There’s so much to love about fandom: community, creation, and a sense of fun and humor. Fandom at its finest uplifts the source material, celebrating beloved stories with true pureness of heart. And when the stars really align, the source material is ready to embrace fandom right back. And that’s exactly what we see happening with Prime Video’s Fallout. Although he proved not to be the real Mr. House, but instead an impersonator sent to throw the world off the scent of Fallout: New Vegas’ iconic character, Rafi Silver’s fake Mr. House was IMMEDIATELY embraced by fandom. Who doesn’t love a man out there just doing what it takes to make ends meet? And as a token of their love and approval, fandom collectively decided on the perfect name for its fake Robert House double, Bobby Apartment. When I first heard the words “Bobby Apartment,” I felt giddy with how absurdly perfect the construction was. And it seems like I’m not the only one. Prime Video’s Fallout has officially blessed the name “Bobby Apartment” for Mr. House’s fake double.
It’s no surprise that the Fallout fandom took to Rafi Silver’s fake House/Bobby Apartment so quickly. Silver delivers a clever, hilarious performance in both his forms. As the perfect Mr. House double on Fallout, he gives the world exactly what it would expect to see: a smug, entitled, smirking figure, drawling insults and waving his cigarettes around with no regard for anyone or anything. But quickly, and deftly, Silver sheds that mask as it’s revealed he is not the true Mr. House. In the blink of an eye, he brings a wry self-awareness to his Fallout performance and fills it with subtleties that really paint us a picture of the character.
“It’s a living.” He tells Cooper Howard. And we stan. There’s also something wonderful about Silver’s Bobby Apartment being, for all intents and purposes, just a normal guy caught up in Fallout‘s world of absolute insanity. Is he the only person Robert House has spoken to as himself in the last decade? (Cooper Howard, aside.) That’s quite a tall order for an average Joe. Or an average Bob, if you will. It’s no wonder we all need to know more. And that we want to give this character a name.
Like the best fandom constructions, the name Bobby Apartment began as something of a joke in Fallout circles. It was a hilarious play on the name “Robert House,” which seemed to perfectly capture the way Rafi Silver’s double was almost House, but perhaps the slightly less classy version, more a man of the people. As I said, when I first heard it, it just felt right. But the joke took root, as the name was quickly and ardently embraced, and sweetly caught on as Fallout‘s fandom all delighted together in christening the character.
I always say that fandom works back as a feedback loop of love and excitement. First, an amazing show catches fans’ hearts. Then, fans respond by creating and engaging. But to really take this to the next level, it’s important that official sources reciprocate the love with equitable care and excitement. That’s how fandom grows to live and thrive. And that’s exactly the case here as well. As Bobby Apartment took hold in fandom, both actor Rafi Silver and the official Fallout channels took note and wanted to get in on the fun. There’s no better way to inspire the best of fandom than by allowing them to feel seen, respected, and loved right back. And so, it is no small thing that both Silver and Fallout have embraced Bobby Apartment as Mr. House’s fake double’s name, and are encouraging fans’ joy. To me, it’s a truly beautiful sight to witness. It’s the kind of occurrence that shifts fandom from just fans loving a property toward becoming a true community.
And hey, maybe fandom’s love of Rafi Silver’s Bobby Apartment will mean new and exciting adventures for the character in the world of Fallout. It’d be sheer perfection to hear Mr. House’s fake double say, “Just call me Bobby Apartment.” We feel like Mr. House would be the kind of guy to track down the one person in the world called Bobby Apartment, just as a personal inside joke for him to enjoy while he wears his funny helmet. But seriously, how did Bobby Apartment become Mr. House’s fake double? The world NEEDS to know.
For now, we’ll gleefully indulge in all the Bobby Apartment content that fandom offers. It really brings us true happiness.
Fallout season two is streaming now on Prime Video.
The post FALLOUT Blesses ‘Bobby Apartment’, Fake Mr. House’s Fandom Name appeared first on Nerdist.
Source: Kiat Media
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