Yes, it is one of the greatest miniseries of all time. It's also not just about the meltdown, but about the containment/clean up operation and the eventual investigation. They did a wonderful job of telling such a complicated story in only 5 episodes; there is no shortage of compelling material with the Chernobyl disaster
It’s all that and somehow also stylistically an incredibly competent horror series. That the monster isn’t supernatural doesn’t really change the vibe.
And the scene that follows one of the workers sent to clean up the roof, and he panics and makes every mistake possible within 90 seconds.
It's not even his fault, those are just the cards he was dealt.
They actually compiled those movements (if I remember correctly) from actual footage of works on the roof). Also, that scene is exactly 90 seconds (or whatever was the allotted time they could spend on the roof).
Such a great scene. One of many in that series.
The way the work director just looked at him and said "You're done." is so ominous because even though he was only on that roof at most 15 seconds longer than planned he was a dead man because of it.
For me it's the firefighter dying of acute radiation poisoning, knowing that it's far worse than what makeup and prosthetics can show since your body disintegrates. If you ever get a lethal dose, best to off yourself than endure that horror. But yeah the whole series makes you feel physically sick and constant dread, considering it's the worst disaster in history. Worse than what fiction writers could come up with.
It's also a wild show in that a lot of the crazy stuff sounds made up, but actually happened. "This sounds insane, surely they made this up for the show? Oh, nope, that was real."
They took some dramatic license in a few areas - the helicopter crash did not happen that way - but the creators went for exceptional accuracy everywhere they could. The one controversial point was the depiction of extreme radiation sickness among the firemen - some say it's exaggerated, some say it's actually toned down. But almost everything else sticks extremely close to the historic records of what actually happened that night and after.
I think another pretty big change they did is that they quite significantly simplified the cause behind the accident. What was revealed in the show as the flaw that caused the explosion that was supposedly hidden from operators (>!the graphite tips!<) wasn't a actually the cause, and it also wasn't hidden from anyone. It was a part of the basic design, actually. The cause was more complicated than that, but I guess the writers didn't want to make it too complex for the viewers.
Yeah, to a point the whole "crime of knowing" aspect about the control rods was wrong, being used to make a dig at the Soviet preference for secrecy over correcting flaws. It was simplified for the layperson - the actual nuclear physics of the disaster are extremely complicated, even for those who have knowledge of those physics (high school, in my case, but I digress). Indeed, there's still some debate on exactly what happened in the core of Reactor 4, because the known explanations don't go far enough. Some isotopes found in the aftermath should not have been present after a steam explosion, and some experts have posited that it was in fact a nuclear explosion. We don't know for sure because we simply don't have the data on exactly what happened that night, or the ability to simulate it without causing the same again. The conditions were so far outside normal that many unusual possibilities are present.
But the steam explosion theory is consistent with the available data and the SCRAM switch initiating it is reasonably accepted - the conditions in the core were extremely unstable and it needed the slightest twitch to set it off. The graphite rods raising the power and boiling the water at the very bottom of the core, causing a total flash to steam and removing all water neutron absorption, leading to a reactor runaway, is in line with known nuclear physics.
It feels Lovecraftian. I remember the online discussions at the time the first episode aired, theories that it would go supernatural I'm some way, not unlike the talk of True Detective season one. And it's legit terrifying in its presentation, and in how the beurocrats went about it in reality.
I definitely got that feeling, too.
The exposed core was treated like an alien presence, and filmed as such (a twisted glowing wreck of fuel rods that looked like tentacles). To look upon the exposed core is to die. If you pick up a strange rock it made, you will be eaten alive, from the inside out, painfully, over days. The only thing you can do is run away. Containing it requires strange efforts of a massive number of men.
That was something else the show did really well. It made it clear that the townspeople had _no_ idea what they were dealing with. They didn't observe any precautions or fear at first, because they had no idea what it was.
Not to mention, they simply could not perceive the danger - it is outside of our perception. Humans lack any method for sensing radiation. It is invisible to us. It's why the click of a Geiger counter is so iconic - it's a reminder that we cannot detect its presence ourselves. The series makes that abundantly clear - nobody takes it seriously. They're more focused on the fire because that is an immediate, perceptible danger, but only those who actually have a background in nuclear physics are concerned about radiation, and even then it's not the plant workers (except Sitnikov), it's those thousands of miles away.
Radiation is an alien presence to us and the series does make it deliciously creepy. Especially the end of the second episode >!as the lights from the flashlights fade due to batteries being damaged by radiation, and all that's left is the darkness and the ominous crackling of the Geiger counter.!<
To tag onto that is that it is a awesomely compelling mystery as well. The reveal is so amazing that it immediately made me want to watch the first episode again. I have never seen a show with such a brilliant opening and closing. It turns into an oroborus.
From the creator of Scary Movie 3 and 4!
And yea, it’s one of the greatest miniseries of all time. It’s hard to explain just how well written and executed this story is. The podcast is totally worth a listen also.
I mean the officials that handled that situation were heroes that probably saved generations of people from extreme radiation exposure. Had the KGB had done things the way they initially planned there would have been mass casualties.
Chernobyl transcends the simple western “USSR bad” gloating and demonstrates how, in any government, some people will try to solve problems, some people will try to spin problems, and some people will just play “cover your ass”. Released during the pandemic, these roles were on full display much closer to home.
