Is anyone else watching Chernobyl?

Strange thing to watch in the middle of a pandemic but I’ve just got the dvd and binge watched it. Found it absolutely riveting. We used to have children from Chernobyl come to stay in our village but they stopped coming a few years ago. I didn’t realise it has restarted. Having read this thread I now realise why I found the actor who played Boris so fascinating: I knew I’d seen him in other things but couldn’t work out what they were. It’s also making me think a lot about what’s happening now and the cover up in China when the virus first appeared.

Apparently Russia are going to make their version of Chernobyl in which a US CIA agent causes the explosion. Words fail me sometimes.

www.standard.co.uk/news/world/furious-russia-makes-own-version-of-chernobyl-disaster-blaming-cia-agent-for-nuclear-disaster-a4161766.html

I’ve just been reading that, apart from two things, everything shown actually happened. One was ( as in an earlier post) that Emily Watson’s character was an amalgamation of several scientists, and the other was a trial that was shown.

Grandad I totally agree with you we are hoping to view the last episode tomorrow.

I hope they win many awards for acting, production and the make-up artists (who have done a sterling job).

My wife and I both feel that this has been one of the most exceptional true life productions that has been on television for very many years.

Viewing it at times it has been very moving, at other times highly disturbing, but always riveting to watch as the bravery and self-sacrifice of so many was demonstrated as only HBO can in their productions.

A great series and we feel HBO will gain many awards for this genuinely great real-life drama.

Only watched two episodes so far, but agree with all others on this thread, it’s riveting, and it’s so moving as well.
Seeing families being herded onto the buses ( poor family dog running after the bus) was hard to watch, it was so realistic, and you know that it did happen.Also the scenes in the hospital.
Wonderful acting and script.

Mr.Gravy started watching this last week, I had my head in a book, which was soon dispatched to the table!!!

We have watched the first 3 episodes and it is definitely the most riveting series I think I have ever seen.

It is not as many have said an easy watch.

I belong to a charity who organise for the children from the Chernobyl region of Belarus to come to the UK for respite care . Yes - there are STILL children being born with cancer and leukaemia amongst other horrific birth defects. The children come for 4 weeks and stay with host families and this can add years to their lives because of the clean, uncontaminated food they eat and air they breath. The children arrive looking very pale and weak and go home with rosy cheeks (to say the least!). Large areas ARE STILL contaminated and uninhabitable (although people are still living there) and the whole documentary was true to life.

I just watched the final episode. What a wonderful series, such an eye opener and I am full of admiration for those brave enough to stand up against the system. Jared Harris came into his own during this episode, his father would be very proud of his performance. The last few minutes stating what happened to the characters portrayed was very moving and the difference between the propaganda put forward and the facts was just shocking.

I couldn't watch the animals being killed. I fast forwarded, as soon as they mentioned what they were going to do.

Another harrowing episode this week, especially the animals being killed. I am loving the growing friendship between the characters played by Stellan Skarsgard and Jared Harris.

I think next week might be the last episode.

His meltdown was equally as explosive .. Fantastic scene .. Passionate ..

This is the list of most watched series for anybody who is interested. It is from Forbes magazine, I tried to copy the link to the whole article without success I’m afraid.

While everyone is still trying to process the finale and final season of Game of Thrones in their own way, one common refrain is “don’t cancel HBO until you at least watch Chernobyl.” Produced with Sky in the UK, it’s a harrowing, gripping account of the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine, and three episodes in, it has already hit a pretty stunning milestone.
Chernobyl is currently ranked as IMDB’s highest rated TV series in history.
IMDB fan voting has its issues to be sure, but when you look at the list, it’s hard to argue that most of these shows don’t deserve to be on it, and it’s impressive that Chernobyl sits above all them, and is doing so with a not insignificant amount of votes.
Here are the top ten shows of all time according to the site at the present moment. If shows are tied, I assume that the un-rounded average is a bit lower for the other shows.

Chernobyl (9.7 – 52,000 votes)
Planet Earth II (9.5 – 71,000 votes)
Band of Brothers (9.5 – 317,000 votes)
Planet Earth (9.4 – 147,000 votes)
Breaking Bad (9.4 – 1,200,000 votes)
Game of Thrones (9.4, 1,500,000 votes)
Our Planet (9.4 – 10,000 votes)
The Wire (9.3 – 244,000 votes)
Cosmos (9.3 – 95,000 votes)
Blue Planet (9.3 – 19,000 votes)

I don’t understand the scoring system though. The article says it is the highest rated which could differ from most watched but it is still wonderful in my book.

I read that this is now the most watched tv series of all time, beating Breaking Bad which is second on the list.

The mind boggles at how the British government would handle such terrible tragedy should it occur here (God forbid). As you say seacliff the bravery of the three divers and the miners is inspirational to watch.

I was not going to watch but my DH persuaded me to. It is an excellent programme and I leant a lot more about it all. The day to day life was very poor and drab, except of course for the corrupt leaders.

It's a dramatic and shocking version of actual history, and shows how terrible the Russian leaders were. Their first thought was not for safety but, can we hush this up.

I read that the woman physicist Ulana Khomyukt in the programme is not a real person, but an amalgamation of many scientists who investigated the disaster.

It was so terrible to see the effects of the radiation, pain killers did not work. I'd rather have been shot. So many simple people, like the miners, knowingly sacrificed their lives to stop the disaster getting worse.

I watched episode 3 yesterday. This is the best thing I have watched in a long while. The ineptitude of some of those in authority is counterbalanced by the bravery of others. Stellan Skarsgard and Jared Harris stand out for me but there are a lot of excellent acting performances. The few touches of humour work well too. I hope it wins awards.

Yes we're watching. It's horrible but gripping.

Its like you're right there, watching history unfold, superb acting and set .. Very well done.. It is disturbing ..

(Also enjoyed Band off Brothers.. )

I recorded this and have just started watching it, it is really, really good. It brings back so many memories for me because I was 7 months pregnant with my first child when it happened and was so frightened that something even more awful would happen.

It’s on Sky Atlantic on Tuesday evenings. There have been two episodes so far and they are on the home page so you can catch up with them.

When is it on please ? I have missed that.

I watched the second episode yesterday and found it absolutely gripping. It’s not an easy watch but Grandad 1943 I agree with your comment 100% both my DH and I agree that it one of the best things we have watched for a long time. The way people were brave enough to speak out and go against the party line is admirable. The casting is excellent and includes Stellan Skarsgard who is so charismatic in everything he does, Emily Watson, Jared Harris - who I believe is Richard Harris’s son and Jessie Buckley.

Of course it’s depressing and dark but I had no idea how devastating to much of Europe the consequences might have been. I too can’t wait for the next episode.

It is dark grannydee don’t get me wrong, but following the chain of events and seeing how it related to the people around the area is like having hindsight if you see what I mean. Let us know what you think ?

I have it recorded but was unsure if I would watch it as i thought it would be quite depressing but now on your recommendations i am definitely going to watch it...thanks folks?

NanaandGrampy, very much agree with your above comment.

For those that have not seen any of the series, it is similar to HBO's acclaimed Band of Brothers. Similar to that series, you feel you get to know a number of those that were involved in the disaster and follow through what happens to them. It really is gripping stuff

We are watching it on Now TV, which is the Internet version of Sky TV but much cheaper.