With untold millions at risk, Ulana makes a desperate attempt to reach Valery and warn him about the threat of a second explosion.With untold millions at risk, Ulana makes a desperate attempt to reach Valery and warn him about the threat of a second explosion.With untold millions at risk, Ulana makes a desperate attempt to reach Valery and warn him about the threat of a second explosion.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAfter Ulana Khomyuk identifies the isotope that triggered the alarm as Iodine 131, a byproduct of nuclear reactor fuel, her coworker suggests "Ignalina". Ignalina refers to a nuclear power plant in Lithuania operating 2 RBMK-1500 reactors similar to Chernobyl's RBMK-1000 reactors. The decommissioned Ignalina power plant doubles for Chernobyl in this series.
- GoofsAbout 40 minutes in, when Boris Shcherbina receives a phone call informing him that the radiation had been detected in Sweden and Germany had banned children from playing outside, the program implies this was the reason he decided to evacuate Pripyat. The scene is set on Sunday, April 27th, the correct date that the Soviets decided upon and completed the evacuation of Pripyat. However, it was not until the day AFTER the evacuation (Monday, April 28th) that the Forsmark Nuclear Power Plant in Sweden detected the radiation. Closure of children's playgrounds in the Frankfurt region in Germany (1600 kilometers away) took place at least a week later, in May 1986.
- Quotes
Garanin: I must tell you, this is why no one likes scientists. When we have a disease to cure, where are they? In a lab, noses in their books, and so Grandma dies. But when there isn't a problem, they're everywhere, spreading fear.
Ulana Khomyuk: I know about Chernobyl.
Garanin: Oh?
Ulana Khomyuk: I know that the core is either partially or completely exposed.
Garanin: Whatever that means.
Ulana Khomyuk: And that if you don't immediately issue iodine tablets and then evacuate this city, hundreds of thousands of people are going to get cancer, and God knows how many more will die.
Garanin: Yes, very good. There has been an accident at Chernobyl, but I've been assured there is no problem.
Ulana Khomyuk: I'm telling you that there is.
Garanin: I prefer my opinion to yours.
Ulana Khomyuk: I'm a nuclear physicist. Before you were Deputy Secretary, you worked in a shoe factory.
Garanin: Yes, I worked in a shoe factory. And now I'm in charge.
[Raises his glass of vodka]
Garanin: To the workers of the world.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards (2019)
I can't point out a single negative fraction on what i've witnessed so far in this miniseries. After finishing the first episode i recommended it to all my close ones and not a single one was dissapointed.
Here's why i think this series stands out from the rest. Firstly the topic is widely discussed, Chernobyl was often a topic brought up to me growing up since it provokes a sense of mystery and thrill. People are interested in disasters, especially when it's nothing we've ever heard of before.
Visualizing the drama and the terror it all feels very genuine and realistic, as viewers we are truly immersed in the 1980's Ukraine. The acting is spot on, the score/ambience is both beautiful and haunting. I've seen scenes from good series where the music is misused and sadly brings down the quality of the scene. In Chernobyl they amazed me every time. The visuals and the audials flows and strengthens each other which keeps the audience constantly interested and on edge.
The second episode surpassed my expectations with ease, if this isn't it then i don't know what the next milestone in cinema is going to be (even though it's a miniseries). The evacuation and ending both left me in shock and even brought a tear to my eye. If the consistency holds throughout the series which i'm certain it will, this will definately be a flawless work of art.
10/10
- ellismatic
- May 14, 2019
Details
- Runtime1 hour 5 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.00 : 1