Paul Tassi from Forbes is right when it comes to not canceling your HBO account just yet since Game of Thrones was a loss no doubt, but it’s not the only show that’s worthy of our attention at this time. Some folks might be lamenting the final episode of GoT and might have even watched last nights explanation of how the show was created but moving on from that is important since it gives us the chance to dive into something else while the pain of losing a show that entertained us for years is still fresh. While a lot of people might not be willing to call this the best show ever made, many are still willing to say that it’s one of the most gripping and, in terms of historical relevance, one of the most disturbing shows that still counts as entertainment since Chernobyl was all too real.
Many people these days know the story of Chernobyl as a cautionary tale or as a running joke throughout the world, or both. The truth that’s on the books is that it was a horrible accident that took place during a systems test in 1986 that went horribly awry and ended up causing mass destruction as well as many deaths that some believe were never fully tallied. How you might put this into a series without offending an entire country is hard enough to imagine, but revisiting a horrific moment in history such as this is more than enough to think that the director and producer would have needed to tread carefully. After all those that still live with the legacy likely don’t enjoy being reminded that their country is one of only two incidents in human history that as reached a maximum danger level. The idea of going into this project with the ‘untold story’ is one that many people enjoy since it makes them believe that they’re being made privy to something that was hidden away for so long, but as a lot of us might want to point out a great deal of such stories is conjecture and theory based upon what has already been stated in the past. There might be a good deal of truth to the story and what’s being revealed, but it’s wise to take such shows with a big grain of salt at times because quite honestly they’re there for your entertainment.
Kent German from CNet insists that Chernobyl is an important show to watch and he’s probably right since the inadequacies of humanity and the utter arrogance at times are simply astounding when it comes to the overall safety of the human race. Chernobyl is, according to many accounts, one of the most disastrous and frustrating moments in human history, and one of the worst parts is that the true fallout has never been fully revealed. The number of deaths that were recorded has apparently never been deemed as a full and accurate count. But the show does its best to depict just how gruesome and how devastating the effect of the disaster was and how it nearly made the surrounding countryside uninhabitable for a century if not more. Many people might scoff at this and think that such figures are little more than guesses that might be less than accurate. But in terms of what radiation can do to a body, to the surrounding land, and to anything it touches, there is no doubt that had Chernobyl been allowed to become a truly epic disaster that the story being told would be much different.
There are shows that gather criticism because they aren’t developed enough, and shows that are said to be too graphic, too gruesome. But Chernobyl, despite being quite disturbing throughout the three episodes that have aired, is a necessary show to remind us that human beings are entirely fallible. Some might not think we need such a lesson over and over again, but to be honest it would seem that this is a recurring theme that we need to hear on a regular basis to keep us humble and remind us as a species that we are capable of truly destructive acts that make little to no sense sometimes. While it might get a little graphic (it’s definitely not a show you want your kids watching) it’s also very descriptive, very well-done, and the cast is impressive enough to keep a person watching even if they happen to think that the story might get just a tad bit disturbing in some areas. That’s the whole point though, Chernobyl was a horrible moment in humanity’s history and despite the entertainment value of the show it’s also a look back on something that some people thought could have been prevented or at least handled in a much more professional way. Humanity tends to learn some lessons the hard way.