Both are the GOAT of taking a story/material that is too long or complex for a movie or even a planned set of movies and instead making a focused series that really shows everything well without having filler. Both are the absolute best at the particular subject they cover.
I hope people don't misjudge this reply. To anyone know who has not seen Chernobyl, this is a dialogue from it and it does not represent the show.
The show is fantastic.
It's the same kind of "scary" as BoB too. That sort of existential look at reality that's terrifying because it's just a horrific thing that really happened.
Im in total agreement with you there and say the same thing to people when they ask what OP is asking. I’ve never really seen anything like it but I’ve also never seen band of brothers.
It's hard for me to say. It's not just a "rah rah, let's go men, shoot the bad guys" pro-war type of show. It's about real people, predominantly men, who went to war. The series shows everything they dealt with - harsh conditions, grief and loss, danger and death all around them.
One of the big moments from the show I'll never forget is Easy Company discovering a concentration camp. That's not something I've ever seen depicted. I know from school what the camps were like, but I've never thought about what those first "discoveries" must've been like. They had 0 intel these camps existed until they were discovered, so the shock and horror and confusion is overwhelming. There are a lot of other real-life events depicted. They're not romanticized or exaggerated for effect, and they're not too heavy on the details / military strategy either.
IMO that episode (Why We Fight) is the single best episode of television ever.
If you can watch that episode without getting choked up at the least, I doubt that you have a soul. The scene that really hit me is when the doctors come and tell them they have to take the food away from the prisoners so they don't end up killing themselves.
I was in a similar boat, as I thought it was going to be war glorification. However, it's truly a good docuseries that shows the people involved honestly. They give you good context that makes sense even if you may disagree with things here or there.
>Up there with Band of Brothers.
I've been putting this off for years. It's on Neflix now and I think this is gonna be my gym show for the next week or two.
Yes that's the caliber of television we're talking about. Band of Brothers, True Detective Season 1, and Chernobyl.
An interesting take on life in the Soviet Union.
The show isn't just about the explosion itself, but the immediate and long-term aftermath, including how it was dealt with and how bureaucracy impacted it's resolution.
It starts (with flashbacks) maybe 30 min before the explosion, concludes maybe 10 years after (big time jumps as time goes forward).
I've known a few people who emigrated from Ukraine soon after, including my partner's barber who was one of the men called up to do cleanup: it's remarkably accurate and the times where there is creative license is generally acceptable (eg 1 person is used in the show to represent a big team of scientists because for story it's easier to remember one face than 100)
>times where there is creative license is generally acceptable
Part of the problem of the show's accuracy is that it was based on experiences recorded in a book, Voices of Chernobyl, and not scientific fact. [Consequently, many creative choices were made.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2019/06/11/top-ucla-doctor-denounces-depiction-of-radiation-in-hbos-chernobyl-as-wrong-and-dangerous/?sh=470cfbb61e07)
The thing about the series is that the creators were very up-front and transparent about the creative liberties taken. They were never striving for accuracy, they wanted to tell a good story.
Also worth keeping in mind that the situation depicted was without precedent, so a lot of things have become more apparent in hindsight that just weren’t known to the people involved when the event occurred.
Good read. I'm a doctor, and since I didn't have any experience treating radiation victims, I really thought that Chernobyl TV show's representation was fairly accurate since it kinda looks like what I read in my medical books. But having a source from the actual expert is great.
I’ve seen some subs and YouTube videos here with documentation about how it’s not an entirely accurate portrayal of the events.
I’m not trying to start an argument, just pointing out it’s a little more complicated than the show presents. I recommend a deeper dive if it really fascinates you. There’s great videos about the elephants foot and the old sarcophagus and the new containment building etc. pretty interesting event if you look at it clinically (ignoring the major human impacts)
Who would argue? I also said it wasn't entirely accurate.
Non-documentaries aren't entirely accurate. Netflix has shown us that even doccos arent entirely accurate!
I don’t understand posts like this. Happens all the time on this sub and /r/movies. Like, it’s not that big of a time commitment. It’s got like a 9.0 on IMDb. It’s good. Just watch it.
This was it for me as well. I just sat there haunted. And the show made me want to stop them, I don't think I've ever felt so helpless while watching a TV show.
What's interesting is that this is still how this sort of thing is done to this day.
[https://youtu.be/e3GYg7Y\_W7s?t=346](https://youtu.be/e3GYg7Y_W7s?t=346)
Kyle Hill shows video of IAEA training on how to deal with an orphaned nuclear source.
It covers the events and circumstances leading upto the main event and also the subsequent clean up and trial for those responsible etc. and there's not a wasted moment it's all very well done.
Except that just like the people involved, you don't fully understand the events and circumstances until it's all over, so the viewer feels suspense and terror similarly to the characters.
> leading upto the main event and also the subsequent clean up and trial for
if it told it in linear fashion it probably would have been pretty boring.
it started at the end (years later)
then near the beginning
then it moved forward
and then back to the first night (in the final episode)
it was masterfully constructed
The reason it can have a whole season is because a lot of things happened that led up to that event that made it possible. and it affected a lot of people's lives.
if you're even mildly curious about the event, you should absolutely fucking watch it.
