HBO's Chernobyl |OT| Do you taste something metallic?

Deleted member 4434 · May 28, 2019

I feel bad about it but I'm going to ask anyway:
In the newest episode, is there any scene as graphic as the hospital ones from the previous one?
I've been okay with a lot of graphic gore in media up to now, but I can't watch something like that again without warning.
Feel free to put in spoiler tags for other posters.

Blade30 · May 28, 2019

Interview with the composer Hildur Guðnadóttir.

Westraid said:
I feel bad about it but I'm going to ask anyway:
In the newest episode, is there any scene as graphic as the hospital ones from the previous one?
I've been okay with a lot of graphic gore in media up to now, but I can't watch something like that again without warning.
Feel free to put in spoiler tags for other posters.

No, there is nothing graphic in this episode and looking at Craig Mazin's tweet the hard part (i.e. death etc.) is over

snausages · May 28, 2019

RatskyWatsky said:
Like, they already depicted all this horrific shit, but instead of leaving it there after they had already made their point (and well), they for some reason felt the need to put a "...and then they killed puppies!" cherry on top. It just read as comical to me.

Well I haven't seen the episode yet, but they had to liquidate the dogs and puppies not only to spare them a bad fate but also so they wouldn't spread radioactive particles around. It's about containment, not trying too hard to make people miserable.

I dunno, I find your take very odd. This actually happened. It's not like "kill all the doggos" was the result of a writer's brainstorming session.

Deleted member 4434 · May 28, 2019

Blade30 said:
No, there is nothing graphic in this episode and looking at Craig Mazin's tweet the hard part (i.e. death etc.) is over

Thank you, really appreciate it!

ibyea · May 28, 2019

Westraid said:
I feel bad about it but I'm going to ask anyway:
In the newest episode, is there any scene as graphic as the hospital ones from the previous one?
I've been okay with a lot of graphic gore in media up to now, but I can't watch something like that again without warning.
Feel free to put in spoiler tags for other posters.

Not nearly as graphic, but it has a lot of scenes of animals being killed. So yeah, if you are sensitive to that, be aware.

Tortahegesztő · May 28, 2019

RatskyWatsky said:
The first three episodes struck just the right tone, but episode four veered a bit into comical misery porn territory with the dogs. The first few scenes were devastating but the bit at the end with the puppies just pushed it over the edge. Sometimes less is more (an ethos the show has adhered to very well up to this point).

The puppy scene was heart wrenching but that's pretty much what happens at the country side where it's too much of a nuisance to neuter all the cats and dogs.

BrassDragon · May 28, 2019

Another strong episode.

It's great how the writer and director keep finding the humanity in these huge, almost biblical struggles. The lead animal control liquidator talking about

his first confirmed kill and the psychological effect it had

, the roof crew coordinator's little sigh as he preps the next crew for 90 seconds in the belly of the beast, the shot of Lyudmila

in the maternity ward with an empty crib

. All these poignant little details add up.

Kuroyume · May 28, 2019

Good episode. My least favorite of the bunch because other than the roof clearing scene it didn't have the level of tension I've been into, but I loved that Shcherbina robot rant.

Trice · May 28, 2019

Can't wait to come home and watch the latest episode. Looks like another banger

Tugatrix · May 28, 2019

Another great one

The animal scenes hit hard, I need to pet my dog to feel alright again.

Legasov becoming more ruthless about the situation deciding to sacrifice those poor soldiers in the roof, to get the job done, how much of that weighted over his shoulders in the later years of his life, ending up committing suicide.

fulltimepanda · May 28, 2019

The music is so freaking well done. So many points throughout this ep it sent shivers down my spine.

I'm also kind of glad they didn't spend too much time on the roof, there needed to be a change in tone after last episode for the show to be more than a gorefest.

What I was disappointed with was;

Legasov being aware of the flaw in RBMK design, I was expecting Khomyuk and Scherbina to arc up but they just kind of let it.... run? maybe we'll see it play more into his guilt next ep. He does have enough on his plate.

BrassDragon · May 28, 2019

fulltimepanda said:
The music is so freaking well done. So many points throughout this ep it sent shivers down my spine.

I'm also kind of glad they didn't spend too much time on the roof, there needed to be a change in tone after last episode for the show to be more than a gorefest.

