HBO - Chernobyl anyone?

[Graves The Elder]

I watched the first episode and meh.
did it get better?

 

[Bob Gray]

I watched the first episode and meh.
did it get better?

If you didnt like the first episode, I doubt youll get much enjoyment out of the others.

 

[Graves The Elder]

thanks, fam

 

[K1levelgrappler]

 

[TheNinja]

I watched the first episode and meh.
did it get better?

If you didnt like the first episode, I doubt youll get much enjoyment out of the others.

That's probably correct. Though I didn't love the first episode, I thought it was really cool and unique and creepy and different. But I ended up giving the series a 9.5/10 once I figured out what I was in for.

I think I went in thinking it would be more of a build up as to how the reactor blew and be crazy Michael Bay type action or something. But this was so much better!! And they do end up explaining it during the last episode.

I'd say if you have another 75 minutes or so give episode 2 a shot. If that doesn't completely suck you in, then ya, probably quit.

 

[rj144]

Finally finished it. I've always been fascinated by Chernobyl and nuclear destruction in general. I think the overwhelming praise hyped me up too much. I thought it was good, not great.

The first 2 episodes were very solid and then I felt it wore out its welcome. My biggest problem is that it felt a little virtue signaly and anti-Russian propaganda. While it genuinely felt like the 80s and I praise the production, the clothing, the aesthetics, the practical effects and all of the technical aspects, the story telling is what kept it from being great to me.

Rather than being as accurate as possible, they dumbed it down to the American audience. They made up a Mary Sue character, put the blame on the explosion on 3 villains and more egregiously, blew it by having English actors speaking English dialogue.

I would have much preferred an extremely smart and accurate story with Russian actors speaking Russian with English subs and leaving out the Mary Sue and villain sub plots. It also only needed to be 3 episodes at the most.

I'm going to go 7/10 but it easily could have been 8 or 9 with proper story telling. Other than the story, everything else was virtually flawless and definitely made me question nuclear power and man's ignorance of its ramifications.

What made the villain side inaccurate? There was actually a trial for their criminal negligence, correct?

 

[TheNinja]

What made the villain side inaccurate? There was actually a trial for their criminal negligence, correct?

Agreed. Nobody is saying they were the only villains but they were the 3 that the government chose to blame, and very like the 3 that should be blamed the most.
Dyatlov is clearly the most to blame IMO just based on arrogance......even though he didn't know the failsafe wouldn't work. The other 2 basically ignored everything and just forced people to do their own dirty work.
However it was clear that in a situation like that, you don't say no to someone higher than you unless you want to get blackballed. But the high high ups in teh government aren't going to implicate themselves (this is not just a Russian problem of the 80s either......every corporation, government entity, mob family eventually pins it on a fall man)

 

[Senzo Tanaka]

What made the villain side inaccurate? There was actually a trial for their criminal negligence, correct?

I don't recall all of the names but the "main" bad guy at the plant was portrayed as evil and just wanted a promotion. He didn't listen to his workers despite their warnings and forced them to do the test.

....None of this happened. As far as we know, the workers followed orders and didn't question the test. It was simply the case of cutting corners, saving money and saving energy. The Russians were notorious for doing this across the board. Case in point, the space program. Just tons of negligence and "see what happens" types of tests.

He was definitely guilty and knew it was risky but it was par for the course back then and they took the fall for the incident because someone had to.

 

[Senzo Tanaka]

This is getting a Blu-ray release later this year despite what someone said earlier in the thread. Will buy.

 

[TheNinja]

I don't recall all of the names but the "main" bad guy at the plant was portrayed as evil and just wanted a promotion. He didn't listen to his workers despite their warnings and forced them to do the test.

....None of this happened. As far as we know, the workers followed orders and didn't question the test. It was simply the case of cutting corners, saving money and saving energy. The Russians were notorious for doing this across the board. Case in point, the space program. Just tons of negligence and "see what happens" types of tests.

He was definitely guilty and knew it was risky but it was par for the course back then and they took the fall for the incident because someone had to.

Do we know all this though? Dyatlov apparently claimed he was following orders. Other reports claim that Dyatlov ran the test while the reactor was in a very dangerous state of low power and forced subordinates to listen to him.

Fomin apparently forced Sitnikov to look into the reactor and even after reports refused to believe the core had exploded. Apparently he just kept telling people to put water on the core.