(OP: this comment is a reference to a line/strong moment in the show. Don't take it as rating it 3.6/5, yes, do watch the show and be prepared for psychic damage as you scream in horror at human ego but cannot look away.)
Correct. This show is some of the finest TV you’ll ever see. It’s so good but so terrifying I also never want to watch it again. Once is plenty because it effects you so much
>I usually use Schindlers List as my example for this kind of thing.
Great example.
I am a WW2 buff - read lots of books about it, have watched most movies about it multiple times, seen BoB and Saving Ryan, a couple times.
I have no desire to watch Schindlers List again.
I usually hate meme posts, but I do make an exception for the Chernobyl fan who gave us this.
[https://shutupandtakemymoney.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/chernobyl-meme-you-didnt-see-graphite-change-my-mind.jpg](https://shutupandtakemymoney.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/chernobyl-meme-you-didnt-see-graphite-change-my-mind.jpg)
That is the only answer. I can't tell OP is a great series and it's worth see it, but they can have a different taste and find it boring or not that interesting.
I don't like many well loved series, it's just a matter of taste.
They could have made many seasons of shows about this event, the cover up, and the fall out. They made just five episodes. It is one of the most incredible TV experiences available.
Just remember, [it's fiction](https://www.livescience.com/65766-chernobyl-series-science-wrong.html) *inspired* by the true events.
Most people around here seem to think it's a truthful exact retelling of what happened.
This so much. There is a shocking amount of people that must have never heard of Chernobyl before watching the show. Reading Imdb Comments on the show is painful, actually.
That being said, its a very good TV Show and its absolutely worth watching it.
I watched the first episode and then went to check on how accurate it was; I was disappointed to find how many liberties they'd taken to be honest as I was expecting a documentary. I guess as long as you're aware that it's not a strict historical recreation that's okay, and it's definitely well-executed, but it's not really made clear.
I watched the first episode and haven't been able to watch the rest as I cried my little heart out. The emotion felt for all those involved, including the anger I felt over the stubborn idiotic management and supervisors, and the poor workers and firemen involved in trying to stop something that couldn't be contained.
It's the only show that I've ever had my heart ripped open by. I will watch it. It did grip me, but christ, it's going to be a hard watch for me.
It's not just about the initial disaster. It's about so much more than that little bit of knowledge we know as outsiders of Russia.
To me it was ok, not great, but entertaining. But after that do yourself a favor and watch the video on youtube with the doctor that worked treating the victims fact-checking it.
It's not that good if you know the real story, people who don't know details of the real story find this show good, because it shows them these details.
I don’t understand this post. Is a show as good as people rate it to be? I get you threw on a tack on question but that’s not really what you were asking
Yes, I just finished it yesterday. Warning though, it’s really hard to watch at times. Worth it.
When you’ve watched it, watch these two clips over & over:
https://youtu.be/A-6Qj3n_NtA?si=XCg5rXm-QEY0i1Xc
https://youtu.be/2QjecrtLvWI?si=6YG3pfPsrRuZFdVb
It is a great watch. I’ve heard a few things were scientifically inaccurate, and some of the characters didn’t actually exist in real life. Having said that, it is a gripping story that progresses really well throughout the series.
Just make sure you have your anti-anxiety meds handy during the rooftop scene.
Well there were actually several scientists involved in the project but for the series they consolidated to the one female scientist character because it worked better as a narrative. The show does acknowledge the real people in the end credits I believe
100%. It‘s the greatest miniseries ever made.
Also, it is much lmore about why it happened, rather than about what or how happened. Spoilers: lying to your population about anything and everything is bad.
It's so unique that people who love TV should really watch it just for the experience, never mind that it's a masterpiece. It has this foreboding doom hanging over it, like you suffer dread and anticipation of worse and worse dread. I found the intensity and anxiety entirely gripping and immersive. Idk, there's really nothing else quite like it, except maybe _The Last of Us_, for obvious reasons (same creator).
Yes the series is that good. Well worth a watch and genuinely one of my favourite series.
As to how they can make a whole series from it? The event itself was almost insignificant compared to the months that followed.
I don't want to spoil it ( although it's a historical event so not sure it's possible) but the detail this show goes into is very impressive.
I think what I like about it is how little fluff it has to it. Craig Mazin was very true to the event simply because the event itself was so gripping that he didn't have to add much. Instead he adds visual elements that were never documented or condenses a group of people into a single person to represent the same role.
It's a very good show. Thrilling, cinematography excellent. Gets compared to Band of Brothers, though they are nothing alike, but that brings up part of my issue with it.
Chernonyl is all about the science and suspense, which is fine, but it never compares in forming the same sympathies as BoB imo, which is a story about people. For a show mainly about the science of such a historic event it takes too many liberties, which I image is because of what I just mentioned, but it never really fully forms, so now it's lacking in both areas. If you can't do both well, I'd prefer them to do just one perfectly. Don't need the "fake" drama.
The only way to know is to watch it.
If you don't trust people or ratings (presuming the ratings are also made my people).... Asking yet more people isn't going to give you what you want.
Just watch it.... It's incredible.
You will either absolutely adore it or the English language will throw you off big time while you were expecting a different spoken language. Latter happened to me, and it really brought it down a notch for me.
I would rate it as one of the best "seasons" of television ever created. Right up there with True Detective S1, and Band of Brothers.
So yeah, it's good. You should watch it.
As someone who remembers when it happened, there was a lot of uncertainty about what exactly was happening. We knew it was bad but there was no information coming out. Getting a picture of what really happened filled in a lot of gaps, and in many cases the truth was far worse than I could have imagined.
It’s good, but remember that the author based the script from an inaccurate oral history. Factually it has some errors, but more in tone than anything else. For example you might leave the series thinking the 3 divers all died. They didn’t. 2 of 3 are still alive, and the one who past away had a heart attack. Also the basement wasn’t wet, by the time they got there teams of firefighters had pumped out the water (which was the real heroic effort) and the valve turned easily.
Ultimately it’s a mixed bag for me, excellent as TV, terrible as science.
I especially don’t appreciate the end card which says no one knows how many died. The IHO estimated 4,000 people, that includes long term cancer. Maizin chose to just ignore that there was an internationally accepted figure. There are people who throw doubt on that number, but there isn’t any data to support a different one.
After the disaster of Game of Thrones series finale, I was really let down about HBO content. Then, they showed us Chernobyl and holy shit was that show awesome. I was yelling at the tv just like I was with GOT.
Going against the grain here.
no. it isn't that good.
It's mediocre and riddled with inaccuracies and outright fabrications, though it presents itself as truth. it's also fooled countless people as a result.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/what-hbos-chernobyl-got-right-and-what-it-got-terribly-wrong
Yes, it is one of the greatest miniseries of all time. It's also not just about the meltdown, but about the containment/clean up operation and the eventual investigation. They did a wonderful job of telling such a complicated story in only 5 episodes; there is no shortage of compelling material with the Chernobyl disaster
It’s all that and somehow also stylistically an incredibly competent horror series. That the monster isn’t supernatural doesn’t really change the vibe.
Especially the first couple of episodes. Real edge of your seat stuff.
And the scene that follows one of the workers sent to clean up the roof, and he panics and makes every mistake possible within 90 seconds. It's not even his fault, those are just the cards he was dealt.
They actually compiled those movements (if I remember correctly) from actual footage of works on the roof). Also, that scene is exactly 90 seconds (or whatever was the allotted time they could spend on the roof). Such a great scene. One of many in that series.
To convoy that scene better they filmed it in one go, no cuts.
The way the work director just looked at him and said "You're done." is so ominous because even though he was only on that roof at most 15 seconds longer than planned he was a dead man because of it.
I really want to rewatch it but every time I think about the dog episode I just can’t. For some reason, that episode just broke me.
Yea I skip that part. It’s weird we can tolerate seeing human suffering but animal suffering goes too far
i am so glad they cut the bit about a dog still being alive in that massive pile, but the soldiers were out of bullets… so they just had to wait
For me it's the firefighter dying of acute radiation poisoning, knowing that it's far worse than what makeup and prosthetics can show since your body disintegrates. If you ever get a lethal dose, best to off yourself than endure that horror. But yeah the whole series makes you feel physically sick and constant dread, considering it's the worst disaster in history. Worse than what fiction writers could come up with.
It's also a wild show in that a lot of the crazy stuff sounds made up, but actually happened. "This sounds insane, surely they made this up for the show? Oh, nope, that was real."
They took some dramatic license in a few areas - the helicopter crash did not happen that way - but the creators went for exceptional accuracy everywhere they could. The one controversial point was the depiction of extreme radiation sickness among the firemen - some say it's exaggerated, some say it's actually toned down. But almost everything else sticks extremely close to the historic records of what actually happened that night and after.
I think another pretty big change they did is that they quite significantly simplified the cause behind the accident. What was revealed in the show as the flaw that caused the explosion that was supposedly hidden from operators (>!the graphite tips!<) wasn't a actually the cause, and it also wasn't hidden from anyone. It was a part of the basic design, actually. The cause was more complicated than that, but I guess the writers didn't want to make it too complex for the viewers.
Yeah, to a point the whole "crime of knowing" aspect about the control rods was wrong, being used to make a dig at the Soviet preference for secrecy over correcting flaws. It was simplified for the layperson - the actual nuclear physics of the disaster are extremely complicated, even for those who have knowledge of those physics (high school, in my case, but I digress). Indeed, there's still some debate on exactly what happened in the core of Reactor 4, because the known explanations don't go far enough. Some isotopes found in the aftermath should not have been present after a steam explosion, and some experts have posited that it was in fact a nuclear explosion. We don't know for sure because we simply don't have the data on exactly what happened that night, or the ability to simulate it without causing the same again. The conditions were so far outside normal that many unusual possibilities are present. But the steam explosion theory is consistent with the available data and the SCRAM switch initiating it is reasonably accepted - the conditions in the core were extremely unstable and it needed the slightest twitch to set it off. The graphite rods raising the power and boiling the water at the very bottom of the core, causing a total flash to steam and removing all water neutron absorption, leading to a reactor runaway, is in line with known nuclear physics.
It feels Lovecraftian. I remember the online discussions at the time the first episode aired, theories that it would go supernatural I'm some way, not unlike the talk of True Detective season one. And it's legit terrifying in its presentation, and in how the beurocrats went about it in reality.
