Chernobyl Accident Essay – Sample Review of Chernobyl HBO Miniseries
A rare member of the audience is prepared for the gut-wrenching realism of the HBO mini-series Chernobyl. That is being said, no citizen of then-Soviet Ukraine was ready for the harrowing course of events that unfolded on April 26, 1986. In a split second, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant turned into a fire-breathing, radiation-spewing monster.
The catastrophic accident, which almost turned Ukraine and neighboring countries into a radioactive wasteland is a central focus of the bleak, unconventional, and thoroughly horrifying disaster series. The audience squirms in seats when Ukrainians wade through a water-filled pitch black basement, dig a tunnel under a melting reactor or (most frighteningly of all) stroll with their children unsuspicious of the imminent demise.
The aim of this essay is to review the Chernobyl miniseries. The paper will provide a succinct summary of the show’s plot, conduct an analysis of script, visual design, and performance, as well as, comment on the Russian response to Chernobyl and significance of the story’s lessons. It will be argued that the power plant was ignited by unremitting lies of Soviet apparatchiks, which is beautifully portrayed in the grim, visually arresting show.
Fateful Night
In 1991, the Soviet Union ceased to exist. It was an implosion. Arguably, it was precipitated by the fateful explosion that occurred three-and-a-half years earlier. The first episode puts the audience into the epicenter of the tragic accident.
With millions of lives at stake, the staccato of the Geiger counter is the most chilling soundtrack imaginable. Its broad-brush symbolism cannot be missed: death weighs on the show’s characters as heavily as the fault does on the involved government apparatchiks. The soundtrack punctuates the aftermath of the explosion as unsuspecting firefighters try to prevent the fire from spreading to other reactors. Radiation – a stealthy killer that moves in a way completely imperceptible to the ear – crackles as it passes through the counter claiming innocent lives along the way. Ironically, the decay of heavy, unstable Uranium becomes the accompaniment of the country’s rotting political system.
Anti-Lie Diatribe
What caused the Chornobyl disaster? The miniseries’ answer is succinct – lies. The bespectacled scientist Valery Legasov played by Jared Harris does not need blue and red placards to argue that “the real danger is that if we hear enough lies, then we no longer recognize the truth at all.” This is but one of many quotes from the show that emphasizes the value of facts and the deadly effects of deception. When uttered in the striking silence of the courtroom, the harsh truth seeps into Nikolai Fomin, Viktor Brykhanov, and Anatoly Dyatlov whose actions contributed to the catastrophe. It is as though they understand that the tragedy could have been avoided had the widespread dishonesty been confronted head-on by people like Legasov.
Upon analyzing Chernobyl cast vs real life, it becomes immediately clear that the show’s director Johan Renck picked the right actors to portray the lumbering Soviet bureaucracy and plucky heroes trying to minimize the death toll. The stellar performance of the ensemble cast moves the story forward and prompts the audience to ask: “Can you visit Chernobyl today?” It also…
Want a similar essay written by a degreed professional? Papers crafted be experts in various fields (including nuclear power engineering) will increase your chances of making A grade. Place an order now!
