Topic: Chernobyl (HBO mini series)

[Shepnois]

Just caught up with the 1st two episodes, damn this is gripping stuff. Intense viewing but excellent.

[Skidder.]

Episode 3 is on HBO, right after Game of Thrones.

[Original]

Heavy salad

[Agent99]

Bloody hell, that was grim.

[duvva 💅]

Doesn’t get any cheerier does it. Although the lead miner did bring a few laughs.

The state of those firemen and the power plant workers was horrendous

[TepidT2O]

The numbers with radiation poisoning are probably overstated for effect in the programme.

But the real story here is the lies, the deceit, the cover up to save face.

It’s sensational TV.  Absolutely sensational.

[Skidder.]

Truth is, we'll probably never know how many were actually irradiated.

[TepidT2O]

Truth is, we'll probably never know how many were actually irradiated.

About 30

[Skidder.]

They said the death toll was 30ish in the original dossier in the 1980s, but if this programme is anything to go off, they also said that the original levels of radiation were 3.61 because that's the highest it goes to.

[Ray K]

Watched the first two episodes. Exceptionally good. The first episode was a bit confusing in they it went straight into the aftermath of the accident without introducing the characters, so you had to decipher which guy in a white lab coat was which, but the second episode was incredibly gripping stuff.

Didn't recognize Stellan Skarsgard at first but he's excellent, and Jared Harris is always brilliant.

[JC the Messiah]

About 30

You can stick at least several zeros on the end of that number.

[Skidder.]

Did anyone spot the scouser in the second episode? The moany fat brother who was always on about Joey's car plays one of the KGB men.

In fact, I think there's another - the lead nurse in episode one sounds a tad scouse...

[Yiannis]

The numbers with radiation poisoning are probably overstated for effect in the programme.

But the real story here is the lies, the deceit, the cover up to save face.

It’s sensational TV.  Absolutely sensational.

So far the real story is more about how people respond to such a profound disaster, the confusion about it and the sacrifices made by several of them.


3rd episode is a tough, tough watch.


PS: Up the miners. Heroes those lads among others too.

[Mr Mingebag Squid]

Watched the first two episodes yesterday - knowing nothing other than there was an explosion - it is harrowing the way they denied everything!

Assuming its based on facts - those first two who denied everything and the mustachioed scientist were horrific!

[stara]

Conveniently, HBO added podcast after each episode to discuss on what's real and what's fictionalized. Here's the first:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUeHPCYtWYQ

Series itself is fascinating piece of film making. Top marks for efforts put in it.

[Original]

You can stick at least several zeros on the end of that number.

I was going to say, surely it was in the 100s, when you look of the amount of miners, soldiers, residents, who were so close to it in the days after, it had to be so much more.

[Original]

Did anyone spot the scouser in the second episode? The moany fat brother who was always on about Joey's car plays one of the KGB men.

In fact, I think there's another - the lead nurse in episode one sounds a tad scouse...

Victor McGuire, was in bread and goodnight sweetheart too.  Hilarious when they said you worked in a shoe factory, now the head of whatever nuclear department it was, communism for you i suppose.

[RedSince86]

Watched the first two episodes yesterday - knowing nothing other than there was an explosion - it is harrowing the way they denied everything!

Assuming its based on facts - those first two who denied everything and the mustachioed scientist were horrific!

Yeah in episode 1, the Scientist walking down the corridor with the shattered windows could plainly seeing chunks of graphite that exploded being visible on the roof below , but continued denying it.

Shows how brainwashed people were under the Soviets especially those higher up in their field or in government, they thought the Soviet Union was perfect and nothing could ever go wrong and when it did they went into unbelievable denial mode.

Episode 3 was so brutal viewing, when Harris's character went into details of the stages of extreme radiation poisoning with the Communist Party guy, how it would start quick, the skin would redden then  blacken and then the  letancy stage threw me off, where the symptons subsided and you would feel fine for 1-2 days but on a molecular level you were going to die because your body is shutting down slowly with the organs and then the arteries would explode and the pain being unimaginable.

Fuck!!!

Also the lead coal miner guy was in Eastenders, he was the psychotic wife beating husband of little Mo.

[duvva 💅]

I was going to say, surely it was in the 100s, when you look of the amount of miners, soldiers, residents, who were so close to it in the days after, it had to be so much more.

After 30 was mentioned I had to look it up. It seems that the official number was originally 31 but this was upgraded to between 50-60 years later. This is just the number directly affected by the explosion and immediate response.

The long term figure for those indirectly affected runs into the 1000s but it seems there is no definitive figure.

[duvva 💅]

Yeah in episode 1, the Scientist walking down the corridor with the shattered windows could plainly seeing chunks of graphite that exploded being visible on the roof below , but continued denying it.

Shows how brainwashed people were under the Soviets especially those higher up in their field or in government, they thought the Soviet Union was perfect and nothing could ever go wrong and when it did they went into unbelievable denial mode.

