Summary
HBO’sThe Last of Usmade history by becoming the first live-action video game adaptation to receive Emmy Awards nominations. Now, Amazon Prime Video’s equally critically acclaimedFalloutadaptation is continuing that exciting trend. Handed out in January 2024,the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards sawThe Last of Usearning a whopping 24 nods, including Outstanding Drama Series and lead acting nominations for its stars, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. The post-apocalyptic drama also earned seven guest actor nominations for Murray Bartlett, Storm Reid, Nick Offerman, Anna Torv, Lamar Johnson, Keivonn Montreal Woodard, and Melanie Lynskey.
With additional nominations in everything from production design to writing, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann’s adaptation ofThe Last of Useven managed to eke out four wins in incredibly crowded and competitive races. Notably, Reid and Offerman won for their guest acting roles, which correlated to two ofThe Last of Usseason 1’s best episodes. On September 15,Falloutwill compete in just two categoriesat the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series and Lead Actor, thanks to Walton Goggins' standout performance as The Ghoul/Cooper Howard. Even with fewer nods,Fallout’s nominations are worth celebrating.
Fallout’s Emmy Nominations Continue A Positive Trend That Started With The Last Of Us
With Its Nominations, Fallout Represents The Ongoing Success Of Live-Action Video Game Adaptations
In the past, awards shows like the Emmys haven’t taken “genre” projects seriously. That started to shift with high-profile, big-budget adaptations like HBO’sGame of Thrones. Although the59-time Emmy-winningGame of Thronestranslates George R.R. Martin’s book series to the small screen, it certainly helped shift mainstream and critical attitudes. EvenThe Walking Dead, AMC’s hugely popular post-apocalyptic drama that’s based on a comic book series, changed prevailing attitudes about the narrative integrity of genre shows. Undeniably,The Last of Usbrought video game adaptations into the awards conversation.
Fallout’s [Emmy nominations prove that]…the HBO series wasn’t a fluke.
Even though Amazon Prime Video’sFalloutgarnered just a fraction ofThe Last of Us' Emmy nominations, it proves that the HBO series wasn’t a fluke. Video games have long boasted compelling narratives; the interactivity of the medium, which is definitely a strength, has sometimes been seen as a detractor — as if the player’s impact on a game’s outcome took away from the medium’s artistry. Upon its release,Falloutgarnered rave critical reviewson Rotten Tomatoes, with long-time fans and newcomers alike praising the distinctive tone andworld ofFallout. Now,the Emmy nominations deepen the show’s impact.
The 2024 Emmys Prove The Last Of Us Season 2 Needs To Repeat Season 1’s Best Stories
Early wins for HBO’s video game adaptation at the 2024 Emmys prove that The Last of Us season 2 needs to repeat season 1’s best episodes to succeed.
Fallout & The Last Of Us Are Changing Views Of Live-Action Video Game Adaptations
Mainstream Audiences & Critics Alike Are Finally Recognizing Video Game Franchises' Storytelling Successes
Like any medium, video games feature a range of stories, tones, and genres — and the TV adaptations of these properties follow suit. There is room for bothThe Super Mario Bros. Movieand its $1 billion box officedraw andThe Last of Us' Emmy-nominated “Long, Long Time” bottle episode. With its blend of dark humor and gritty material,Falloutstraddles a few different expectations, but proves thatlive-action video game adaptationscanrank among the year’s best dramas. Ultimately, it’s great to see the narrative surrounding video game adaptations change as they both diversify and improve.
The76th Primetime Emmy Awardswill air on July 20, 2025.
Fallout
Set 200 years after an apocalypse, Fallout follows residents of luxury shelters as they re-enter a post-nuclear world. Confronted with a bizarre and violent landscape, the series explores the stark contrasts between their sheltered existence and the harsh realities of the outside universe.
