CHERNOBYL 1x01 -

[@nescirian]

I saw another comment correcting this but they didn't provide any explanation, so I'll try to do that. Typically, the terminology "the Ukraine" is only used in Soviet / pro-Russian contexts, and the preferred (and official) name of the country is Ukraine (no definite article). The reason for this is that Ukraine is both the name of the country and a word meaning borderlands. So when referring to it as a country, we say Ukraine (just as we don't say The Canada or The Australia), but when implying it is a state of Russia or the USSR, we say "the ukraine", meaning the borderlands of Russia. Hope this is helpful :)

[@PUARockstar]

as ukrainian, can confirm

[@control2XS]

Beautifully explained, thankyou

[@christys7161]

"There's no saying no" Exactly, Neil. Once you can wrap your mind around that aspect of their lives and the political machine of the Soviet Party, what happened here makes a lot more sense to you.

[@richardhunter7363]

This accident kept me busy at work for many months, measuring the fallout from various places in the UK. BTW you are confusing radiation and contamination - radiation is the energy given off (think of light or heat), contamination is a physical material. The further you get away from the contamination the less radiation you receive (by an inverse square rule - double the distance, quarter the dose). You can reduce the radiation by distance or shielding.

[@Reblwitoutacause]

nerd.

[@Reblwitoutacause]

no. but seriously. thanks for that breakdown. very articulate and digestible description of contamination vs radiation. well said.

[@wordswritteninred7171]

This one is a heartbreaking series. Because it’s true. And now, what is happening in real life. Thank you for watching this one!

[@soulrichy3311]

this short series has to be the best short series i’ve ever seen. hbo put their all into this one. the production quality of this is absolutely amazing.

[@willhopley]

This is in the top 3 best short series I've seen. Incredible and devastating, especially given everything going on in the world right now. I will look forward to seeing your reaction Neil.

[@BeesOnWheat]

It's like looking into hell and Hildur Guðnadóttir's soundtrack for this is amazingly haunted.

[@christys7161]

So excited to see you've started this. It's breathtaking, heartbreaking, and so well done. Glad to see you jumping in.

[@ariadnepyanfar1048]

Docudrama Nitpicks: Mazin shifted some events up and down the timeline to suit storytelling purposes. The man who levered the door open and held it open with his body didn't actually start bleeding from radiation burns that night, it took a couple of days before starting. The insta-bleed on the show is to convince the audience that the area is dangerous.

[@stearinlys]

And he survived, right? (not a spoiler, as his fate is never mentioned in the show)

[@philhahn7826]

Neil - Excellent choice of a series to react to! I remember watching and thinking this first episode being one of the most terrifying hours of television I've ever seen, but more than anything, this is a story of power, corruption and the faults of the communist system in particular and bureaucracies in general. You wisely observe the need for some to contain the political damage. Not to open up a political discussion, but consider how many months Donald Trump underplayed the impact of covid - and admitting as much to Bob Woodward - because he wanted to paint a rose-colored picture to the US population. The themes and warnings of Chernobyl are timeless and universal. I've definitely observed political power structures a little differently since watching this in 2019. As for your comments about the look & feel, I would argue that Chernobyl offers some of the best production design I've ever seen. I spent time in the USSR in 1988 (Moscow and Odessa - now in Ukraine - to be exact), and the look & feel of this series nails the time and place exactly.

[@renee7407]

This is a great series. Terrifying. I remember when the world found out. I was in high school and my social studies teacher told us to “put our books away we’re going to talk about Chernobyl today." Horrifying, and here we are today, talking about Chernobyl AGAIN.

[@DrDaveW]

Doing well for your age! I was 14 (50 this month - ouch). Much closer in eastern England, but further away than many, thankfully.

[@michaelnolan6951]

I remember being in primary school and being taught about the news reports from Chernobyl. Even for little kids on the other side of the world it was chilling. This miniseries does a fantastic job of dropping you right into the middle of the pervasive dread and horror. It's genius is that it somehow keeps ramping up. Whenever you find yourself numbly asking "how could this get any worse?" - it keeps getting worse.