Episode 3 was so brutal viewing, when Harris's character went into details of the stages of extreme radiation poisoning with the Communist Party guy, how it would start quick, the skin would redden then  blacken and then the  letancy stage threw me off, where the symptons subsided and you would feel fine for 1-2 days but on a molecular level you were going to die because your body is shutting down slowly with the organs and then the arteries would explode and the pain being unimaginable.

Fuck!!!

Also the lead coal miner guy was in Eastenders, he was the psychotic wife beating husband of little Mo.

. Trevor! Didn’t recognise him at all

[Spongebob Redpants]

Did anyone spot the scouser in the second episode? The moany fat brother who was always on about Joey's car plays one of the KGB men.

Yep - he's put on a pound or 2 !

Also , the fluffy haired fucker who played the plant boss is Con O'Neil . Saw him at the Empire in Blood Brothers a few years back

[Spongebob Redpants]

Fascinating series though .

Russia still has a number of these reactors in operation and is supposedly going to be adding to those numbers , including ones similar to Chernobyl.

[Craig S]

Fascinating series though .

Russia still has a number of these reactors in operation and is supposedly going to be adding to those numbers , including ones similar to Chernobyl.

The main cause of the accident was identified ( I will put the reason in a spoiler below ), that is what Emily Watsons character is doing. After that I believe the other reactors in Chernobyl were changed, and other plants. The other reactors in Chernobyl kept running and making electricity for another 14 years after the explosion.

Although my info is from memory, from a trip to Chernobyl last summer when we were in Kiev.

Spoiler

The main issue was the graphite tipped control rods, which is why the power went up. The tips increased fission before the main rod entered. They were also too short, so took longer to enter.

[close]

[Skidder.]

Yep - he's put on a pound or 2 !

Also , the fluffy haired fucker who played the plant boss is Con O'Neil . Saw him at the Empire in Blood Brothers a few years back

Two? Looked like he was created weapons-grade plutonium in his belly... he ain't aged well has Gareh!

After 30 was mentioned I had to look it up. It seems that the official number was originally 31 but this was upgraded to between 50-60 years later. This is just the number directly affected by the explosion and immediate response.

The long term figure for those indirectly affected runs into the 1000s but it seems there is no definitive figure.

The figures are confusing, but if the USSR said it was 30, you can bet it was, in fact, more. But there is a lot of competing information, and I wouldn't be surprised if this was by design.

For example: "None of the estimated 600 pilots who took part are among the 28 people confirmed to have died of radition exposure in the months after the explosion, although two were killed in a helicopter crash over the reactor." http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Chernobyl_pilots_knew_risks_commander_999.html

But in this award-winning documentary, the writer/narrator states that 'all 600 will die'... Probably a bit of sensationalism on the part of the filmmakers, but as has been proven, factual statistics in the former USSR were on a need-to-know basis.

Just to think though, how different the world would be if Chernobyl hadn't happened... it kind of killed the USSR as it was.

 

[Buck Pete]

Just watched the first episode and the instantly recognisable face (ears) of Laura Ephinstone has shown up for the 3rd time in as many weeks on programs I've watched

GoT, Line of Duty and now this!!

Not a bad CV like

Also , the fluffy haired fucker who played the plant boss is Con O'Neil . Saw him at the Empire in Blood Brothers a few years back

I immediately liked (in a good way) this fucker as soon as he came on screen.

[TepidT2O]

You can stick at least several zeros on the end of that number.

Not with out a reasonable source you can’t!

[rushyman]

Grim viewing but gripping

[Craig S]

Truth is, we'll probably never know how many were actually irradiated.

You can stick at least several zeros on the end of that number.

Not with out a reasonable source you can’t!

The number irradiated? i.e. exposed to radiation?
There were over half a million liquidators working on the plant, who were exposed to increased radiation, so therefore irradiated.
Loads in Belarus were exposed to higher levels of radiation as that is where most of the cloud fell.

The official number of deaths from radiation sickness is approx 30 - 50.
It's difficult to put a number on the actual deaths from radiation or shortened lives. But hundreds of thousands of people were definitely exposed to increased radiation. The increase in thyroid cancer is due to them and parents being irradiated.

[TepidT2O]

But specifically radiation sickness...  about 30.

[monkeyharris]

Amazing television
Episodes 1 and 3 were incredible but the second one is up there in the best tv made I’d say..utterly gripping, frustrating and so representative  of the period. That’s is 80s Russia to a tee I’d envisage

[BER]

Dont think I'll be able to watch when the babies start getting born. I remember they used to bring groups of chernobyl kids to my town every summer for a break, unbelievably sad.

[Buck Pete]

Think i need to watch episode 1 again.  I'm still unsure about the technicalities of what happened with Reactor 4

Or does this get explained more during the next episodes and I shouldn't get to hung up about it?