What I was disappointed with was;

Legasov being aware of the flaw in RBMK design, I was expecting Khomyuk and Scherbina to arc up but they just kind of let it.... run? maybe we'll see it play more into his guilt next ep. He does have enough on his plate.

This revelation does make a scene in episode 3 more poignant:

When Khomyuk tells Legasov that she believes the technicians activating AZ-5 shutdown before the explosion. Legasov has a subtle shift in demeanour (beautifully acted by Harris) presumably because he was part of the Leningrad incident cover-up. Yet despite this, he still tells her:

"We have to pursue every possibility. No matter how unlikely. No matter what or who is to blame."

We now know he was damning himself by putting Khomyuk on this trail. It's a quiet act of self-sacrifice to make up for past complicity, yet he still can't bring himself to be fully honest to her and himself (also because spilling state secrets in a KGB prison is not a smart play.)

Chernobyl has several instances of earlier scenes taking on a new light with subsequent information. It's effective and subtle.

Spoder · May 28, 2019

BrassDragon said:
This revelation does make a scene in episode 3 more poignant:

When Khomyuk tells Legasov that she believes the technicians activating AZ-5 shutdown before the explosion. Legasov has a subtle shift in demeanour (beautifully acted by Harris) presumably because he was part of the Leningrad incident cover-up. Yet despite this, he still tells her:

"We have to pursue every possibility. No matter how unlikely. No matter what or who is to blame."

We now know he was damning himself by putting Khomyuk on this trail. It's a quiet act of self-sacrifice to make up for past complicity, yet he still can't bring himself to be fully honest to her and himself (also because spilling state secrets in a KGB prison is not a smart play.)

Chernobyl has several instances of earlier scenes taking on a new light with subsequent information. It's effective and subtle.

Wow that is a nice find. It's really neat that they put such attention to details into every scene.
If I ever rewatch this series, I would definitely pay more attention to their jail convo.

Deleted member 21709 · May 28, 2019

Jozef Fares's brother, Fares Fares, was great in the last episode.

Bloodbathnbyond · May 28, 2019

LegendofJoe said:
I would rather clean radioactive graphite off the roof of the reactor than go door to door killing domesticated animals. I struggle to think of a job I would dread more than that.

If they asked me I would ask to be sent to the gulag. There's no way I could ever do that

Ravelle · May 28, 2019

Loxley said:
It's been shared a couple of times in this thread already, but here's actual footage of the roof cleanup effort:

Oh damn, That's one good adaption. Down to what was being said.

Strafer · May 28, 2019

Ugh, this episode was just horrible.

Salacious_Rhino · May 28, 2019

RatskyWatsky said:
So why didn't they? Because it would have been too much - too over the top. Sure it happened in real life, but that doesn't mean we need to see it. Our minds can fill in the blanks and oftentimes that can lead to a stronger response.

Uh yeah, thats the point I'm making. I'm confused how this episode was crossing the line for ya compared to what we've seen thus far.

I feel bad about it but I'm going to ask anyway:
In the newest episode, is there any scene as graphic as the hospital ones from the previous one?
I've been okay with a lot of graphic gore in media up to now, but I can't watch something like that again without warning.
Feel free to put in spoiler tags for other posters.

Nah, we see a wounded dog and then off screen puppy deaths as the worst things this last episode. If you could handle the last episode you'll be fine this week. RatsyWatsky though is making me realize that perhaps that may be worse for some people I guess.

Tugatrix · May 28, 2019

the channel is amazing.

Ananasas · May 28, 2019

It so weird seeing streets, that I live nearby, being in one of the best shows.

GusFacsimile · May 28, 2019

RatskyWatsky said:
The first three episodes struck just the right tone, but episode four veered a bit into comical misery porn territory with the dogs. The first few scenes were devastating but the bit at the end with the puppies just pushed it over the edge. Sometimes less is more (an ethos the show has adhered to very well up to this point).

I think that scene was important to show the emotional toll it had on those guys, even the most hardened of soldiers.

kyle mechlachlan · May 28, 2019

The funny thing about the puppy scene is that (based on the podcast) they actually cut out a scene that went even further:

When they were dumping the puppies they found that one wasn't dead but they didn't have any bullets left and still didn't want it to suffer and be burried alive...so....