[@bobd2659]

LOVE your emotion in this, both from the human perspective AND the filmmaker side! It's an odd dichotomy when you can be both horrified at what's happening (happened) AND amazed at how beautifully it portrayed... It's a rarity in writing/making of entertainment.. Also: Yes to the scrubbing down, no to the lye. You'll probably want some Prussian Blue though - and since you likely know it, I'm talking the nuclear binding drug Prussian Blue, not the scenic colour from Rosco... ;)

[@disturbed4everluke]

great reaction! you have a good head on your shoulders. you didn't need to have a ton of inside information about chernobyl to keep up and understand what the show was saying better than a lot of reactors haha. great emotional connection with the characters too realizing these are real people who existed (for the most part)

[@TheClairem75]

All your questions will be answered by the final episode. I hope people don’t spoil it too much in the comments. I was 10 when it happened, living in the south of England. We were told not to go outside just in case. But I think the wind changed direction and it dispersed and thankfully the cloud never reached us.

[@martinlatour9311]

You deserve a lot more subs

[@gy7694]

The official death toll was actually really low (30) but considering this happened in the USSR I'd imagine the total death toll was way higher than we'll ever know.

[@cherylsims5636]

Very good short series. What's scary is this actually happened back in 1986. The plant workers and people were not told about the workings of a nuclear plant, it was considered a ""State Secret" The overall concern was saving "face" Shows mentality of the Soviet Union. Well someone could say "No" you will get imprisoned or shot, if you do but you can.

[@dufflepod]

Great reaction vid. Damn you sir! You just made me become a Patron to watch your other Chernobyl reactions :)

[@moalgonle7]

I just started watching this show yesterday. So glad to find your reaction to ep 1 today!

[@Julku13]

This reaction reminds me, that you should really check out the German Netflix masterpiece DARK after you're done with LOST. It's incredible from end to beginning (😉) and I known you'll love every minute of it. It's like made for filmmakers with an analytical mind and every frame or soundbite is like a piece of art.

[@paulusthewoodgnome]

Thank you for a characteristically excellent reaction to the first episode of what is one of the greatest television series ever made. I've watched it three times. I think the only series I've watched more is I Claudius (now THAT would be a great reaction). You inspired me to finally get around to listening to the Chernobyl podcast, and it is superb. The conversations between Peter Sagal and producer/writer Craig Mazin are witty and incisive and perfectly complement the series. Cannot recommend it highly enough.

[@homeiswhereukeepurdealdoe]

oh MAN i cant wait ur reaction to the rest of the series. is such a raw mindfuck, and not in a scifi kind of way, but in an even more wrenching one, reality.

[@subanakatz4943]

one reason why they were doing this test was because it was linked to a possible promotion for one of the 3 senior guys. They had tried the test twice before but it failed. So the third time, it was even more important that the test should succeed. Which is why Dyatlov kept barking orders at everyone, plus he was a real asshole too!

[@xMr2PaCx]

This Show is masterpiece... dont forget after 5 episode there is some scenes after credit.

[@pencilquest9409]

Great video, man! Stoked to see Season 2 live?

[@MrTrevisco]

The level of cover up of this incident is not just on the Russian side, it is international, from the relatively low numbers of deaths to the downplayed effects of the radiation released that were reported. Such is national vested interests in protecting nuclear for the power it gives them.

[@lynnhamps7052]

I was 26 and had two kiddies aged, 7 and 4, I was terrified by the news for my family even though I lived in the UK, I remember the devastating effect it had on the sheep farmers and reports of childhood leukaemia being linked to the event, restrictions on sheep meat was only lifted in 2012... The whole event was just awful and held back nuclear power advancement by decades....PS: RIP Paul Ritter, one of our most versatile British actors who played the part of the chief engineer, Anatoly Dyatlov and sadly passed away just last year aged 54....

[@jimchabai3163]

Episode 1 is a walk in the park. However, it's a must watch. It's a well done series and very interesting. I was graduating high school when it happened, i'm just a few years older.

[@stearinlys]

Ep 1 is actually one of the worst for me, it's so anxiety-inducing! I see he's done up to ep 4 on Patreon so I guess I'm not spoiling anything by saying that 3 is the most difficult for me to watch, although it seems to be 4 for most people.

[@beefjezos2713]

Timely upload with the tragedy unfolding at Chernobyl right now.

[@carkawalakhatulistiwa]

many state leaders denied it during the covid 19 outbreak. so denial is common in all systems and governments only

[@LMarti13]

exactly

[@BlueShadow777]

12…??? 👏🏻🤣 I was 27…!!! …and I now feel very, very old! 🥴

[@LinkCat67]

I was in hs in the Netherlands when this happened. This was a great short series.

