I thoroughly enjoyed this realistic look into one of the most notable nuclear disasters in history. Although I have heard of it, I never had the opportunity to almost relive it in a cinematic manner and for that I am super appreciative of this series by HBO. This first episode was particularly captivating, capturing the chaos that ensued in the nuclear plant control room as well as the rushed attempt by executives and directors to sweep the disaster under the rug. One of the most powerful shots was at the end of a bird dying from radiation poisoning in the middle of a school playground. I find the way HBO decided to tell this story really captivating as well as it has kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I am thoroughly enjoying this series thus far and look forward to episode 2. It is nice to know that people are trying to share historical events with the modern public using the latest technology available.

“Anthropogenic climate change
Nuclear fallout Chernobyl
Raptors flourish
And wolves
Dwell
Sleeping.”

After seeing the first episode of Chernobyl it just reminded me how dreams can also be realities (in a bad way). For most of my life I thought the most far fetched events possible in this world just can’t happen in reality but this TV show opened my eyes to how a single being’s decision can lead to a catastrophe (similar to the spread of C-19).

At the point when I got comfortable on Friday night to watch the main scene of the HBO miniseries Chernobyl, I was not expecting how snared I would turn into. When the scene finished, I was prepared to begin the following one right away. What was generally intriguing about this film was that it demonstrated the emotional consequence of a significant notable occasion that isn’t regularly discussed. Prior to watching, I had not heard much about the Chernobyl fiasco and thought it was a useful and enlightening film just as an emotional and enthralling one. The scene that struck me the most was the last one, where the camera container from some blissfuly uninformed kids to a pigeon who drops dead from radiation harming. I am looking forward for the second episode.

The first episode of Chernobyl provided a very mysterious, intense start to the semester. I had learned about this historical event through history and environmental science courses, yet it was very interesting to see it portrayed through film. This initial episode narrated the escalation of events that led to Chernobyl. The visual and auditory cinematographic effects utilized were brilliant. A dark color scheme was present throughout the episode, creating a very dark atmosphere overall. The background music and sound effects were also truly powerful and anxiety-provoking. If I could use a word to describe this episode, it would be frustrating. The plot showed a major conflict between science and politics, and how the government officials tried to hide the magnitude of the event, while the situation became increasingly worse. The feelings of denial and confusion reminded me of our country’s situation with COVID-19, where countless people today still deny the gravity of the virus and refuse to listen to scientists and government officials.

Episode 3 of HBO’s mini-series Chernobyl reveals a more complicated storyline. In Episode 1 and 2, the accident takes place and investigation and remedy efforts are made. We witness a battle between science and politics (which originates from a conflict between public and state interest). Episode 3 adds two noticeable branches to the main storyline: the first being the love between the firefighter and his wife and the second being the mysterious yet ubiquitous surveillance.

First, let’s talk about the firefighter’s wife. There are doubts and disputes regarding whether it is actually dangerous to approach and even touch an ARS (acute radiation syndrome) patient, but let’s suppose it is the case as the film chooses to portray. Her bravery, determination, and unwavering love for the firefighter is truly impressive and moving. Having been warned by a nurse repeatedly about the hazard of touching her husband, she chooses to hug him nonetheless. From the slow motion and close-up shot on her face, we could see her complicated mental feelings. She knows the danger, and while hugging her husband, her eyes are wet which seems to show her hesitation. But she does not retreat for her own safety. As her husband’s condition deteriorates, she touches his hand to comfort him. He utters, “it’s not safe.” And she replies, “but they touched you.” She has made the determination to stay with him until the very last moment, and she shows that in every action she does.

The role of KGB in the government’s response surfaces briefly in this episode, yet it remains extremely mysterious. The first time Professor Legasov notices that he’s being followed is during his walk with Boris. They notice that they are followed all the time, and the followers don’t even seem to try hiding their existence. After the meeting with Gorbachev was dismissed, Legasov talks with the new head of KGB, inquiring about the surveillance. Although Legasov tries to show that he is trustworthy, the head brings up a Russian proverb, “trust but verify,” which seems to accurately capture that Soviet Russian period. What is the purpose of surveillance and what will happen to Legasov in the future remains a mystery.

I truly enjoyed watching Chernobyl last Friday. I’d never seen the series, nor heard of the historic event, but seeing it played out on screen was intense and captivating. Some things that caught my attention were the details and technical aspects of filmography and production of a series like this, and the eerie similarities between the events in the series and today.

The directors and producers did an amazing job with the filmography. I was at the edge of my seat for most of the episode. The inferences the episode led me to make while watching scenes play out were chilling. An effect I strongly remember was the music. The music was eerie and built up suspense with each passing second. For instance, while the firefighters were putting out the fire, the music during the scene was building up and getting louder, and the faces of the firefighters were afraid and looking around.  expected something to happen, like another explosion, but the scene suddenly cut to a calmer scene inside of the power plant or to the local residents gathering outside. The short time between each scene and scene cuts were like cliffhangers and kept me wanting more. I liked how it wasn’t very linear, but cut between different storylines or points of view (the workers in the power plants, the firefighters, and the civilians). Also, I liked the pacing, especially when the civilians are gathered outside, and the camera work turns into slow motion to capture the civilians admiring the far away scene of the nuclear powerplant on fire and dancing among the radioactive debris floating down like snow, creating a kind of juxtaposition that is shocking. The special/visual effects were also amazing, it was very smooth and gradual in how once a worker went near radiation, viewers could see their faces getting redder and redder from the exposure, and it wasn’t at all choppy as if they added more makeup in between takes, but as if they were actually there.