Atolm · May 28, 2019

I still haven't seen episode 4 yet, but the design flaws of the RBMK-1000 series (like the positive void coefficient) were present in many reactors around the world back then (and were subsequently changed after the accident) like the BWRs, although they couldn't go as high as the RBMKs, that much is true.

The problem was the test they were doing. They were operating the reactor outside its security parameters (Reactor 4 was working around 500-700mW for the experiment, and the fact that RBMKs become unstable at such low energy regimes was known), with safety controlls disabled and all control rods pulled down by hand except for 11. From a total of 228. And they deliberately ignored all safety warnings from the computers.

Surez every design has its flaws and it's up to the designers to remove the human factor as much as possible, but this situation was like driving without sea belts, broken brakes and punctured tires

Teiresias · May 28, 2019

RatskyWatsky said:
The first three episodes struck just the right tone, but episode four veered a bit into comical misery porn territory with the dogs. The first few scenes were devastating but the bit at the end with the puppies just pushed it over the edge. Sometimes less is more (an ethos the show has adhered to very well up to this point).

Really? What is your opinion about Schindler's List by about hour 2 of that movie?

BrassDragon · May 28, 2019

'These are the most important 90 seconds of your life.'

This whole sequence was masterful.

Strafer · May 28, 2019

I thought that young kid was Tye Sheridan

LakeEarth · May 28, 2019

RatskyWatsky said:
The first three episodes struck just the right tone, but episode four veered a bit into comical misery porn territory with the dogs. The first few scenes were devastating but the bit at the end with the puppies just pushed it over the edge. Sometimes less is more (an ethos the show has adhered to very well up to this point).

I'll agree that the second segment of pet killing wasn't needed. We got the (horrible) gist in the first half.

Nothing Loud · May 28, 2019

I don't think some offscreen shots of dogs getting killed is more uncomfortable than the radiation gore of human beings we've seen thus far. All of it has been important to illustrate the stakes of this problem.

The roof segment was incredible. The crackling of the radiation meter with every second on that roof built incredible tension.

WGMBY · May 28, 2019

I just started this last night, it is terrifying. The production and acting is great, but it was really tough to watch this situation just get worse and worse as the officials are downplaying and floundering.

BrassDragon · May 28, 2019

LakeEarth said:
I'll agree that the second segment of pet killing wasn't needed. We got the (horrible) gist in the first half.

It's needed because of a character beat, namely the choice Bacho makes

to save Pavel the agony of eliminating the nest after riding him hard throughout the deployment. It breaks his own 'code' of not letting animals suffer and ties back to his monologue about killing not changing you but revealing who you really are.

I get that people are really sensitive to animal cruelty but it's still in service of a small story arc that I found compelling and important to see through to its end.

Strafer · May 28, 2019

So could you survive the roof with todays protection or is it still too much radiation?

BocoDragon · May 28, 2019

RatskyWatsky said:
The first three episodes struck just the right tone, but episode four veered a bit into comical misery porn territory with the dogs. The first few scenes were devastating but the bit at the end with the puppies just pushed it over the edge. Sometimes less is more (an ethos the show has adhered to very well up to this point).

That's ironic because when I watched it yesterday I distinctly remember thinking it was "less is more".. they didn't show the puppy slaughter. They cut away. It all happened in your imagination.

Rosenkrantz · May 28, 2019

Atolm said:
(Reactor 4 was working around 500-700mW for the experiment, and the fact that RBMKs become unstable at such low energy regimes was known)

Not sure how much of it is true, but according to the Midnight in Chernobyl Dyatlov ordered Toptunov to get the reactor down to 200 mW for the experiment, 700 mW was the recommended minimum parameter by Soyuzatomenergo and other plants with RBMK reactors have done the same test without turning it into a catastrophe of biblical proportions.

More_Badass · May 28, 2019

LakeEarth said:
I'll agree that the second segment of pet killing wasn't needed. We got the (horrible) gist in the first half.

It was needed to show Pavel being spared from performing the act

Also the episode didn't actually show anything with the puppies. I'm reminded of Texas Chainsaw Massacre by the reactions to this episode

Trice · May 28, 2019

Pet killing was too much? Really? It didn't even happen directly on screen. I was more disgusted by dudes shitting over the wooden log.

Will we get to see the Elephant's Foot is the real question.

