🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 94 (from laksa136)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa094.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.gamesradar.com/chernobyl-hbo-review/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.gamesradar.com/chernobyl-hbo-review/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/chernobyl-hbo-review\/","crawl_time":1775736102,"first_indexed_time":1559820496,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,gamesradar!www,\/chernobyl-hbo-review\/ s443","src_root_hash":"11183388425566263694","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Chernobyl review: “Stunning and shattering in equal measure” | GamesRadar+","meta_descriptions":["With award-worthy writing, sensational performances, a hellish soundscape and beautifully stark design, it not only succeeds in telling Chernobyl's story; it triumphs."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"GamesRadar+ Verdict\nWith award-worthy writing, sensational performances, a hellish soundscape and beautifully stark design, it not only succeeds in telling Chernobyl's story; it triumphs.\nWhy you can trust GamesRadar+\nOur experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.\nFind out more about our reviews policy.\nArriving with none of the fanfare of some other 2019 HBO TV shows, miniseries Chernobyl turned into a television event almost overnight. And it did so not on the strength of a celebrity cast, high-profile showrunners or oversized set pieces, but because here we might, quite simply, have the greatest TV drama of this decade. \nChronicling the real-life events of the fateful Chernobyl disaster in April 1986, the unfolding of this terrible tragedy is told in five tightly knit, deliberately paced and flawlessly executed chapters. \nOf course, while the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl is a matter of historical record, it should go without saying that this review will contain spoilers regarding the show’s plot, and the level of its adherence and deviation from true events. \nArticle continues below\nLatest Videos From GamesRadar+\nOpening in direct and deliberate contravention to most programmes that chronicle a dramatic spectacle, Chernobyl starts with a sickly Jared Harris speaking into a tape recorder before hanging himself. Yeah, it’s that sort of show. \nEven the disaster itself, when first witnessed, is only seen through a distant room window, and the room’s occupant doesn’t even notice it. We are then thrown in media res inside the control room of Reactor 4, the one that has just exploded, but even there, the gravity of the situation doesn’t seem apparent. We see men in denial about the terror they have unleashed, the tragedy that is unfolding. When faced with the reality of it, the people in charge either don’t register it, or simply decide to lie. \nLies, lies, lies\nImage credit: HBO\nAnd it is this theme that continues to permeate the five hour-long episodes to come. Plant operators and officials make up lies to make themselves look better, denying the reality of what’s happening even as they retch and spew bile onto their desks as they succumb to radiation poisoning. Firefighters are lied to as they flock onto the scene and handle the deadly graphite from the core strewn across the scene with their bare hands. Politicians construct bigger lies to keep its population and the world at large in the dark about the terrifying scale of the disaster. \nAt the heart of unravelling these lies is Jared Harris’ atomic energy expert, Dr Valery Legasov (Jared Harris). Legasov, summoned by Soviet Central Committee member Boris Scherbina (Stellan Skarsgård) to investigate the incident and coordinate the local response, quickly sees that not much adds up in the official version of events, and is soon helped by the driven Dr Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) in trying to uncover the truth while saving the plant – and by extension, the world – from an even bigger disaster. \nSign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter\nWeekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more\nWhile multiple strands follow several different characters through some or all of the episode, it’s those three characters who are the beating heart of Chernobyl, and that’s in no small part thanks to the performances of Harris, Skarsgård and Watson. They are all, in a word, sensational. \nJared Harris is an acting juggernaut\nIn his portrayal of the understated but increasingly pained and desperate Legasov, Harris gives a performance that may well come to define his career. In the common consciousness there will be pre-Chernobyl Jared Harris, respected character actor and dimension-hopping terrorist in Fringe, and there is post-Chernobyl\nJared Harris, one of the finest damn actors on the face of this planet. Of course, he has been exactly that for a long time, but here he finally gets to show us. In Harris’ hands, his quiet academic not only navigates the audience through an intricate tapestry of a story, but has us genuinely feeling the fear, the tension, the frustration and the moral conflict he himself faces on his journey. Just give him the Golden Globe already.\nSkarsgård may be best known to mainstream viewers as the eccentric Dr Selvig in Marvel’s Thor films, but it is here where an actor of his calibre truly belongs. His Scherbina appears a career politician at the beginning – an\napparatnik\n– dedicated to the Party above anything else, but as he is immersed into the unsavoury truth of Chernobyl, the disaster, the response and his superiors’ intransigence, he becomes increasingly embittered by the situation he finds himself in. \nImage credit: HBO\nThe dynamic between Harris and Skarsgård is electric. The play off each other’s plentiful static energy, there’s collaboration, conflict and even the occasional light moment of wit between them, which offers essential breathing between the oppressive tension of the show. We start to care for both of them, and deeply so, which makes their eventual fate even harder for us to bear than it would have in lesser hands than theirs. Somewhere in the multiverse, there is a slapstick buddy cop show starring these two, and it is as hilarious as Chernobyl\nis heart-wrenching.