakup]( • Palm Royale: [Promise the Moon]( • Loot: [Never Tilling Again]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Stories We Think You’ll Like [Ready to Go Back to Lonely Island? Very early impressions of a new podcast that turns out to be a potent slice of nostalgic millennial history.]( By Nicholas Quah [No BravoCon in 2024, and We’re Choosing to Blame Gizelle Bryant In the meantime, have some screenings.]( By Jason P. Frank [Every WrestleMania Main Event, Ranked How does the Cody Rhodes–Seth Rollins–Roman Reigns–the Rock showdown of WrestleMania 40 stack up?]( By Daniel Dockery [MaXXXine Is Closer to Fame (and Death) in MaXXXine The X trilogy continues in 1980s Hollywood, featuring big hair and a bigger serial killer.]( By Wolfgang Ruth [If Pride Is of the Devil, We’re Here Season Four Looks Sinfully Good Stakes are high for the new cast. Like threat-of-arrest territory.]( By Jason P. Frank [Mark Knopfler on the Most Patient and Wistful Music of His Career “I didn’t know what I was doing. At least I was there.”]( By Devon Ivie [Cannes We Please Get the Full Cannes Lineup? Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis is among just a handful of titles so far.]( By Jennifer Zhan [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Vulture Games [Today’s Crossword]( 26-Down, Three Letters: It’s spilled on “Untucked” Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Getty [Today’s Cinematrix]( Can you name a sci-fi movie that was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar? Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos: Michael Kovac/Getty Images, Arturo Holmes/Getty Images, Vera Anderson/WireImage A newsletter about the perpetual Hollywood awards race, for subscribers only. [Sign up]( to get it every week. [Get the Newsletter]( [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe]( | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1701 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2024, All rights reserved