[@roger2475]

hey NEIL :) i checked out your full patreon reaction to chernobyl and wanted to ask if you could add the blurred out version of the episode all the way trough your reaction because there was like only 3 seconds for me to check if the audio and video is in sync. The blurred episode screen could really help to see if my own copy is still in sync :)

[@PUARockstar]

Right now Chornobyl is occupied by Russia invading army, and the 60 workers are held hostage working basically non-stop for almost 2 weeks now.

[@derianjones1730]

Yes, and I noticed that it was one of the first places that Russia took over. Anyone else think that strange?

[@PUARockstar]

@@derianjones1730 they systematically capture NPPs and similar stuff. They even shelled at Zaporizya NPP! Should it explode (unlikely though, it was made with a thought for a nuclear attack) it could be 10x times worse than Chornobyl.

[@sassymenses]

@@PUARockstar sure it will :)

[@JohannaSarkar]

This is the most horrifying show I’ve ever seen. It’s heartbreaking but it really is a must watch. The cost of lies.

[@stearinlys]

Yeah, that's how I felt too. Binged the show recently, and just a few days before there was fighting at that other nuclear plant in Ukraine... Some of the scenes in this have certainly contributed to a few rough nights lately. Can't tell if binging reactions is a way of coping or if it's just making things worse lol.

[@werdle92]

Great series. We might get a season 2 it looks like, considering current events.

[@hristoyanakiev4785]

Pretty good black humor :),but i hope never see season 2

[@pencilquest9409]

If they had run, millions would die. Heroes, every one. 'Cept Dyatlov.

[@karlmortoniv2951]

Why do your patrons hate you, Neil? Hmmm? Do they not want you to be a happy guy? What did you do to deserve this?? Seriously, this is damn' good. It's a mercy it's only five parts. They don't shy away from things, but they don't bury you in awfulness either - it's rather inspiring in a certain way. Brilliant acting from the two leads. All your questions about the real statistics will be answered, but if you can't help but look up stuff on Wikipedia, it's not like they're serious spoilers since you remember the real event going down. The Russian government always said there were only like six fatalities and that all the cancer numbers going through the roof was a coincidence. *eyeroll* One other thing - when this came out, Putin's office said that they were going to make a rebuttal series telling the 'real' story of what happened at Chernobyl, i.e. that the incident was CIA sabotage. *eyeroll* So that'll be fun to watch if/when it happens, won't it? I guess they'll be able to shoot it on location in Pripyat, won't they? *sigh*

[@charmedoriginal5923]

Such and awesome surprise. Neil.

[@KULAK510]

further - more!!! emotions will roll in a big wave

[@ariadnepyanfar1048]

I'm sorry its such a tough story we recommended. I think its important that we witness this, the same way that we sometimes witness war through an excellent movie or series. Its important to memorialise. Its important we're informed of disasters so we can make more informed voting decisions. I don't think this is an anti-nuclear power story. Its an anti-cost cutting story. An anti-lying story. An anti-inadequate-regulations story. Watching Chernobyl reactions... part of it is wanting to mourn with other people, I guess. Part of it is wanting to share the heroism and sacrifice of so many of the ordinary people of the ex USSR. People from Ukraine, Russia, and elsewhere. Part of it is wanting to share a story that sunk its fingers right into my being.

[@ivoafonso1989]

Where in Portugal were you Neil?

[@believeume122]

Can't wait for the next one...

[@shatterquartz]

"Ukraine got the short straw." You don't say.

[@nathanspreitzer6738]

Considering there was literal firefights only 2 months ago, and even now it’s on the frontline, I’d say tourism there is dead for a while

[@hannahbeanies8855]

2 months from when? This reactor recorded this sometime in February and uploaded at the beginning of March.

[@nathanspreitzer6738]

@@hannahbeanies8855 the war started Feb 22nd and the Russians pulled out of Chernobyl in late march early April

[@leeannmcdermott8313]

Great series, very, very heavy but still great.

[@gavinhall6040]

Brilliant series.

[@markmckeown87]

What a time to watch this :')

[@stearinlys]

Yep, I watched it for the first time 1.5 weeks ago... not great, actually horrifying. (choice of words very much intended)

[@jeromedutil-martin6823]

My show of the year in 2019.