\nAnd as she has done so many times throughout her illustrious career, Emily Watson shines in a role that could so easily have become a rote instrument for various plot devices. Her Khomyuk, a driven scientist in relentless pursuit of the truth, is the only fictional character of the main cast, as she is amalgamated from a group of real-life scientists who aided Legasov and Scherbina following the disaster. Still, she slots well into the narrative, even as her story runs parallel to the main plot for much of the series, often used to illustrate the horrors of the aftermath, the power of the KGB or simply representing us viewers as we ask, “what the hell happened here?”\nWhile spectacle is substituted for airtight narrative, there are certainly plenty of breathtaking, heart-pounding moments of excitement throughout the series, and the gory injury detail is stomach-churningly accurate at times, especially as we follow the unfortunate controllers who went into the exposed reactors and the firefighters who handled radioactive graphite literally disintegrate in hospital. And because the drama is handled so delicately, both by the actors and the writer and director, the agony of these scenes is doubled by the deep empathy we feel for every single character we encounter. \nStarkly beautiful design and quietly oppressive soundtrack\nImage credit: HBO\nOther highlights include the production design, slavishly faithful to historical fact in many ways but still strikingly cinematic, aided by excellent cinematography and editing. \nAnd then there is the music. Hildur Gudnadottir is an up-and-coming composer, having previously impressed with her scores for A Hijacking, Mary Magdalene, Sicario 2: Soldado and Icelandic crime series Trapped, for example. But it here where she comes of age, composing a soundscape that envelops the viewer as much as it supports the drama. Recorded using the sounds made by an actual nuclear plant (a disused one in Lithuania that was used for filming large parts of this series), the music is completely organic to the visuals, elevating an already-great drama to a whole new level. She may have been a protege of the late, great Johann Johannsson (Arrival, The Theory of Everything), but here she stamps her authority as a master of the art herself.\nThe consistency of performances from the main players to minor characters is a testament to the work of director Johan Renck, who has until now been mainly known as a respected music video and commercial director, and writer\/producer Craig Mazin, who has managed to balance adherence to historical fact with an utterly gripping drama. Where it deviates, it does so deliberately, enhancing and tightening the story – we skip the part where the sarcophagus is built around the reactor in late-1986, for example – and focus on the main theme: lies. \nChernobyl\nis not an indictment of Communism, nor is it a campaign against nuclear power. Instead, it focuses on the common human trait of lying, and how much it costs, not only on the big scale of geopolitics, but even more so on a personal level. And by focusing on the commonly human instead of getting bogged down in politics or tempted by the lure of a central set-piece spectacle, is where Chernobyl stands out. It tells us something, not only about Chernobyl, and it does so in spades, but about us. It may sound pretentious, but this show is anything but.\nErlingur Einarsson\nProduction Editor, Total Film\nErlingur Einarsson is a film reviewer and writer, lover of cinema, television, tractors, and basketball. Erlingur has worked at Future for Plc for five years now, having spent time as the Editor for Photoshop Creative, Operations Editor for Digital Camera World, and Deals Editor for Top Ten Reviews. Erlingur currently serves as the Production Editor for our friends over at Total Film magazine – you should expect to find his byline of film reviews and the hottest of takes. ","attrs_markdown":"![](https:\/\/sb.scorecardresearch.com\/p\/?c1=2&c2=10055482&cv=4.4.0&cj=1)\n\n[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/chernobyl-hbo-review\/#main)\n\n![Background](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/p47qegqe0n1769156215.png)\n\nWelcome   to GamesRADAR+ Community \\!\n\nHi ,\n\nYour membership journey starts here.\n\nKeep exploring and earning more as a member.\n\n[MY ACCOUNT](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/my-account\/)\n***\n![Badge picture](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/7qzq6a1m0i1768319327.svg)\n\nEarn your first badge\n\nRead 1 article to unlock your first badge.\n\nKeep earning badges\n\nExplore ways to get more involved as a member.\n\n![Latest Games News](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/m0mucoqqfg1768902859.svg)\n\nLatest Games News\n\nBreaking gaming news and updates\n\n[Read Now](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/news\/)\n\n![Latest Games Reviews](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/zpvpvuntuy1768902877.svg)\n\nLatest Games Reviews\n\nExpert verdicts on the newest releases\n\n[Read Now](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/reviews\/)\n***\nSee what you’ve unlocked.\n\nExplore your membership benefits.\n\n[Explore](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/membership\/)\n\nMember Exclusives\n\nStay Ahead with GamesRadar+\n\nGet the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.\n\n[Explore](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/newsletter\/)\n***\n[Sign Out]()\n\nOpen menu\n\n[![GamesRadar+](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/l3fqzehadb1768907286.svg) GamesRadar+](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/)\n\nUK Edition ![flag of GB](https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/gamesradar\/media\/shared\/img\/flags\/nosize\/GB.svg)\n\n[![US Edition](https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/gamesradar\/media\/shared\/img\/flags\/nosize\/US.svg)US](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/chernobyl-hbo-review\/)\n\n[![CA Edition](https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/gamesradar\/media\/shared\/img\/flags\/nosize\/CA.svg)Canada](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/chernobyl-hbo-review\/)\n\n[![UK Edition](https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/gamesradar\/media\/shared\/img\/flags\/nosize\/GB.svg)UK](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/chernobyl-hbo-review\/)\n\n[![AU Edition](https:\/\/vanilla.futurecdn.net\/gamesradar\/media\/shared\/img\/flags\/nosize\/AU.svg)Australia](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/chernobyl-hbo-review\/)\n\nSign in\n\n- View Profile\n- Sign out\n\nSearch\n\n- [Games](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/)\n  - Game Insights\n    - [Games