An extraordinary tv programme, like nothing I've seen before ...

I did try. But I dont think I have the patience to stick through one hour much less 7!
Yes I agree seeing first hand (or as near as) what was happening at the time has appeal.
I'll probably give it another go when it suits me better.

What especially did you like about it?

I will look this one out
Thank you.

Thanks. I have either the tv or BBC Sounds on at night when I I’m trying to sleep so I’ll put that on tonight. There was an amazing programme last year that was similar to this but with music that I found riveting. Can’t remember hat it was called.

Namsnanny, "like" is probably not the right word for what DH and I are feeling about this programme. We are riveted but also horror-struck, saddened, gob-smacked .. it's a real eye-opener. I think it's something that either grabs you immediately or doesn't grab you at all, it's definitely not something I expected to be glued to.

gulligranny thank you for posting this, as it's always interesting to hear about programmes we might otherwise miss. I will give it a try, but it does sound very looooong. If I am rivetted then maybe I will manage to keep going. I did cope with 7 hours of the Beatles in Get Back this time last year, so I agree there are some things you just can't switch off.

It was Arcadia that I was thinking of. It was like a psychedelic trip. Not sure if it’s still on iplayer.

Arcadia not on iplayer or utube. I think I’ll buy the dvd as I’d like to see it again. Will watch Traumazone later tonight…

Well I gave it a go as promised, but felt that several hours spent on something so gloomy would not be kind to my mental health. It looked interesting, and I would certainly have watched it 5 or 10 years ago, but now I need to keep my spirits up. World affairs and advancing age are making me less able to tackle this type of programme.

Having watched the Chernobyl series I found the actual footage of the poor men working at Chernobyl not realising that they were killing themselves by doing so really sad. My tv is quite small so I need to watch it on my iPad as I couldn’t read the subtitles but I will stick with it. It’s the sort of documentary that I like.

One of the reasons we are watching it so keenly is to try to understand how the downfall of communism and also the Yeltsin version of democracy opened the door to Putin ... I agree it is gloomy, though.

I've watched the first 2 now.
Very interesting- thanks for bringing it to my attention.

If you want to know more about Putin you might find this interesting:

www.thisamericanlife.org/763/the-other-mr-president

It's an American radio podcast which I find informative and unusual.
Hope some of you give it a go.

Thank you so much for posting about this, I would probably have missed it
Absolutely fascinating

I was staying in Moscow during that period

It sounds interesting. I will give it a look.

Thanks so much. I really enjoyed this. My adult daughter is watching it now.