It was also shocking to watch the events unfold, especially how little knowledge is being communicated within people in the series. From the start, the director of the plant denied internally and to the public that the core of the plant exploded. That in turn affected what the board thought the city should do, but they also voted to keep this severe, fatal, cruel explosion hidden. I was appalled when the board members voted not only not to evacuate anyone, even though they knew the dangers, but to intentionally bar everyone inside the city so news of this wouldn’t spread to other cities, and they wouldn’t be at fault. It was also scary to see how little the civilians knew about the nuclear power plant and radioactivity, and that they were observing the burning plant like they were stargazing, and dancing among debris that gave them exposure to radiation. It’s a scary thought to think that every government is hiding something, and for example now, how much do we really know about what is actually happening, and how many people’s lives we are putting at risk simply to avoid blame.

Last Friday we watched the first episode of the Chernobyl Mini-Series. What I found most interesting about this episode was its excellent use of tragic irony. Normally, people associate irony with verbal irony, which is usually of a comedic nature. The tragic irony is quite different. In essence its when the audience knows a situation is worse than a character realizes. Being a dramatization of a well known historical event, we (the audience) fully understand what is about to play out and the full severity of the situation. However, many of the characters in the episode consistently downplayed the unfolding events, either because they legitimately thought that was the case, or because they were so afraid of what would happen if it weren’t the case. As the audience, we fully know just how bad the event was, which pains us when we see many innocent people, even children, and especially workers at the plant that are extremely close to the disaster, and knowing just how much danger they are truly in. Dramatic, let alone tragic irony is not often used, and this was certainly a perfect place for it, despite the sense of horror it gave me.

Looking at the current pandemic, it was extremely interesting to see the similarities in the American response to COVID-19 and the Russian response to the Chernobyl explosion. The dynamic of policy versus science is very relevant to we see today in American politics and has significantly impacted the ways the virus has affected Americans. Unfortunately, the phrase “history repeats itself” is seen to well here.

Another deep impression that the episode left me was the need for politicians and scientists to be involved and educated on the various external factors that affect the course of their fields. For instance, the idea that these individuals should stick to making comments or contributions within only their specific professional expertise is extremely dangerous in situations as seen with Chernobyl. Scientists should be a part of the conversation of policy and course of action, as should politicians be opened to truly understanding the various aspects that affect the people they are representing in government. As a Human Ecology student, this interdisciplinary approach to the study of medicine is extremely important in order to make effective changes in healthcare, which is something that the actions of the Russian government in this episode made clearer to me.  

The short film series “Chernobyl” depicts the tragic events of a nuclear power plant and its effects. What I found most interesting was the use of film effects to add to the eeriness of the episode. Specifically, darker and dim colors in addition to quite music made the events of the nuclear catastrophe even more terrifying. Additionally, since I knew the aftermath and long-standing effects of the situation, watching the response of the scientists and government officials made the episode especially hard to watch due to their lack of urgency and dismissal towards the severity of the situation.

HBO’s Chernobyl is a realistic depiction of the Soviet nuclear disaster’s poignant story. While the story of Chernobyl explosion itself is complicated, the mini series depicts its well with clever use of cinematography that goes hand in hand with its main storyline.

The entire film is presented in a dark color tone — the use of dark gray filters with a hint of green shrouds most scenes. This choice of filter is very effective in that as the disaster unfolded at night (1am), the dark gray color realistically mimics the low light setting. In addition, the dark filter fits tightly with the distress of the disaster, setting up the tone of the entire film.

The first film in the series has a carefully-chosen flash-forward opening scene and a dramatic ending scene. Upon watching the film, viewers first meet a middle-aged men who comes out mysteriously at midnight and then returns to his home to commit suicide. Then with text “2 years ago” on screen, viewers are taken back to the beginning of the story. This flash-forward creates suspense in audience’s minds: viewers can’t help wondering who is he? And why does he kill himself? Then finally, as the first episode is drawing to a close, viewers witness the death of a bird who has fallen from the sky, indicating the lethal effects of uncontrolled nuclear radiation caused by the explosion.

It is in disaster like Chernobyl that the importance of responsibility is particularly highlighted. Approaching the end of the film, Legasov, chief of investigation, receives a call for technical advice. He realizes the severity of the situation and pleads for immediate investigation where as in stark contrast, the other end of telephone downplays the importance and demands him to obey the order. A similar debate occurs on the city’s Executive Committee, who eventually chose to block evacuation. The film prompts us to consider that in disasters like this, being responsible should be putting human lives first, rather than politics first. This rule applies to our current world as well, where nations have witnessed the politicization of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Disasters like Chernobyl is by no means a distant event. The Beirut explosion that occurred just a month ago reminds us that negligence takes a heavy toll and safety should always be put first.