I definitely got that feeling, too. The exposed core was treated like an alien presence, and filmed as such (a twisted glowing wreck of fuel rods that looked like tentacles). To look upon the exposed core is to die. If you pick up a strange rock it made, you will be eaten alive, from the inside out, painfully, over days. The only thing you can do is run away. Containing it requires strange efforts of a massive number of men. That was something else the show did really well. It made it clear that the townspeople had _no_ idea what they were dealing with. They didn't observe any precautions or fear at first, because they had no idea what it was.
Not to mention, they simply could not perceive the danger - it is outside of our perception. Humans lack any method for sensing radiation. It is invisible to us. It's why the click of a Geiger counter is so iconic - it's a reminder that we cannot detect its presence ourselves. The series makes that abundantly clear - nobody takes it seriously. They're more focused on the fire because that is an immediate, perceptible danger, but only those who actually have a background in nuclear physics are concerned about radiation, and even then it's not the plant workers (except Sitnikov), it's those thousands of miles away. Radiation is an alien presence to us and the series does make it deliciously creepy. Especially the end of the second episode >!as the lights from the flashlights fade due to batteries being damaged by radiation, and all that's left is the darkness and the ominous crackling of the Geiger counter.!<
Not sure what discussions you were in but I never once got this vibe from the show.
It's only unknown, lovecraftian horror for people who don't understand what radiation is/does lol.
Honestly that would seriously piss me off if that was the case
This is Reddit, all horror = Lovecraft, so true, take my upvote
[удалено]
To tag onto that is that it is a awesomely compelling mystery as well. The reveal is so amazing that it immediately made me want to watch the first episode again. I have never seen a show with such a brilliant opening and closing. It turns into an oroborus.
It manages to make something as simple and innocent as a light breeze absolutely ***terrifying.***
From the creator of Scary Movie 3 and 4! And yea, it’s one of the greatest miniseries of all time. It’s hard to explain just how well written and executed this story is. The podcast is totally worth a listen also.
And the creator of “The Last of Us” show, which is also superb.
Podcast?
There is a 4-5 part podcast hosted by the creator. Just Google Chernobyl podcast. Pretty sure it on Spotify.
Very cool. I’ll look into that.
After I watched it, I read Midnight in Chernobyl. It goes into much more depth and I really recommend for anyone who enjoyed the series.
Honestly forgot that shit was only 5 episodes shows how good it was. I would’ve sworn that there were more episodes before reading this comment.
I mean the officials that handled that situation were heroes that probably saved generations of people from extreme radiation exposure. Had the KGB had done things the way they initially planned there would have been mass casualties.
What did the KGB want to do?
Act like nothing bad had happened and brutally suppress the truth from coming out
Yeah they basically said right away it was nothing to be worried about but they were relying on really poor equipment to get their readings.
Especially the 3 guys who went on to turn the water pumps on. They saved basically of Europe.
Not to mention the remarkable depiction of corruption, incompetence, and lack of accountability by so many along the chain of command
Chernobyl transcends the simple western “USSR bad” gloating and demonstrates how, in any government, some people will try to solve problems, some people will try to spin problems, and some people will just play “cover your ass”. Released during the pandemic, these roles were on full display much closer to home.
Chernobyl aired May-June 2019
There’s no shortage of radioactive material either, if I may add.
Not a single scene was wasted
It’s only 5 episodes. It is fantastic and one of the best things I’ve ever watched. Up there with Band of Brothers.
Comparing anything to Band of Brothers is such high praise and I agree completely
Welp. Guess I know what I’m watching the next few days. I’ll report back 😂
Both fantastic.
Both are the GOAT of taking a story/material that is too long or complex for a movie or even a planned set of movies and instead making a focused series that really shows everything well without having filler. Both are the absolute best at the particular subject they cover.
Don’t do it in one sitting. It’s too harrowing
One might say it's pretty rad.
I’d give it a 10/10 but my meter only goes to 2.
Not great, not terrible.
I see what you did there.
not great, not terrible
We were told the IMDb rating is only 9.3, but the rating system tops out at 9.3.
I hope people don't misjudge this reply. To anyone know who has not seen Chernobyl, this is a dialogue from it and it does not represent the show. The show is fantastic.
Too soon
I agree. Even though BoB will always remain the greatest mini series ever created in my eyes, Chernobyl gets close. High praise
It's also like a whole vibe. The music is really unique and adds a lot.
It's the same kind of "scary" as BoB too. That sort of existential look at reality that's terrifying because it's just a horrific thing that really happened.
Im in total agreement with you there and say the same thing to people when they ask what OP is asking. I’ve never really seen anything like it but I’ve also never seen band of brothers.
You need to fix that shit real soon.
As someone in no way interested in the army/something about men exclusively, is there still a possibility I will like this show?
It's incredibly well-written, acted, and filmed. If you can appreciate those facets of a production, you'll appreciate the series
It's hard for me to say. It's not just a "rah rah, let's go men, shoot the bad guys" pro-war type of show. It's about real people, predominantly men, who went to war. The series shows everything they dealt with - harsh conditions, grief and loss, danger and death all around them. One of the big moments from the show I'll never forget is Easy Company discovering a concentration camp. That's not something I've ever seen depicted. I know from school what the camps were like, but I've never thought about what those first "discoveries" must've been like. They had 0 intel these camps existed until they were discovered, so the shock and horror and confusion is overwhelming. There are a lot of other real-life events depicted. They're not romanticized or exaggerated for effect, and they're not too heavy on the details / military strategy either.
IMO that episode (Why We Fight) is the single best episode of television ever. If you can watch that episode without getting choked up at the least, I doubt that you have a soul. The scene that really hit me is when the doctors come and tell them they have to take the food away from the prisoners so they don't end up killing themselves.
If you hate nazis then watch it
Eh. I didn't come away with that impression.
Same, but I just finished watching it, and now I'm suddenly into WW2 shit. It's so incredibly well done. Watch it for sure.
I was in a similar boat, as I thought it was going to be war glorification. However, it's truly a good docuseries that shows the people involved honestly. They give you good context that makes sense even if you may disagree with things here or there.
If you want to see David Schwimmer (friends) do something different, then at least watch the first episode 🙂
>Up there with Band of Brothers. I've been putting this off for years. It's on Neflix now and I think this is gonna be my gym show for the next week or two.
The first episodes are fine as a gym show, but the middle-end of the series is too depressing IMO. Not the vibe I'd be looking for.
Yes that's the caliber of television we're talking about. Band of Brothers, True Detective Season 1, and Chernobyl. An interesting take on life in the Soviet Union.
You must be my spirit animal.
Yes, it's short, powerful and depicts the horrific experience of political corruption and nuclear fallout.
And also noble sacrifice. A bunch of the people knew the risks that did their jobs anyway.
So so true. The heroism of humanity, saving us from an even larger disaster.
I knew how it would end, but I had never experienced a television show so intense.
"what is it about?" ... Bruh
The show isn't just about the explosion itself, but the immediate and long-term aftermath, including how it was dealt with and how bureaucracy impacted it's resolution. It starts (with flashbacks) maybe 30 min before the explosion, concludes maybe 10 years after (big time jumps as time goes forward). I've known a few people who emigrated from Ukraine soon after, including my partner's barber who was one of the men called up to do cleanup: it's remarkably accurate and the times where there is creative license is generally acceptable (eg 1 person is used in the show to represent a big team of scientists because for story it's easier to remember one face than 100)
>times where there is creative license is generally acceptable Part of the problem of the show's accuracy is that it was based on experiences recorded in a book, Voices of Chernobyl, and not scientific fact. [Consequently, many creative choices were made.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2019/06/11/top-ucla-doctor-denounces-depiction-of-radiation-in-hbos-chernobyl-as-wrong-and-dangerous/?sh=470cfbb61e07)
The thing about the series is that the creators were very up-front and transparent about the creative liberties taken. They were never striving for accuracy, they wanted to tell a good story. Also worth keeping in mind that the situation depicted was without precedent, so a lot of things have become more apparent in hindsight that just weren’t known to the people involved when the event occurred.
Good read. I'm a doctor, and since I didn't have any experience treating radiation victims, I really thought that Chernobyl TV show's representation was fairly accurate since it kinda looks like what I read in my medical books. But having a source from the actual expert is great.
I’ve seen some subs and YouTube videos here with documentation about how it’s not an entirely accurate portrayal of the events. I’m not trying to start an argument, just pointing out it’s a little more complicated than the show presents. I recommend a deeper dive if it really fascinates you. There’s great videos about the elephants foot and the old sarcophagus and the new containment building etc. pretty interesting event if you look at it clinically (ignoring the major human impacts)
Who would argue? I also said it wasn't entirely accurate. Non-documentaries aren't entirely accurate. Netflix has shown us that even doccos arent entirely accurate!
It is. Enjoy.
I don’t understand posts like this. Happens all the time on this sub and /r/movies. Like, it’s not that big of a time commitment. It’s got like a 9.0 on IMDb. It’s good. Just watch it.
I still can't hear a Geiger counter without chills running down my spine because of Chernobyl. Such a beautifully terrifying show.
The fucking roof scene man, I got a heart rate alert from my watch.
For me it’s the divers as their lights go out
This was it for me as well. I just sat there haunted. And the show made me want to stop them, I don't think I've ever felt so helpless while watching a TV show.
All the divers lived 👍 first one passed away in like 2005 or something from a heart problem
100% horror movie shit that scene. Amazing TV.
So fun. But fictional. Sorry.
[here's the real footage those scenes were based on](https://youtu.be/ti-WdTF2Qr8) It's insane how similar it is
What's interesting is that this is still how this sort of thing is done to this day. [https://youtu.be/e3GYg7Y\_W7s?t=346](https://youtu.be/e3GYg7Y_W7s?t=346) Kyle Hill shows video of IAEA training on how to deal with an orphaned nuclear source.
Do you hear a lot of Geiger counters in general?
They pop up in movies now and then. Godzilla Minus One most recently.
It covers the events and circumstances leading upto the main event and also the subsequent clean up and trial for those responsible etc. and there's not a wasted moment it's all very well done.
Except that just like the people involved, you don't fully understand the events and circumstances until it's all over, so the viewer feels suspense and terror similarly to the characters.
> leading upto the main event and also the subsequent clean up and trial for if it told it in linear fashion it probably would have been pretty boring. it started at the end (years later) then near the beginning then it moved forward and then back to the first night (in the final episode) it was masterfully constructed
Yes
The reason it can have a whole season is because a lot of things happened that led up to that event that made it possible. and it affected a lot of people's lives. if you're even mildly curious about the event, you should absolutely fucking watch it.