Its just that the lead scientist (Angry man in white suit and moustache) kept sending his minions back into the reactor and it all became very confusing.

Also, when the executive committee had a meeting in the plant bunker (loved that scene btw).  Who was the old guy who stood up and told them them to not let anyone leave the town and that they were all going to be hero's?

Might look for a detailed EP1 recap online somewhere

[Sharado]

It's great viewing but fucking hell it's hard hard hard to watch. The pregnancy issue is going to come out before the final ep and it's going to knock me sick.

[Craig S]

Think i need to watch episode 1 again.  I'm still unsure about the technicalities of what happened with Reactor 4

Or does this get explained more during the next episodes and I shouldn't get to hung up about it?

Its just that the lead scientist (Angry man in white suit and moustache) kept sending his minions back into the reactor and it all became very confusing.

Also, when the executive committee had a meeting in the plant bunker (loved that scene btw).  Who was the old guy who stood up and told them them to not let anyone leave the town and that they were all going to be hero's?

Might look for a detailed EP1 recap online somewhere

I think it will be explained what exactly went wrong. I think in the show they are still all at the stage that it is impossible to fail. The scientist lady (Emily Watsons character), is investigating, she herself doesn't believe it's possible but has just interviewed the engineers first hand.

They all believed that it was impossible that the RBMK reactors could fail. The lead engineer guy doesn't even believe his own staff when he tells him the core has exploded and is gone.
He instructs them to open the water valves to cool the core down with water, which is pointless as it isn't intact. The engineers who perform this task know it's pointless, as they know the core is gone, but they follow orders anyway. Probably due to the soviet structure and fear of recriminations if they don't follow a superior orders.

Listen to the HBO podcast for ep1, they go into some of this, not the actual cause yet.

[RedSince86]

Think i need to watch episode 1 again.  I'm still unsure about the technicalities of what happened with Reactor 4

Or does this get explained more during the next episodes and I shouldn't get to hung up about it?

Its just that the lead scientist (Angry man in white suit and moustache) kept sending his minions back into the reactor and it all became very confusing.

Also, when the executive committee had a meeting in the plant bunker (loved that scene btw). Who was the old guy who stood up and told them them to not let anyone leave the town and that they were all going to be hero's?

Might look for a detailed EP1 recap online somewhere

In episode 2 it shows him getting on one of coaches out of the town.

[Buck Pete]

Cheers guys. I've just read a couple of recaps and more importantly now know the official title of each of the characters which is very useful as you can sort of see the chain of command and who is who.

I also see now that the Chief Engineers initially simply refused to believe the Reactor core had indeed blown up

Just been looking at some info and pictures of Soviet RBMK Reactors and stuff.  Its all much clearer now but going to watch it again anyway.

[Broad Spectrum]

Watched first episode yesterday, really good watch so far.

Never knew there were so many English workers in Ukraine back in the 80's though I appreciate they've dumbed it down for Western audiences being a HBO production, but I do feel having Russian speaking actors with English subtitles would have really added to the series.

Other than that, what a grim event in our history. Wasn't even born when it happened, but must have been pretty terrifying for those around at the time who remember it?

[Ray K]

The relationship between Stellan Skarsgard's Boris and Jared Harris's Valery is one of the best drawn I've seen on television recently.  The push-and-pull of each character's background and actions forcing each other to meet on a common ground - the theoretical scientist realising what he must ask of the pilots and the miners, and the party apparatchik understanding that ideology and status might get everyone killed unless he listens to the experts. All the while knowing that this is going to kill them.
 
It's a masterclass in writing and acting, and is a great example of how the longer format of television is so much more helpful than movies when it comes to character development.

[Sharado]

Watched first episode yesterday, really good watch so far.

Never knew there were so many English workers in Ukraine back in the 80's though I appreciate they've dumbed it down for Western audiences being a HBO production, but I do feel having Russian speaking actors with English subtitles would have really added to the series.

Other than that, what a grim event in our history. Wasn't even born when it happened, but must have been pretty terrifying for those around at the time who remember it?

Personally I was too young to remember it, but I've read a bit about it down the years and I find it just about the scariest man made disaster that's ever happened. I grew up in the 80s and it was a decade overshadowed by repeated significant disasters, but this is just something else. The bit in episode 2 when they talk about what could have happened if they hadn't started the tunnels/put out the fire etc. fucking hell it's beyond anything, half the continent would have been all but wiped out.

[decosabute]

I keep worrying I'm overhyping this series to people, but I genuinely believe it's the best thing I've seen on TV since the Wire.

The writing, production design and acting are utterly first class. I'm sure that they've deviated from the reality in parts (I'm going to listen to the podcast to hear where), but all of it still feels utterly authentic.

Hard to believe that Craig Mazin, who up to now had a track record of writing fairly poor comedy films, could come up with this, but hats off.