CHERNOBYL

US/UK, 2019, 230 minutes, Colour.
Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgaard, Emily Watson, Jessie Buckley, Adam Nagaitis, Paul Ritter, Robert Emms, Sam Troughton, Adrian Rawlins, Con O' Neill, David Densik, Donald Sumpter, Jaime Sivas, Ron Cook, Barry Keoghan.
Directed by Johan Renck.

This is an award-winning BBC television miniseries. It won many awards including Golden Globes.

Ukraine and Chernobyl and its surroundings, 1986, are expertly re-created, especially the nuclear power plant, exterior and interiors. It shows the workings of the plant, its inadequacies, the first signs of difficulty, the spread, the ultimate disaster and lockdown. And, great attention is given to the technical attempts to extinguish the fire, to seal the plant.

In hindsight, audiences know that this was nearing the end of the Soviet Empire. Mikael Gorbachev was in his early years as General Secretary. Secrecy was important to the rulers of the politburo as well as to minor officials. The film explores this theme in great detail, the inadequacies of so many of the personnel involved in the disaster as well is the attempts to cover up.

The film has a very strong cast, with Stellan Skarsgaard as the official who ultimately has to pursue the investigation and make decisions. Jared Harris and Emily Watson are the investigating scientists who contribute the data – but are always under suspicion. There is very strong supporting cast, a great number of British character actors.

The film has many grim moments visualised quite strikingly. It is a reminder that a disaster has happened, the immediate consequences on workers and their families, on managers, on government officials, contributing a step to the opening up of the Soviet Union and its final collapse.

1. Audience knowledge of the place and events, 1986? Memories of survivors? Alert to further nuclear disasters?

2. The presentation of the facts, nuclear power, the atmosphere of the Cold War, the Soviet Union, Soviet supremacy, secrecy? Mikhail Gorbachev as General Secretary? His comment about Chernobyl and the fall of the Soviet Union?

3. Investigations, dossiers, conference in Vienna, the Russian trial, the emergence of the truth?

4. The impact of the miniseries, it’s many awards?

5. The opening, Legasov, the tapes, hiding them? The later revelation?

6. The events, the time indications, the tension? The reconstruction at the end during the course of Legasov’s testimony?

7. The reactor, previous tests, failures, secrecy? The reactor and the personnel, experience, lack of experience, young workers? Issues of responsibility, issues of power and promotions? The audience seeing the facts, the consequences, the explosion, the heat, the water, the flooding, radioactivity, the hasty meetings, the discussions, the move to cover up, refusal to accept responsibility?

8. The effects, on the staff, the confusion, decisions, the demands of Dyatlov? Imperious in manner? The calling in of the fireman and their exposure? The night, the dawn, the observers gathering? The dangers?

9. The immediate aftermath, the ministers meeting, Boris as minister responsible, Soviet loyalties, the cover-up? The calling in of Legasov, his responsibilities, expertise, understanding? The consultation, the meetings, Gorbachev, sending both to Chernobyl? Their observing, the interviews, the nature of the crisis at the decisions?

10. Authorities trying to reassure the public, television news, confined to the Soviet Union, the international awareness? Issues of evacuation or not, the perimeters, to contain the radioactivity? Its effect on people?

11. Legasov as a character, scientist, his qualifications, personality, concern, his contribution, the initial clashes with Boris, their working together, the development of the relationship? More information? The risks of their being infected by radioactivity? Boris and his change, his angers, dealing with the authorities, at meetings?

12. Ulana, her work, in Minsk, her knowledge, offer to help, some and, her arrival, her manner, the conducting the interviews, in the hospital’s, getting the information? The pregnant wife, her story, her wanting to be with her husband? The dying officials and engineers, her questions, compiling the dossier?

13. The personal focus, the fireman and his wife, not concerned initially, going to the fire, the radiation, the severity, in hospital? His wife’s pregnancy, her demanding attitudes, in the hospital, breaking the quarantining? His death? The pregnancy, the birth and the death of the child?

14. The range of activities in the aftermath, the testing of the robots to remove the graphite from the roof, their failing? The human effort, the men going onto the roof, protective clothing, short time exposed to radioactivity?

15. The issue of the fire, the helicopters, the crash, the blowing of the wind, the heat?

16. The three volunteers, the patriotic speech, protective clothing, going down under the floor, wading through the water, opening the doors, enabling the water to be sluiced out?

17. The miners, the talk, their arrival, the leader, the task, the difficulties, the time limit, round-the-clock, the huge effort, the heat, working naked, accomplishing their task?

18. The plan for covering the facility? Taking time? The final images of the covering of Chernobyl?

19. The scorched earth policy, the land, the squad shooting all the animals, the reactions for them? The old woman and her refusing to move, her death?

20. Time passing, the effects, the increasing number of cancers, Boris and Legasov and the information about their deaths?

21. The conference of Vienna, Legasov covering up, challenged by Ulana, the trial, the accused, the epilogue and his denials? Ulana and her persuasiveness? The recounting of the time, the accident, the scientific background, the reasons? Lucas of telling the truth? Boris intervening that everything should be out in the open?

22. The aftermath, the detailed information about the accident, the consequences, illness, the dangers to Europe, with the wind, acid rain, the cancers, the population-free area
around Chernobyl to the present?

23. The effectiveness of a miniseries to recapture events and atmosphere communicate these in later generations?