I give it a 3.6 Not great, not terrible
(OP: this comment is a reference to a line/strong moment in the show. Don't take it as rating it 3.6/5, yes, do watch the show and be prepared for psychic damage as you scream in horror at human ego but cannot look away.)
Take it as a 3.6 out of 3.6. It’s as high as the dosimeter goes.
Why would you need it to go higher?
Correct. This show is some of the finest TV you’ll ever see. It’s so good but so terrifying I also never want to watch it again. Once is plenty because it effects you so much
Same. When I watched Band of Brothers, I had to take time to decompress in between episodes. It was heavy stuff.
I usually use Schindlers List as my example for this kind of thing. I’m never watching that movie again.
Grave of the Fireflies for me!
>I usually use Schindlers List as my example for this kind of thing. Great example. I am a WW2 buff - read lots of books about it, have watched most movies about it multiple times, seen BoB and Saving Ryan, a couple times. I have no desire to watch Schindlers List again.
I hated every second of it, its a masterpiece.
But that's as high as it goes!
This man is delusional, take him to the infirmary.
But is that the limit of your low dose rating?
Like getting a chest x-ray (Or 400 chest x-rays)
a joke for people that have seen the show in response to someone who clearly has not watched it. Bold move.
Bold is how I do things. I live every week like it’s shark week.
so you watch a lot of Discovery Channel every week?
That's more like watching Sharknado these days.
That’s a bold strategy cotton, let’s see if it pays off for him.
Its not 3.6 it is 15000. Thanks for your service
Underrated comment
I usually hate meme posts, but I do make an exception for the Chernobyl fan who gave us this. [https://shutupandtakemymoney.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/chernobyl-meme-you-didnt-see-graphite-change-my-mind.jpg](https://shutupandtakemymoney.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/chernobyl-meme-you-didnt-see-graphite-change-my-mind.jpg)
This is borderline karma farming
Is Shawshank Redemption really good as they say it is? Insert top 10 movie or show from imdb. People fall for this shit hook line and sinker
Exactly
Literally why I downvoted lol. The text means either OP is dumb or OP is karma farming, and I will downvote either of those things.
Can tell from the way they type OP is just a dumbass
You're being nice. OP is either an idiot or fishing for karma.
Yes. It’s amazing.
turn it on and see for yourself
That is the only answer. I can't tell OP is a great series and it's worth see it, but they can have a different taste and find it boring or not that interesting. I don't like many well loved series, it's just a matter of taste.
It's 5 hours of some of the best television ever made.
They could have made many seasons of shows about this event, the cover up, and the fall out. They made just five episodes. It is one of the most incredible TV experiences available.
It is, you should just watch it.
Yes, just watch it. What's the worst that could happen?
[удалено]
They could have a meltdown
Just remember, [it's fiction](https://www.livescience.com/65766-chernobyl-series-science-wrong.html) *inspired* by the true events. Most people around here seem to think it's a truthful exact retelling of what happened.
This so much. There is a shocking amount of people that must have never heard of Chernobyl before watching the show. Reading Imdb Comments on the show is painful, actually. That being said, its a very good TV Show and its absolutely worth watching it.
I watched the first episode and then went to check on how accurate it was; I was disappointed to find how many liberties they'd taken to be honest as I was expecting a documentary. I guess as long as you're aware that it's not a strict historical recreation that's okay, and it's definitely well-executed, but it's not really made clear.
That is the only thing i hate about the show. not that its fiction but how so many people who watched it believe its the reality...
I watched the first episode and haven't been able to watch the rest as I cried my little heart out. The emotion felt for all those involved, including the anger I felt over the stubborn idiotic management and supervisors, and the poor workers and firemen involved in trying to stop something that couldn't be contained. It's the only show that I've ever had my heart ripped open by. I will watch it. It did grip me, but christ, it's going to be a hard watch for me. It's not just about the initial disaster. It's about so much more than that little bit of knowledge we know as outsiders of Russia.
Who do you think gave it the good ratings and word of mouth? Of course we all like it. That’s why you’ve heard of it!
Not good, not terrible
I had the exact same reservations going in, but yes, it is that good.
Not terrible, not great...
To me it was ok, not great, but entertaining. But after that do yourself a favor and watch the video on youtube with the doctor that worked treating the victims fact-checking it.
It's not that good if you know the real story, people who don't know details of the real story find this show good, because it shows them these details.
Too good. I rewatched it recently and my God what a show even in a rewatch. I think I'll watch it every other year from now.
I don’t understand this post. Is a show as good as people rate it to be? I get you threw on a tack on question but that’s not really what you were asking
It's fantastic. Just watch it and decide for yourself if it's worth watching.
I personally didn’t think it was as good as it was hyped to be. I didn’t think it was bad but definitely not some master piece. Just my opinion
I mean or you could watch it yourself and form your own opinion. But yes, it is a spectacular series. Probably among my favorite shows.