Bryukhanov seems like he was probably just a plant manager and a yes man. He too refused to believe the core had exploded and took the wrong steps after the disaster that made things worse.

Obviously these 3 were the fall guys but they certainly weren't innocent from everything I've read. Dyatlov was in charge the of the test and allowed it to happen b/c of political pressure. The other 2 were just part of the cover up as far as I know.

 

[Senzo Tanaka]

Do we know all this though? Dyatlov apparently claimed he was following orders. Other reports claim that Dyatlov ran the test while the reactor was in a very dangerous state of low power and forced subordinates to listen to him.

Fomin apparently forced Sitnikov to look into the reactor and even after reports refused to believe the core had exploded. Apparently he just kept telling people to put water on the core.

Bryukhanov seems like he was probably just a plant manager and a yes man. He too refused to believe the core had exploded and took the wrong steps after the disaster that made things worse.

Obviously these 3 were the fall guys but they certainly weren't innocent from everything I've read. Dyatlov was in charge the of the test and allowed it to happen b/c of political pressure. The other 2 were just part of the cover up as far as I know.

I don't guess we'll really ever know. It was the Cold War and the only information that got out is what has leaked or people that have talked. Everything I've read, the workers didn't fight back, refuse to do the tests or even questioned it. Dyatlov wasn't trying to get a promotion. He was just ordered to run the tests to try to save money and energy.

I'm just nitpicking but I just didn't like how they portrayed him as some Darth Vader villain trying to use the Death Star to blow up a planet. He was just following orders. Yes, he was definitely complicit and knew it was potentially unsafe but I think it was a little heavy handed and comic bookish. I would have just preferred an accurate narrative of incompetence and negligence instead of trying to go Hollywood movie.

This narrator to this documentary is a little annoying but it's solid otherwise:

 

[TheNinja]

I don't guess we'll really ever know. It was the Cold War and the only information that got out is what has leaked or people that have talked. Everything I've read, the workers didn't fight back, refuse to do the tests or even questioned it. Dyatlov wasn't trying to get a promotion. He was just ordered to run the tests to try to save money and energy.

I'm just nitpicking but I just didn't like how they portrayed him as some Darth Vader villain trying to use the Death Star to blow up a planet. He was just following orders. Yes, he was definitely complicit and knew it was potentially unsafe but I think it was a little heavy handed and comic bookish. I would have just preferred an accurate narrative of incompetence and negligence instead of trying to go Hollywood movie.

This narrator to this documentary is a little annoying but it's solid otherwise:

I will definitely check that out. Like you said, it's very hard to know the real truth. Dyatlov is trying to protect himself a bit I'm sure. And the Cold War Russian certainly wasn't and isn't open and honest with their information as they were and are trying to protect themselves too. And then of course HBO wants to make sure the show is dramatic enough for people to watch and kind of need to makes some villains.

As far as drama, I read that Legasov wasn't actually even in the courtroom. Though I did like HBO putting him in there to explain it and didn't mind they made up the female scientist as a conglomeration of many other scientists.

I rewatched episode 1 last night b/c this topic repeaked my interest and it was every bit as good as the first time I watched it. Maybe even more b/c I researched who each of the people were.

 

[Senzo Tanaka]

Since we're on Chernobyl, just watched this and it's just as fascinating. Some tough choices they had to make and the video they have of the accident is nuts.

 

[TheNinja]

I rewatched it. I’m not sure why I did but I did. After reading more about it and learning the characters it was even more powerful.

 

[Pittie Petey]

Binge watched all of Chernobyl, pretty powerful film
The ego and idiocy of the supervisors that stood there arguing that an explosion hadnt happened as the building literally burned down around them
Watching all those abandoned dogs get murdered was heartbreaking
Man I hate Ruskies

 

[GearSolidMetal]

I'm rewatching the miniseries now, nearer the end of the 2nd episode when they're asking for three volunteers to release the water under the nuclear plant.

Three plant workers stand up, knowing they're sacrificing their lives for the sake of tens of millions, because 'It Must Be Done.'

It brought a tear to my eye. They were certain they were going to die a slow and painful death, for men, women, and children that would never know their names or sacrifice.

This quote popped in my mind, as they were putting on their safety suits, masks, and entering the plant.

Spoiler

Yeah, they survived, and lived for many years afterward, but they thought they were good as dead.