This Friday’s viewing of the first episode of “Chernobyl,” the HBO dramatized mini-series, was an incredibly interesting and moving experience.  Going into watching this, I had a general idea of what to expect, but was completely surprised by the level of detail in both content and production quality.  While the subject material was very heavy, especially for a Friday night, it was fascinating to learn about this historical event which I had known very little about.  What struck me especially about Chernobyl was how it depicted the political and social context surrounding the event.  The scientists and board members who ran the nuclear plant completely underplayed the situation to both the public and the other people who worked there, which added to the tragedy of this event.  While watching, I couldn’t help but think about how the politics of the USSR affected how the tragedy was handled and if it would have been handled differently if not for the effects of communism.

What made the show so impactful was knowing that this was a real event and knowing how it would end.  The show juxtaposed the destruction and confusion at the nuclear plant with the almost relaxed attitudes of the citizens of Pripyat, the town close to Chernobyl.  It was very stressful to watch how the children danced around when ash fell from the sky, knowing as a viewer that that was really radioactive material.  The show’s creators did a good job of setting the tone of extreme anxiety through dramatic, dark lighting and music and sound effects.

It was interesting as well to see everyone else’s reaction to the first episode and to have a discussion about it.  I enjoyed sharing this experience with other people in Rose, despite it being virtual over Zoom, and look forward to attending future movie nights!

When I settled in on Friday night to watch the first episode of the HBO miniseries Chernobyl, I was not expecting how hooked I would become. By the time the episode ended, I was ready to start the next one immediately. What was most interesting about this film was that it showed the dramatic aftermath of an important historic event that is not often talked about. Before watching, I had not heard much about the Chernobyl disaster and thought it was a helpful and informative film as well as a dramatic and captivating one. The scene that struck me the most (spoiler alert!) was the final one, where the camera pans from some blissfuly unaware children to a pigeon who drops dead from radiation poisoning. I thought this scene really encapsulated that the outcomes of this horror would impact the community around it for a long time to come. Leaving the series open to continue its documentation in the next few episodes. The other thing I found most interesting about this movie was the color composition. Throughout the film the scenes remained dark with tones of black, gray, and white. This greatly contributed to the bleak circumstances of the film and communicated the overall tone to the audience. From the first scene, these colors showed me that this would not be a happy story.

Until I watched the first part of the HBO miniseries Chernobyl, I had a surface level understanding of the events  that took place during the tragedy. I knew there was a malfunction, an enormous amount of radioactive material released, and a subsequent evacuation. It wasn’t until watching the initial events dramatized that I began to consider Chernobyl’s location inside of the USSR and how that impacted the event as a whole. I was filled with morbid fascination watching USSR leadership downplay the severity of Chernobyl, all while continuing to deny the first-hand reports of workers who practically sacrificed their lives to see what had really happened. It was eerie to see a major tragedy politicized as it could hurt the image of the USSR, but eerier still were the parallels to today. Despite a difference in values between many western countries and the USSR, there is still a shared apprehensiveness towards the findings of experts and scientists, with denial being a common default for leadership. While Chernobyl was a more acute issue that was mishandled, there are certainly plenty of chronic, contemporary challenges we face that are themselves being mishandled still. It certainly begs the question of what the world really learned, if anything, from the tragedy that was Chernobyl.

I have just gotten done watching the first installment of Chernobyl, a five part miniseries that dramatizes the nuclear accident and its repercussions. Watching this with the Rose Scholars program was very fulfilling to me, as I did not just watch the program but then got to engage in meaningful discussion about what we had all just witnessed together. The feature of the episode that stood out to me the most was how much the film highlighted the USSR’s efforts to downplay the accident and push misinformation regarding it. Engineers, firemen, plant workers, and civilians were seen formulating ideas of what happened, some having seen it with their own eyes. Yet when they presented their views to officials within the administration, they were called crazy and discredited. The final moments of the episode show an expert on nuclear reactors on the phone with a government official. The engineer tries to voice his concerns to the official regarding the safety of the workers and surrounding town, but is shut down, and told to only answer questions when they are directly posed to him. Another example of this governmental pressure was seen when a higher up in the company told the board to cut phone lines and not let anyone out of the town. This type of disinformation and censoring is customary for authoritarian governments, but it is still unsettling to see. I can’t help my train of thought from shifting over to the current debate over censorship in America, especially in the technology sector. It is hard to imagine the United States ever getting close to the level of censorship the USSR engaged in, but still it is eery to think that our largest tech companies are under scrutiny for the same topic. Remembering extremes like the USSR and Nazi Germany, and even present day North Korea simply strengthen my belief in the right to information, and it makes me excited to go into the political realm after college to help ensure that our country’s media doesn’t slide down that slippery slope of misinformation.