Chernobyl TV drama (HBO)

[Repo]

Not entirely understanding why some of you are annoyed about Soviet-era Russian politicians being shown in a poor light - that's the way it happened, according to their own history books. I've spoken to many FSU natives over the years, since my first visit to Russia in 1998. Plenty of Soviet heroes in this story, as well - politicians included. The alternative is not to tell the story at all.

I would gladly have seen all Russian/Ukrainian actors & actresses, read subtitles, and listened to the beautiful languages. I taught myself Russian over 20 years ago, so I'm pretty rusty now, but love relearning and hearing it spoken.

Other than the female character who wasnt a real person (which even the directors tell you so its not like their trying to hide anything) I think it's a very well put together show.

Yes they show politicians acting like politicians but they also show the heroics of the citizens, such as the coal miners, plant workers, and the military officer who refuses to sacrifice his own men to test the radiation and does it himself.

The show is very well shot and they do a phenomenal job at instilling a sense of dread as they work to fix the plant, better thqn any recent movies that I can think of. I think some of you are being a bit too critical and judging it because it's not something it's even intended to be.

 

[aeroektar]

I watched it and thought it was great, the last episode was especially good with the courtroom scenes and the flashbacks, it really tied everything together. It certainly held my attention better then GOT.

Yeah the female scientist was a joke. At the end of the last episode it literally says she was made up to represent all the scientists who pushed for the truth at Chernobyl, they then show a picture of bus full of scientists and I shit you not there's only one person on that bus that is clearly a woman, the rest are men.

It did have strong male characters, and great acting, the guy playing Dyatlov had me swearing at my TV screen, and I loved the Scherbina and Lagasov characters.

Overall I enjoyed it. I'm not going to fuss over every detail, otherwise I'd just turn the TV off completely.

 

[DogLover]

Having spent some time in eastern Europe, I can't get past the English accents in the show. Makes it seem like Disneyland. At least try to fake a better slavic accent!

I agree. If the show had been done in Russian/Ukrainian it would be much better. But most basic Americans don't want to read subtitles and this (((propaganda))) would have less viewership.

It didn't have to be in Russian with subtitles...I'd be fine if they just faked Russian accents, like Ciarin Hinds in Sum of All Fears.

 

[Geomann180]

If Hollywood really wanted to cover the Russians mistreating the Ukrainians, they should have covered the Holodomor in which over 6 million Ukrainians died through deliberate starvation.

But then (((who))) engineered this atrocity?

G

 

[Aurini]

They briefly mention the Holodomor in this series. I was surprised it made it through.

The poz moments are fairly obvious, and fairly innocuous - the female scientist, a couple of speeches which are far too 'American' for a Soviet scientist - but aside from that it's a good series, that adequately explains what happened in Chernobyl, both bureaucratically and scientifically.

 

[Pinkman]

Also surprised they mentioned Holodomor. But then later on in the same (last) episode they brought up how Jews apparently were killed by the Soviets. Of course they can't make a show like this without mentioning the eternal victims.

We all know who the (((Soviets))) really were though.

 

[Teedub]

Having spent some time in eastern Europe, I can't get past the English accents in the show. Makes it seem like Disneyland. At least try to fake a better slavic accent!

That's because for as long as I remember, upper-class English accents have been the 'go to' for anything where it's supposed to be foreign. The reason is because British actors are the best stage actors in the world, and despite movies/TV being far more popular amongst the general public, within 'the industry', stage is more respected. Hence someone like Patrick Steward being far more respected than someone like Johnny Depp. It's also because when film/TV became popular, Britain was the dominant global power.

It is what it is.

 

[Pinkman]

That's because for as long as I remember, upper-class English accents have been the 'go to' for anything where it's supposed to be foreign. The reason is because British actors are the best stage actors in the world, and despite movies/TV being far more popular amongst the general public, within 'the industry', stage is more respected. Hence someone like Patrick Steward being far more respected than someone like Johnny Depp. It's also because when film/TV became popular, Britain was the dominant global power.

It is what it is.

A lot of Scandinavian actors in this show too. Along with the director. The guy playing Gorbachev is Danish and the guy playing Boris Shcherbina is Swedish. Saw a few more Swedish actors as well.

Since they filmed and produced this in Europe, it would make sense to use European actors. Cheaper and makes it more authentic.

 

[porscheguy]

One of the themes of this program was the criticism of soviet suppression of information. This did happen. But they never mentioned that the suppression of information is not limited to the Soviet Union. I somehow doubt that the Washington Post or NYT has ever run an article pointing out that everyone in the northern hemisphere who was alive in 1986 has received a dose of Chernobyl radiation.

I don’t have an issue with their “composite character” even though they used a woman. I never picked up an “I am woman, hear me roar” vibe. By condensing a few dozen scientists into one person, it makes the story flow easier. If they had a dozen people doing it, you wouldn’t pick up on the technical aspects as much. And I will say, they did provide sufficient technical detail to comprehend how a nuclear power plant operates.

I also didn’t realize how massive the impact of this was. This event was at minimum, the Soviet equivalent of 9/11, and in many ways, even more. Gorbachev said that Chernobyl was the primary cause of the Soviet break up as the clean up and containment efforts bankrupted them.

Yes, there were some subversive elements, but they’re easy enough to spot. Overall, I have few complaints.

 

[Repo]

^^^ The male scientist is also a composite. Like when he said they needed so many tons of sand or whatever to cover the reactor, in reality a team of many scientists came up with this, wasnt just one guy shooting from the hip. Again, makes sense for the show. Anyway I dont know why you would expect them to say supression of information wasnt limited to the Soviet Union. Has nothing to do with the show.

 

[N°6]

I watched a documentary on Chernobyl today.

To cover up the failing official narrative of the disaster, Soviet authorities denounced those with radiation sickness as “radiophobic”.

How very interesting.

 

[Syberpunk]

Unusually fantastic series. I've watched it twice now. That ending hymn in the credits. I found that the trial went on for weeks in reality, there were 3 other plant workers there and Legasov wasn't there at all, but for dramatic and composite purposes I get it.

So great that yes, people can and do make great art and our culture is starving for something real and tragic/heroic as this, not based on superhero/comic/fantasy lore.

When they are suiting up for the roof, that deep voice over (from the GOT) actor as he explains the mission is......a pure tension, when another liquidator with a shovel goes to help another with the graphite, that was the most exhilirating thing I've seen in years in anything. The almost cosmic horror of stepping out and the audience realising there was so much shit to be cleared and they would die only for the result of two measly blocks being cleared, of many many hundreds lying around. And this would go on... because it had to.



Skasgard is just.....transcendent. I know him from Ronin and Good Will Hunting, so wasted in Marvel schlock. I could say for a lot of actors these. Jared Harris too.







^^^^

This is an effing character arc.

My highest recommendation, credit where credit is due.

Some of the memes have been tasteless, but boy did these make me laugh. I have a neighbour who is mechanic who his is the spitting image of the coal miner foreman.
.

Virgin American miner vs Chad Soviet earth-digging biorobot