In preparation for Season 2, JustWatch caught up with some of the Fallout (2024) cast and crew, including star Kyle MacLachlan, director Jonathan Nolan, and co-showrunner/co-creator Geneva Robertson-Dworet. When asked about the guilty pleasure movie or show they'd smuggle into their vaults to watch on loop, they each had very different answers, although MacLachlan's choice remains somewhat of an outlier.
WATCH: Fallout's Kyle MacLachlan Has The ULTIMATE Comfort Watch!
Displeased that he wasn't able to bring his Nintendo Switch, Nolan gave, perhaps, the most appropriate answer by naming his own TV show. "You didn't offer video games, so Fallout would be the obvious answer." That elicited chuckles from the rest of the cast. Robertson-Dworet, however, gave what can only be described as a smart answer. "I'd bring Star Trek because there are so many episodes." Although she didn't specify whether she meant Star Trek: The Original Series (1966) or the greater Star Trek franchise as a whole, she can't really go wrong either way. The Original Series boasts an impressive 79 episodes, while the franchise has nearly 1000 episodes total.
Then comes Kyle MacLachlan, who trades his colleague's sci-fi answers for something more family-friendly and festive. "As an ode to Macaulay Culkin, I would bring Home Alone," MacLachlan said. "So, we'd watch Home Alone again and again just because of Macaulay. I really like him."
Honestly, these are solid answers all around, but if this were a competition (which it's not), I'd give Robertson-Dworet the gold medal. Star Trek makes the ultimate vault pick, even if it isn't technically a guilty pleasure, at least according to me and a whole army of nerds.
'Star Trek' Has The Most Rewatch Values
If we're considering a true bunker situation here, then Star Trek is the perfect choice. As Robertson-Dworet said, "I feel like Star Trek is a great blend of quality and quantity," and she's absolutely right. Whether you're watching early installments like Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) or newer series like Star Trek: Discovery (2017), you'll get an absurd amount of episodes to binge, with a good chunk of them being really solid TV.
Another plus about shows like TNG and Star Trek: Voyager (1995) is the "alien of the week" format, which allows you to jump in and out of episodes without worrying about missing vital plot points. Again, though, Star Trek truly has everything, so if you want more serialized storytelling, look to Star Trek: Picard (2020) and the aforementioned Discovery.
That's not to say that Fallout or Home Alone don't have a place in the vaults, but I think we can all agree that they're lacking variety. Fallout only has two seasons thus far, and Home Alone is a singular 103-minute movie. If you want variety and expansive worldbuilding, Star Trek is the best choice.
Why To Watch 'Home Alone' And 'Fallout'
That said, Home Alone and Fallout certainly are strong picks. Fallout has truly set a new precedent for video-game-to-screen adaptations, ranking alongside shows like The Last of Us (2023) and Arcane (2021) as bona fide hits attracting gamers and non-gamers alike. With a stellar cast, dark humor, and its signature retro-futuristic '50s style, Fallout will appeal to anyone who likes good, character-driven storytelling, especially in an apocalyptic setting. Think of things like The Walking Dead (2010), but trade zombies for Vault-Tec baddies and antagonistic wasteland raiders.
However, if that isn't really your vibe, then Home Alone makes an excellent contender. It's one of the most beloved Christmas movies for a reason. With the perfect balance of slapstick shenanigans, emotional heart, and a hefty dose of nostalgia, Home Alone is the ultimate family movie night pick. And, yes, MacLachlan is right, Macaulay Culkin is great in it. If you love Christmas comedies like A Christmas Story (1983) or just want to see what is arguably Macaulay Culkin's most famous role, Home Alone is your answer.