Sixfortyfive · May 28, 2019

I knew the shot of the empty crib was coming and it still hit me like a truck.

spam musubi · May 28, 2019

RatskyWatsky said:
The first three episodes struck just the right tone, but episode four veered a bit into comical misery porn territory with the dogs. The first few scenes were devastating but the bit at the end with the puppies just pushed it over the edge. Sometimes less is more (an ethos the show has adhered to very well up to this point).

Full body third/fourth degree burns shown full fledged didn't get you but some dogs being shot mostly off screen did?

Peter Ian Staker · May 28, 2019

I just had a hunch the Putin looking guy who played Roose Bolton in GOT would show up in this series.

Blade30 · May 28, 2019

Peter Ian Staker said:
I just had a hunch the Putin looking guy who played Roose Bolton in GOT would show up in this series.

Speaking of GoT, there are couple of actors in this show (Maester ~~Aemon~~ Luwin, Jeor Mormont and Pip).

DarkLancer · May 28, 2019

More_Badass said:
How was the camera able to keep working?

It wasn't that radioactive at that moment. There's even a photo taken from the most radioactive part, that ugh it's blurry. It was called elephants foot I believe

CoolOff · May 28, 2019

Blade30 said:
Speaking of GoT, there are couple of actors in this show (Maester Aemon, Jeor Mormont and Pip).

Oh my god, that was Pip!

Knurek · May 28, 2019

Rosenkrantz said:
Not sure how much of it is true, but according to the Midnight in Chernobyl Dyatlov ordered Toptunov to get the reactor down to 200 mW for the experiment, 700 mW was the recommended minimum parameter by Soyuzatomenergo and other plants with RBMK reactors have done the same test without turning it into a catastrophe of biblical proportions.

I'm sure you both mean megawatts (MW) instead of miliwatts (mW) here.

Peter Ian Staker · May 28, 2019

Blade30 said:
Speaking of GoT, there are couple of actors in this show (Maester Aemon, Jeor Mormont and Pip).

I remember Maester Aemon from that whole trust in the state speech and I just noticed Pyp in the opening scene of this episode but I can't remember James Cosmo getting any lines.
He is one of the miners but not the crew chief that got most of the lines

Rosenkrantz · May 28, 2019

Knurek said:
I'm sure you both mean megawatts (MW) instead of miliwatts (mW) here.

lol, yeah. I ain't much of a physics buff.

Peter Ian Staker said:
I remember Maester Aemon from that whole trust in the state speech and I just noticed Pyp in the opening scene of this episode but I can't remember James Cosmo getting any lines.

"Now you look like the minister of coal".

Deleted member 4090 · May 28, 2019

Strafer said:
So could you survive the roof with todays protection or is it still too much radiation?

Protection really hasn't gone up over the last few decades. The best protection is density, which is basically weight and thus limited by how much somebody can reasonably carry. You still have to carry an unreasonable amount of lead shielding to mask it a sufficient %.

True, 100% shielding is just too thick to walk around in. There's multiple types of radiation and risks. Contamination wasn't the risk on the roof, it was just raw risk of massive radiation damage.

Dubbedinenglish · May 28, 2019

More_Badass said:
It was needed to show Pavel being spared from performing the act

The whole episode was about self sacrifice, more specifically the parents not letting the children bear the weight of the disaster. Pavel is spared but the soldier takes the burden, the soldiers "serve the Soviet Union" in clearing the roof, Legasov damning himself to ensure the reactors would be fixed. This whole episode pushed the dread doing the necessary task.

Haruko · May 28, 2019

You guys mean Maester Luwin and not Aemon, i think :P

(or are they both in this show? I haven't seen ep 4 yet)

Blade30 · May 28, 2019

Haruko said:
You guys mean Maester Luwin and not Aemon, i think :P

(or are they both in this show? I haven't seen ep 4 yet)

Ooops, yeah I meant Luwin, no idea why I thought of Aemon.

CoolOff · May 28, 2019

Maester Aemon unfortunately passed away in 2015. :(

John Rabbit · May 28, 2019

Bloodbathnbyond said:
If they asked me I would ask to be sent to the gulag. There's no way I could ever do that

They wouldn't have asked you.

HBO's Chernobyl |OT| Do you taste something metallic?

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