[@sam04019491]

Please don’t Google anything about this disaster until you’ve finished the series. All will be explained. Then start doing research afterwards if you wish.

[@toxuthat6988]

By your intro I assume you recorded this before the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. To avoid confusion you should maybe state that in the description, and in the intro of the following videos. However, I support you in watching the rest of Chernobyl and posting your reactions, as the show is just as relevant today than ever.

My thoughts exactly. It sounded weird to me "Oh, sure, I wanna go" and I was like... "Ummmm... reallly? Now? Aren't you aware what is going on in the Ukraine right now?!".

[@MrCzerillo]

It's a good thing they didn't follow your advice, or it would have been infinitely worse.

[@charmedoriginal5923]

Guys, what were the other choices on the Patreon pill ?

[@ninagray4441]

Had this pointed out to me by a friend a couple of years back who has connections with the country, it's 'Ukraine', not 'The Ukraine'.

[@Andy_U]

P.S.: Google Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania 1979.

[@andreraymond6860]

'I'm sure that 3.6 s actually hundreds.' Oh, you sweet summer child'.

[@ShredAstair]

he's in shock get him out of here

[@andreraymond6860]

Check out the China Syndrome (1979)

[@samandrews8005]

It's 'Ukraine', not 'the Ukraine".

[@derianjones1730]

I'm 52 and I had very very rarely heard the word "misinformation", until the last few years, from our own media and government, and then I saw this.

[@Kari_B61ex]

I've watched the whole series and the lies and corruption gets worse as it goes along - I believe that 'only' 50 died due to the initial explosion, deaths in the area since have been multiple thousands and a true figure is likely never to be known.

[@carkawalakhatulistiwa]

Is same like covid

[@LMarti13]

"It's easy to blame communism. I can only imagine, that if an accident like this occurred in a western nuclear power plant, that there may be equally terrible decisions made." This is why I think you're the smartest reactor around. You have no idea how many reactors just say "Oh man thank god for capitalism." with zero irony that this series came out right before we saw how well capitalism handled COVID. And that's not even touching some truly psychotic commenters (this comment section seems pretty good though).

[@hannahbeanies8855]

I have not seen a single western reactor who has not said the same thing, and I’ve watched at least 2 dozen over the years. The only ones that have said anything like “woohoo yippee for capitalism” are Europeans who come from countries previously under Soviet control. That should tell you something.

[@buddystewart2020]

So, the Ukraine is a good place for me to go visit? Like, right now even? Have you seen any news in the last month?

[@feartheolivebread]

Well, I wouldn't recommend you visit Kiev right now, given there is a war going on.

[@John_Locke_108]

I have no recollection of Chernobyl. I was 9 but never heard of it until either Season 2 of Lost or Call Of Duty 4. Can't recall which came out first and I'm too lazy to look up the release date of Cod.

[@nathanyoung5530]

“Cher no bill? Wtf!? Glad you corrected yourself immediately after.

[@libby8090]

I’m guessing you recorded this before Ukraine was invaded…

[@NeilTalks]

Weeks before, I'm afraid.

[@Andy_U]

Watching Chernobyl now? What a surprise! You do know what's happening in Ukraine, by any chance?

[@hannahbeanies8855]

This was recorded weeks before the invasion. Chill.

[@erickenneycreative]

First view!

[@daytrippera]

Chilling to know Russia has taken control once again of Chernobyl. And they are threating to use nuclear power on Ukraine... I don't think things changed that much unfortunately. 🙁 I also remember when it happened, I was 14. In fact here, in Argentina, a food import from Russia came here contaminated with radiation. They sent us contaminated food.

[@sassymenses]

And we will again :) hahaha

[@werdle92]

Ill visit Ukraine when the war is over

[@MegaBollard]

Yeah that was a weird comment to make right now.

[@elaineirving77]

I would guess this has been recorded well before recent events for release on Patreon first before KZbin, so maybe hold back on the dissing!

[@hannahbeanies8855]

He said he recorded this weeks before the invasion y’all

[@warbo3611]

What's next, the russian invasion of Crimea documentary. Holy shit dude timing and sensitivity obviously not your thing

[@sassymenses]

Why not?

[@hannahbeanies8855]

Omfg this was recorded WEEKS before the invasion. 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️