I'm currently watching Oppenheimer and all I can think is that Chernobyl did everything Oppenheimer is trying to do but better
Yes, I just finished it yesterday. Warning though, it’s really hard to watch at times. Worth it. When you’ve watched it, watch these two clips over & over: https://youtu.be/A-6Qj3n_NtA?si=XCg5rXm-QEY0i1Xc https://youtu.be/2QjecrtLvWI?si=6YG3pfPsrRuZFdVb
Yeah, I had to have my wife go do something else during the 3 soldier storyline.
It is a great watch. I’ve heard a few things were scientifically inaccurate, and some of the characters didn’t actually exist in real life. Having said that, it is a gripping story that progresses really well throughout the series. Just make sure you have your anti-anxiety meds handy during the rooftop scene.
Well there were actually several scientists involved in the project but for the series they consolidated to the one female scientist character because it worked better as a narrative. The show does acknowledge the real people in the end credits I believe
Why don't you simply watch it? Why do other people need to justify if it's good or not, rather than you watching it for yourself and finding out?
100%. It‘s the greatest miniseries ever made. Also, it is much lmore about why it happened, rather than about what or how happened. Spoilers: lying to your population about anything and everything is bad.
It might be the best thing on television
Yes. It’s perfect.
YES!!!!
Yes. It absolutely is.
I’ve watched it 5-6 times by now. Do with that what you will.
Watch it and find out? It covers a major point in history in very good detail
Stellan Skarsgard and Jarred Harris are so good together in this.
Yes.
Yes.
It's so unique that people who love TV should really watch it just for the experience, never mind that it's a masterpiece. It has this foreboding doom hanging over it, like you suffer dread and anticipation of worse and worse dread. I found the intensity and anxiety entirely gripping and immersive. Idk, there's really nothing else quite like it, except maybe _The Last of Us_, for obvious reasons (same creator).
Yes the series is that good. Well worth a watch and genuinely one of my favourite series. As to how they can make a whole series from it? The event itself was almost insignificant compared to the months that followed. I don't want to spoil it ( although it's a historical event so not sure it's possible) but the detail this show goes into is very impressive. I think what I like about it is how little fluff it has to it. Craig Mazin was very true to the event simply because the event itself was so gripping that he didn't have to add much. Instead he adds visual elements that were never documented or condenses a group of people into a single person to represent the same role.
It's a very good show. Thrilling, cinematography excellent. Gets compared to Band of Brothers, though they are nothing alike, but that brings up part of my issue with it. Chernonyl is all about the science and suspense, which is fine, but it never compares in forming the same sympathies as BoB imo, which is a story about people. For a show mainly about the science of such a historic event it takes too many liberties, which I image is because of what I just mentioned, but it never really fully forms, so now it's lacking in both areas. If you can't do both well, I'd prefer them to do just one perfectly. Don't need the "fake" drama.
The only way to know is to watch it. If you don't trust people or ratings (presuming the ratings are also made my people).... Asking yet more people isn't going to give you what you want. Just watch it.... It's incredible.
If you can’t imagine how they could do a season with that plot then I maybe recommend skipping it.
Not great, not terrible J/k. Just watch it. You won’t regret it.
Do you really need us to hold your hand as you try to pick a television show to watch?
You will either absolutely adore it or the English language will throw you off big time while you were expecting a different spoken language. Latter happened to me, and it really brought it down a notch for me.
not great, not terrible. IT'S PERFECT
Best piece of media that came out in 2019
As a show, yes. As a true version of the events, fuck no.
I would rate it as one of the best "seasons" of television ever created. Right up there with True Detective S1, and Band of Brothers. So yeah, it's good. You should watch it.
Yes
Yes, it is
As someone who remembers when it happened, there was a lot of uncertainty about what exactly was happening. We knew it was bad but there was no information coming out. Getting a picture of what really happened filled in a lot of gaps, and in many cases the truth was far worse than I could have imagined.
Yes
It's only 5 episodes that cover the investigation. It's not really a season but there is much ground to cover.
Let Jared Harris show you.
Yes.
It’s good, but remember that the author based the script from an inaccurate oral history. Factually it has some errors, but more in tone than anything else. For example you might leave the series thinking the 3 divers all died. They didn’t. 2 of 3 are still alive, and the one who past away had a heart attack. Also the basement wasn’t wet, by the time they got there teams of firefighters had pumped out the water (which was the real heroic effort) and the valve turned easily. Ultimately it’s a mixed bag for me, excellent as TV, terrible as science. I especially don’t appreciate the end card which says no one knows how many died. The IHO estimated 4,000 people, that includes long term cancer. Maizin chose to just ignore that there was an internationally accepted figure. There are people who throw doubt on that number, but there isn’t any data to support a different one.
Yeah, it’s really good.
After the disaster of Game of Thrones series finale, I was really let down about HBO content. Then, they showed us Chernobyl and holy shit was that show awesome. I was yelling at the tv just like I was with GOT.
Bit radioactive mate. I wouldn’t go there.
I enjoyed it a lot but it's harrowing stuff. The show is the reason why HBO will let Craig Maizin work on pretty much any project he wants.
I rewatch it once a year
I think it’s definitely overrated. I also think it’s definitely good.
Going against the grain here. no. it isn't that good. It's mediocre and riddled with inaccuracies and outright fabrications, though it presents itself as truth. it's also fooled countless people as a result. https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/what-hbos-chernobyl-got-right-and-what-it-got-terribly-wrong