THE AGE OF THE AFTERMATH
Chernobyl takes viewers from catalyst to consequence. By AMANDA SHEPPARD
TURNING ONE
of the 20th century’s worst tragedies into a televised drama is no small undertaking. It needs to be respectful of the truth, even to the point of discomfort. Five- part drama Chernobyl does just that, taking viewers from the disaster itself through the consequences of inaction and the attempted cover- up.
Chernobyl is told through the eyes of Valery Legasov (Jared Harris), the Russian nuclear scientist charged with investigating the cause of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster and leading the response in the immediate aftermath. In the first episode, he is seen hiding tapes that bear his account of the events at Chernobyl – events that unfold to viewers over the following episodes.
Chernobyl is a harrowing depiction of the consequences of the reactor blast, from frontline responders exposed to fatal doses of radiation to future generations affected by the fallout. The series is graphic; but never unnecessarily so. Its portrayals of radiation sickness and the hardships faced by respondents are accurate, not melodramatic. No detail was spared in the making of Chernobyl, down to its props and the use of Soviet- era rubbish bins. It is a historical re- enactment first, televised drama second.
HBO describes Chernobyl as being ‘based on the untold true story’. Above all, Chernobyl is an exploration of what Legasov calls ‘the cost of lies’ – the price that is paid when a society ceases to value the truth. As such, it’s intensely relevant in the age of ‘fake news’ and increasingly divided discourse. Creatives are often warned of the risks of letting the truth get in the way of a good story. Chernobyl retains a strong grip on both.