Chernobyl

Chernobyl could’ve been so poorly executed. I could think of a million ways that the HBO Miniseries could’ve messed up, but upon reflecting, I've realized that Chernobyl avoided all of them.  In a show like this, the atmosphere created from the show is easily the most important element of a successful show. The Chernobyl disaster was deadly, dark, and unforgiving. This show had to mimic that same effect. In Chernobyl, the color pallet was very fitting, the cinematography created an eerie tone, and that beautiful yet horrifying music. I could tell instantly she was the same composer as Joker’s composer (And Joker’s score was also perfect (and it was dark)).  The accuracy of the show was also a high point. If you compare the footage of the actual event and the show, there are strikingly clear similarities. Every little detail was translated to perfection. The film sparked so many emotions due to all of the precious elements I mentioned before. Emotion is definitely the keystone of the entire show.  When you combine all of these elements together, you get scenes like the Bridge of Death scene, the scene where the volunteers had to shut the water valve, the scene where the workers went on top of the roof to clean off the nuclear infested rock, with the radiation detector slowly rising faster and faster. When you combine them together, you get absolutely perfect episodes. The first and last episodes were absolutely perfect (especially the finale). The editing between the court scene and the explosion sequence was absolutely legendary and the acting was beautiful to watch. The characters made me feel emotions that I usually don’t feel. Paul Ritter’s delivery was stellar. The only time I hated a character this much was the warden in Shawshank; I’M TALKING ABOUT THE WARDEN OF SHAWSHANK!!  Chernobyl is the perfect example on how to make a series about a true story. It is exemplary.