As it stands, the Fallout TV series will have a lot of ground to cover in a seemingly short amount of time. While the length of each episode in season one is currently unknown, there's room for concern about the pacing and depth that the Fallout TV series can achieve in its first season.

Ultimately, there is a lot that fans expect to see from the upcoming TV adaptation, either from standards set by the Fallout games or from the Fallout TV series’ recent praise. Consequently, the first and only confirmed season so far of the Fallout TV series having eight episodes means it's not certain that the upcoming series will deliver a satisfying adaptation in such a limited time frame.

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Why Eight Episodes Could Be Just Right for the Fallout TV Series

The Fallout franchise knows its way around environmental storytelling, with a strong knack for showing instead of telling when it comes to certain story elements. Even down to little insignificant details like stuffed animals placed in mischievous positions, the Fallout games excel at this kind of subtle delivery of exposition. Given that some of the Bethesda games studios behind the Fallout games also have a role in the development of the upcoming TV series, this strength will likely carry into this new adaptation of the franchise. Assuming this is true, the series should be more than able to paint a satisfying, complex picture in as few as eight episodes.

Another factor that alleviates some of the community’s concern about the limited episode count of the first season of the upcoming series has been described as akin to “Fallout 5,” instead of a recreation of an existing game. This has quite big implications for the franchise, especially considering that the Fallout TV series is canon.

Mainly, the Fallout TV series telling an original story means that it doesn’t have to spend a lot of precious time reinventing the wheel. There are confirmed to be scenes that take place before the Great War, which makes sense so that fans who are experiencing the franchise for the first time can understand the full picture from this adaptation. However, franchise veterans already know and love the story of the Great War from the Fallout games’ timeline, so the upcoming TV series would be wise to focus on its post-war storylines.

Why the Episode Count for the Fallout TV Series Could Be a Problem

For the time being, it’s currently unknown how long each episode will be. Given the context surrounding the depth of the franchise though, an average length of one hour would be a reasonable assumption for season one of the Fallout TV series.

Based on what’s been shown so far, the Fallout TV series will have a lot of ground to cover, which is why eight episodes might not be enough. Specifically, the choice to follow multiple main characters in the Fallout TV series, each with unique stories will be a tall task to capture in such a seemingly short amount of time.

How Long It Takes to Beat Every Fallout Game

According to HowLongToBeat, this is the expected time required to complete the main story for each Fallout game:

• Fallout: 16 hours
• Fallout 2: 30.5 hours
• Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel: 29.5 hours
• Fallout 3: 27 hours
• Fallout: New Vegas: 27.5 hours
• Fallout 4: 27 hours
• Fallout 76: 34 hours

It’s worth mentioning that these times don’t include sidequests, expansions, or multiple playthroughs, which are often required for players who plan to fully explore the separate storylines from the major factions throughout the Fallout franchise. With the longest Fallout game allegedly taking an expected 34 hours to complete, this makes the episode count for the Fallout TV series seem quite concerning.