5 reasons why you must watch Chernobyl | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Everyone's Talking About 'Chernobyl,' So Here Are 5 Reasons Why You Must Watch It Too

"Chernobyl" is the history of the nuclear disaster in the north of Ukraine in 1986.

351
Everyone's Talking About 'Chernobyl,' So Here Are 5 Reasons Why You Must Watch It Too

In This Article:

I love to spend some of my free time watching TV shows. The last one I enjoyed was "Chernobyl." I knew already it is a great mini-series. All my friends recommended to me; they were right. It is a piece of art. Even though it is based on a real-life-event, you are in suspense all the time.

"Chernobyl" is the history of the nuclear disaster in the north of Ukraine in 1986. The truth is I knew about this incident, but I did not know all the details. This show tells the full story since the moment of the disaster until two years later.

This TV show is so good that the only complaint I had read is that the characters speak in English when, in real life, everyone spoke in Russian. However, I was listening to "Chernobyl Podcast," and they explain why they decided to keep speaking English.

Here are my five reasons why you must watch this show.

1.    History lessons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9APLXM9Ei8

Having the chance to entertain and learn at the same time is almost impossible. We have the feeling that learning only comes with boredom. "Chernobyl" is an excellent example of how TV could be used to teach. It is not the same as reading about a nuclear disaster and its consequences (which included the deaths of thousands of people) than watching how this nuclear accident happened. I have learned with the show. You will finish the last episode, thirsty for knowledge.

2.    Performances.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9APLXM9Ei8

The cast of "Chernobyl" is impressive. I think that all of them did an incredible job. Jared Harris as Valery Legasov as the principal character is incredible. I hope he will win some awards because his interpretation is impeccable. Jessie Buckley as Lyudmilla Ignatenko, the wife of Vasily Ignatenko, is another character I like. Even though her decisions are not the best, Buckley played this character with perfection. All of the actors and actresses did an excellent job.

3.    Production.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9APLXM9Ei8

I always love how TV shows and films are capable of copying an entire time and place. In this case, you feel as if you were in Ukraine in 1986. The production of "Chernobyl" is so well done that the 1986 we lived in the US was not the same than in the Soviet Union. In the beginning, the perception of the show is in the 60s or 70s; the reason is the Soviet Union worked hard to be in the first place in technology and sports, but they were a closed society. They were not updated with the fashion trends of the rest of the world.

4.    Direction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9APLXM9Ei8

The direction is perfect. You can feel the radiation, the emptiness of the city, the heat of the disaster, the pain of the victims, the fear of the people to the government. The miners are a hit; their personalities and their dirtiness are terrific. The truth is that the direction makes you understand the tragedy in a profound way.

Another asset is the dialogs. I love how they explain scientist fact and vital information in the conversations. It seems natural even though they are talking about nuclear physics.

5. Shows the truth about communism.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9APLXM9Ei8

In this story, the Russians are not the bad guys; it is the communism. For everyone who thinks the communism is a good idea (in 2019), you must watch this show. Communism only has given us sadness and death. It is a nightmare.

The big tragedy in "Chernobyl" is not only the nuclear accident (which occurred because of a sequence of the state's bad decisions); it is a fact that the communist government tried to hide the disaster. As a consequence, many people were exposed to the same radiation as forty nuclear bombs. Also, you can see how the workers at the plant were afraid of expressing their point of views, how the state machine chose the wrong people to supervise a nuclear plant and how they delivered false information.

Another critical number of Soviets had to sacrifice themselves to clean the area because their politics did not want to request international help.

You also can say, "it was not the communism per se; the bad decisions were from a dictatorial state." My answer to that is: there is not a democratic communist government in history.

"Chernobyl" only has five episodes. You can get some time and enjoy a piece of art, and there is more material you can find. One of the most important is "Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster" by the Belarusian Nobel Laureate Svetlana Alexievich.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
girl with a hat

This is for the girls who have dealt with an emotionally, mentally, physically or verbally abusive father.

The ones who have grown up with a false lens of what love is and how relationships should be. The ones who have cried themselves to sleep wondering why he hurts you and your family so much. This is for all the girls who fall in love with broken boys that carry baggage bigger than their own, thinking it's their job to heal them because you watched your mother do the same.

Keep Reading...Show less
Blair Waldorf Quote
"DESTINY IS FOR LOSERS. IT'S JUST A STUPID EXCUSE TO WAIT FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN INSTEAD OF MAKING THEM HAPPEN." - BLAIR WALDORF.

The world stopped in 2012 when our beloved show "Gossip Girl" ended. For six straight years, we would all tune in every Monday at 9:00 p.m. to see Upper Eastside royalty in the form of a Burberry headband clad Blair Waldorf. Blair was the big sister that we all loved to hate. How could we ever forget the epic showdowns between her and her frenemy Serena Van Der Woodsen? Or the time she banished Georgina Sparks to a Christian summer camp? How about that time when she and her girls took down Bart Bass? Blair is life. She's taught us how to dress, how to be ambitious, and most importantly, how to throw the perfect shade.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

11 Moments Every College Freshman Has Experienced

Because we made it, and because high school seniors deserve to know what they're getting themselves into

574
too tired to care

We've all been there. From move-in day to the first finals week in college, your first term is an adventure from start to finish. In honor of college decisions coming out recently, I want to recap some of the most common experiences college freshmen experience.

1. The awkward hellos on move-in day.

You're moving your stuff onto your floor, and you will encounter people you don't know yet in the hallway. They live on your floor, so you'll awkwardly smile and maybe introduce yourself. As you walk away, you will wonder if they will ever speak to you again, but don't worry, there's a good chance that you will make some great friends on your floor!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

21 Things I've Learned About College Life

College is not what everyone expects it to be.

293
laptop
Unsplash

The college years are a time for personal growth and success. Everyone comes in with expectations about how their life is supposed to turn out and envision the future. We all freak out when things don't go exactly as planned or when our expectations are unmet. As time goes on, we realize that the uncertainty of college is what makes it great. Here are some helpful reminders about life in college.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Lessons I Learned My Freshman Year

The first year of college opens your eyes to so many new experiences.

141
johnson hall
Samantha Sigsworth

Recently I completed my freshman year of college, and boy, what an experience. It was a completely new learning environment and I can't believe how much I learned. In an effort to save time, here are the ten biggest lessons I learned from my first year of college.

1. Everyone is in the same boat

For me, the scariest part of starting school was that I was alone, that I wouldn't be able to make any friends and that I would stick out. Despite being told time and time again that everyone had these same feelings, it didn't really click until the first day when I saw all the other freshman looking as uneasy and uncomfortable as me. Therefore, I cannot stress this enough, everyone is feeling as nervous as you.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments