Chernobyl Series Become HBO’s Highest Rated Show in History

The series is currently the highest rated TV series in IMDb!

No matter whether you want to believe it or not, Game of Thrones has ended, and there will be no remake of the show in the future. Yes, it is a sad thing, but there’s still hope for you if you love fiction shows. There is more hope for you if you love fiction shows based on reality. We are talking about the Chernobyl series that has achieved the feat of becoming the highest rated show by HBO in history. Believe us; it’s waaay, way better than Keeping up with the Kardashians.

 

Chernobyl – HBO

 

What is the Chernobyl Series?

If you haven’t heard of the Chernobyl series before then, it’s time you did. It is a mini-series, divided into 5 parts that follow the events of the real Chernobyl disaster that happened in 1986 and destroyed many lives. It was a disaster because a nuclear facility exploded in the Soviet Union, now Ukraine. As the series is better made than the Game of Thrones finale, it’s gripping, brilliantly produced, and thrilling enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.

 

What Do the Ratings Say?

The ratings of Chernobyl series have caught the attention of everyone. Though it still has the final episode to air, it’s already the top-rated series of HBO on IMDb. The average review score of the series is 9.6/10, which is better than Planet Earth II, 9.5 and Breaking Bad, Band of Brothers and Game of Thrones, all of which are around 9.4. Blue Planet II is lagging with a score of only 9.2. We think that Game of Thrones would have done better if the last season didn’t turn out to be so rushed and disappointing.

What’s the Story of the Chernobyl Series?

The story of Chernobyl series revolves around, scientists Ulana Khomyuk and Valery Legasov (played by Emily Watson and Jared Harris) and a politician names Boris Shcherbina (played by Stellan Skarsgård) as they navigate the aftermath of the nuclear disaster in which the nuclear core of Reactor 4 situated at the Pripyat power station was exposed. It led to the death of about 1,00,000 people due to long term health effects and the evacuation of the surrounding area.

 

Is Watching the Chernobyl Series Worth It?

Yes, watching the Chernobyl series is worth it because it has a real storyline, great performances, and an awesome inclination to show what happened. The harshest scene of the show was when three workers took on the task of draining water in tanks placed beneath the reactor core. Another reason to watch the Chernobyl series is that it shows the ugly side of politics as the Community Party officials didn’t evacuate the people in surrounding areas even 24 hours after the accident and even blamed the people for it by using the term “the fruits of their labour.”

All in all, the show depicts how things worked after the explosion and how the cause of it was found. It simply shows how some people did their jobs well and helped save lives and how some did their job bad and were responsible for many deaths. The final episode of the show will air on Monday, June 3 so you can still catch up on the storyline by watching the previous episodes and enjoy the grand finale.

 

Can I Watch the Chernobyl Series in Australia?

Yes, you can watch the Chernobyl series via Foxtel On Demand here in Australia.

 

Are All Parts of the Chernobyl Series by HBO True?

Ulana’s character is completely fictional, but what her character experiences in the show are similar to what the scientists working on the accident experienced in real life. So, there was no one who burst in and saved the day. Some experts even insist that no female scientists were involved in the project.

The scientist Valery’s character and situation have been changed too in the Chernobyl series. He didn’t find out about the incident in the middle of the night but was informed of it at the first meeting where he was invited as an expert. He already had some ties to the central committee of the Soviet Union. Valery also had a family, and there are tapes of his real daughter available where she talks about what he experienced.

The crash of the helicopter in the Chernobyl series was days after the incident while in reality, it was weeks after. The claims that groundwater that was contaminated could wipe out most people in Eastern Europe was exaggerated too, and the producers of the show have admitted the same.

 

But many events shown in the show are real. People who were there at the time of the incident have told many real reviewers of the show that the story matches up with what actually happened.

So, we can say that HBO is sticking to the truth as much as possible with the Chernobyl series, but it is taking some creative advantages and exaggerating things a bit to keep the audience hooked. It seems that the channel is succeeding so far.

 

How did the Chernobyl Explosion Changed Lives?

According to reliable reports, about 90 percent of the children and 5 percent of adults near the incident area developed cancer. About 1,00, 000 people died due to exposure to radiation, and several animals are permanently deformed due to it. Though people can visit the accident site now, the radiation levels are still too high to remain there for long. Even people who work inside the sight are allowed to work for just three weeks at a time, and then they are offered time off.

We think the Chernobyl series will sear itself on your brain, and the five episodes are enough to make you remember it for long, maybe forever!