The Controversy Surrounding the Fallout TV Show and Josh Sawyer's Perspective

Recently, the Fallout TV series has experienced a surge in popularity, both among hardcore fans and general audiences. Despite the show's success, a segment of its fans has expressed concern that the TV series might alter the canonical lore of New Vegas, which is closely tied to the Fallout: New Vegas video game. Interestingly, Josh Sawyer, the director and lead designer of Fallout: New Vegas, has not only acknowledged this but also expressed a healthy attitude: "Whatever happens with the Fallout TV show, I don't care." This viewpoint is based on a specifically grounded reality.

Josh Sawyer and the Fallout Series

Josh Sawyer is indeed not the original creator of the Fallout series. The franchise was primarily led by Tim Cain, who spearheaded the project with Black Isle Studios. Sawyer's journey into the world of Fallout began modestly as a fan, eventually landing at Obsidian Entertainment, where Bethesda had decided to outsource the development of Fallout: New Vegas. This arrangement allowed the team to rework and refine some of the ideas originally conceived for Black Isle's cancelled Fallout 3.

Corporate Intellectual Property and the Round Robin Effect

Development of a corporate owned intellectual property is akin to a game of Round Robin. Each team gets a turn to develop and refine various aspects of the property. As Tim Cain created and adapted the notion of New Vegas, Sawyer and his team worked within those frameworks, tailoring the lore to fit the broader Fallout universe.

The Lore of Fallout: From Prototype to Legacy

The Fallout series, starting with Fallout 1, uses various towns and locations to explore different facets of the post-apocalyptic world. Shady Sands, for instance, was used to examine the life of regular people after the apocalypse and how that life could have been different if one had been born in a vault. In Fallout 2, Shady Sands evolved into the New California Republic (NCR), reflecting how mankind rebuilt after the war and pondered whether it would make the same mistakes that destroyed it the first time.

New Vegas, however, depicted a built-up world where the NCR faced the consequences of its past actions through a series of internal and external conflicts. The NCR's story in New Vegas was about the burden of the past and how it can lead to the destruction of the future. This narrative is deeply intertwined with the show that came later and serves as a testament to the evolving nature of the Fallout universe.

Canon Consistency and Fujiwara's Uncanny Valley

The concept of canon consistency in the Fallout series and the Fallout TV show is not a challenge unique to this property. The original source material often featured retcons and continuity issues. For instance, in the Fallout series, the NCR has never aligned perfectly, and every game approaches its depiction of the NCR in a unique way. This evolving nature is akin to Fujiwara's Uncanny Valley, a theory in robotics about how small inconsistencies can affect the character's believability.

Mad Max: Fury Road as a Modern Parallel

Mad Max: Fury Road is a perfect example of a film that doesn't fit within the canon of the Furiosa character's timeline. The film contradicts its own continuity, but yet the audience accepts these inconsistencies, much like how the NCR's evolution in New Vegas and the Fallout TV show seems to align with the broader Fallout narrative.

As long as the story being told is compelling and meaningful, small inconsistencies do not detract from the overall experience. Fans and audiences alike can appreciate the Fallout series and the Fallout TV show for what they are: evolving narratives that reflect the diverse and rich history of the post-apocalyptic world.

Conclusion

Josh Sawyer's attitude towards the Fallout TV show is a testament to the maturity and understanding that comes with long-term involvement in franchise development. His nonchalance towards canon inconsistencies is rooted in the understanding that each installment of the Fallout series and the TV show is part of a larger, ever-evolving narrative. As long as the story is engaging and resonates with the audience, the inconsistencies can be forgiven and even celebrated for the unique perspectives they bring to the world.