News](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/news\/)\n    - [Games Features](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/features\/)\n    - [Games Reviews](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/reviews\/)\n    - [Games Guides](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/guides\/)\n    - [Big in 2026](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/big-in-2026\/)\n    - [The Big Preview](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/the-big-preview\/)\n    - [On The Radar](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/on-the-radar\/)\n    - [Indie Spotlight](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/indie-spotlight\/)\n    - [Future Games Show](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/future-games-show\/)\n    - [Golden Joystick Awards](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/goldenjoystickawards\/)\n  - Genres\n    - [Action Games](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/action\/)\n    - [RPGs](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/rpg\/)\n    - [Action RPGs](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/action-rpg\/)\n    - [Adventure Games](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/adventure\/)\n    - [Third Person Shooters](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/third-person-shooter\/)\n    - [FPS Games](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/fps\/)\n  - [Platforms](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/platforms\/)\n    - [PS5](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/platforms\/playstation\/ps5\/)\n    - [Xbox Series X](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/platforms\/xbox\/xbox-series-x\/)\n    - [PC](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/platforms\/pc-gaming\/)\n    - [Nintendo Switch](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/platforms\/nintendo\/nintendo-switch\/)\n    - [Nintendo Switch 2](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/platforms\/nintendo\/nintendo-switch-2\/)\n    - [Tabletop Gaming](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tabletop-gaming\/)\n  - Franchises\n    - [Grand Theft Auto](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/action\/grand-theft-auto\/)\n    - [Pokemon](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/adventure\/pokemon\/)\n    - [Assassin's Creed](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/action\/assassin-s-creed\/)\n    - [Monster Hunter](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/action-rpg\/monster-hunter\/)\n    - [Fortnite](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/battle-royale\/fortnite\/)\n    - [Cyberpunk](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/rpg\/cyberpunk\/)\n    - [Red Dead](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/action\/red-dead\/)\n    - [The Elder Scrolls](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/rpg\/the-elder-scrolls\/)\n    - [The Sims](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/simulation\/the-sims\/)\n- [Entertainment](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/)\n  - [TV Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/)\n    - [TV News](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/news\/)\n    - [TV Reviews](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/reviews\/)\n    - [Anime Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/anime-shows\/)\n    - [Sci-Fi Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/sci-fi-shows\/)\n    - [Superhero Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/superhero-shows\/)\n    - [Animated Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/animation-shows\/)\n    - [Marvel TV Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/action-shows\/marvel-tv-shows\/)\n    - [Star Wars TV Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/sci-fi-shows\/star-wars-tv-shows\/)\n    - [DC TV Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/action-shows\/dc-tv-shows\/)\n  - [Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/)\n    - [Movie News](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/news\/)\n    - [Movie Reviews](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/reviews\/)\n    - [Big Screen Spotlight](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/big-screen-spotlight\/)\n    - [Superhero Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/superhero-movies\/)\n    - [Action Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/action-movies\/)\n    - [Anime Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/anime-movies\/)\n    - [Sci-Fi Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/sci-fi-movies\/)\n    - [Horror Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/horror-movies\/)\n    - [Marvel Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/action-movies\/marvel-movies\/)\n    - [DC Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/action-movies\/dc-movies\/)\n  - [Streaming](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/)\n    - [Apple TV Plus](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/apple-tv-plus\/)\n    - [Disney Plus](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/disney-plus\/)\n    - [Netflix](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/netflix\/)\n    - [HBO](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/hbo\/)\n    - [Amazon Prime Video](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/amazon-prime-video\/)\n    - [Hulu](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/hulu\/)\n  - [Comics](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/comics\/)\n    - [Marvel Comics](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/comics\/marvel-comics\/)\n    - [DC Comics](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/comics\/dc-comics\/)\n- Toys & Merch\n  - [Toys & Collectibles](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/toys-collectibles\/)\n  - [Lego](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/lego\/)\n  - [Dungeons and Dragons](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/dungeons-and-dragons\/)\n  - [Merch](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/merch\/)\n- [Hardware](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/)\n  - Insights\n    - [Hardware News](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/news\/)\n    - [Hardware Reviews](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/reviews\/)\n    - [Hardware Features](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/features\/)\n  - Computing\n    - [Desktop PCs](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/desktop-pc\/)\n    - [Laptops](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/laptops\/)\n    - [Handhelds](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/handhelds\/)\n  - [Peripherals](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/peripherals\/)\n    - [Headsets & Headphones](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/headsets-headphones\/)\n    - [TVs & Monitors](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/tvs-monitors\/)\n    - [Gaming Mice](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/peripherals\/gaming-mice\/)\n    - [Gaming Keyboards](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/peripherals\/gaming-keyboards\/)\n    - [Gaming Chairs](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/peripherals\/chairs\/)\n    - [Speakers & Audio](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/speakers-audio\/)\n  - Accessories & Tech\n    - [Gaming Controllers](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/gaming-controllers\/)\n    - [Tech](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/tech\/)\n    - [SSDs & Hard Drives](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/ssd-hard-drives\/)\n    - [VR](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/vr\/)\n    - [Accessories](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/accessories\/)\n    - [Retro](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/retro\/)\n- [Deals](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/deals\/)\n  - [Game Deals](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/deals\/)\n  - [Tech Deals](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/tech\/deals\/)\n  - [TV Deals](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/tvs-monitors\/deals\/)\n  - [Buying Guides](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/buying-guide\/)\n- [Video](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/videos\/)\n  - [Video](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/videos\/)\n  - [GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/replay\/)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/newsletter\/)\n- Explore\n  - [Quizzes](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/gamesradar-quiz-collection\/)\n  - [About Us](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/about-gamesradar\/)\n  - [How to pitch to us](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/gamesradar-pitching-guidelines-how-to-pitch\/)\n  - [How we score](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/review-guidelines-how-we-score\/)\n  - [Newsarama](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/newsarama\/)\n  - [Retro Gamer](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/retrogamer\/)\n  - [Total Film](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/totalfilm\/)\n- More\n  - [Deals](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/deals\/)\n  - [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/newsletter\/)\n  - [Video](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/videos\/)\n\n- [Home](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/)\n- [Games](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/)\n  - [View Games](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/)\n  - Game Insights\n    - [Games News](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/news\/)\n    - [Games Features](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/features\/)\n    - [Games Reviews](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/reviews\/)\n    - [Games Guides](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/guides\/)\n    - [Big in 2026](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/big-in-2026\/)\n    - [The Big Preview](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/the-big-preview\/)\n    - [On The Radar](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/on-the-radar\/)\n    - [Indie Spotlight](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/indie-spotlight\/)\n    - [Future Games Show](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/future-games-show\/)\n    - [Golden Joystick Awards](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/goldenjoystickawards\/)\n  - Genres\n    - [Action Games](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/action\/)\n    - [RPGs](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/rpg\/)\n    - [Action RPGs](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/action-rpg\/)\n    - [Adventure Games](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/adventure\/)\n    - [Third Person Shooters](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/third-person-shooter\/)\n    - [FPS Games](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/fps\/)\n  - [Platforms](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/platforms\/)\n    - [View Platforms](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/platforms\/)\n    - [PS5](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/platforms\/playstation\/ps5\/)\n    - [Xbox Series X](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/platforms\/xbox\/xbox-series-x\/)\n    - [PC](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/platforms\/pc-gaming\/)\n    - [Nintendo Switch](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/platforms\/nintendo\/nintendo-switch\/)\n    - [Nintendo Switch 2](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/platforms\/nintendo\/nintendo-switch-2\/)\n    - [Tabletop Gaming](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tabletop-gaming\/)\n  - Franchises\n    - [Grand Theft Auto](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/action\/grand-theft-auto\/)\n    - [Pokemon](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/adventure\/pokemon\/)\n    - [Assassin's Creed](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/action\/assassin-s-creed\/)\n    - [Monster Hunter](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/action-rpg\/monster-hunter\/)\n    - [Fortnite](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/battle-royale\/fortnite\/)\n    - [Cyberpunk](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/rpg\/cyberpunk\/)\n    - [Red Dead](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/action\/red-dead\/)\n    - [The Elder Scrolls](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/rpg\/the-elder-scrolls\/)\n    - [The Sims](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/simulation\/the-sims\/)\n- [Entertainment](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/)\n  - [View Entertainment](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/)\n  - [TV Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/)\n    - [View TV Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/)\n    - [TV News](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/news\/)\n    - [TV Reviews](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/reviews\/)\n    - [Anime Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/anime-shows\/)\n    - [Sci-Fi Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/sci-fi-shows\/)\n    - [Superhero Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/superhero-shows\/)\n    - [Animated Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/animation-shows\/)\n    - [Marvel TV Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/action-shows\/marvel-tv-shows\/)\n    - [Star Wars TV Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/sci-fi-shows\/star-wars-tv-shows\/)\n    - [DC TV Shows](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/action-shows\/dc-tv-shows\/)\n  - [Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/)\n    - [View Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/)\n    - [Movie News](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/news\/)\n    - [Movie Reviews](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/reviews\/)\n    - [Big Screen Spotlight](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/big-screen-spotlight\/)\n    - [Superhero Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/superhero-movies\/)\n    - [Action Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/action-movies\/)\n    - [Anime Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/anime-movies\/)\n    - [Sci-Fi Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/sci-fi-movies\/)\n    - [Horror Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/horror-movies\/)\n    - [Marvel Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/action-movies\/marvel-movies\/)\n    - [DC Movies](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/movies\/action-movies\/dc-movies\/)\n  - [Streaming](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/)\n    - [View Streaming](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/)\n    - [Apple TV Plus](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/apple-tv-plus\/)\n    - [Disney Plus](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/disney-plus\/)\n    - [Netflix](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/netflix\/)\n    - [HBO](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/hbo\/)\n    - [Amazon Prime Video](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/amazon-prime-video\/)\n    - [Hulu](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/hulu\/)\n  - [Comics](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/comics\/)\n    - [View Comics](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/comics\/)\n    - [Marvel Comics](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/comics\/marvel-comics\/)\n    - [DC Comics](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/comics\/dc-comics\/)\n- Toys & Merch\n  - [Toys & Collectibles](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/toys-collectibles\/)\n  - [Lego](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/lego\/)\n  - [Dungeons and Dragons](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/dungeons-and-dragons\/)\n  - [Merch](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/merch\/)\n- [Hardware](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/)\n  - [View Hardware](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/)\n  - Insights\n    - [Hardware News](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/news\/)\n    - [Hardware Reviews](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/reviews\/)\n    - [Hardware Features](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/features\/)\n  - Computing\n    - [Desktop PCs](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/desktop-pc\/)\n    - [Laptops](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/laptops\/)\n    - [Handhelds](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/handhelds\/)\n  - [Peripherals](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/peripherals\/)\n    - [View Peripherals](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/peripherals\/)\n    - [Headsets & Headphones](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/headsets-headphones\/)\n    - [TVs & Monitors](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/tvs-monitors\/)\n    - [Gaming Mice](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/peripherals\/gaming-mice\/)\n    - [Gaming Keyboards](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/peripherals\/gaming-keyboards\/)\n    - [Gaming Chairs](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/peripherals\/chairs\/)\n    - [Speakers & Audio](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/speakers-audio\/)\n  - Accessories & Tech\n    - [Gaming Controllers](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/gaming-controllers\/)\n    - [Tech](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/tech\/)\n    - [SSDs & Hard Drives](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/ssd-hard-drives\/)\n    - [VR](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/vr\/)\n    - [Accessories](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/accessories\/)\n    - [Retro](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/retro\/)\n- [Deals](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/deals\/)\n  - [View Deals](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/deals\/)\n  - [Game Deals](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/games\/deals\/)\n  - [Tech Deals](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/tech\/deals\/)\n  - [TV Deals](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/hardware\/tvs-monitors\/deals\/)\n  - [Buying Guides](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/tag\/buying-guide\/)\n- [Video](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/videos\/)\n  - [View Video](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/videos\/)\n  - [Video](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/videos\/)\n  - [GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/replay\/)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/newsletter\/)\n- Explore\n  - [Quizzes](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/gamesradar-quiz-collection\/)\n  - [About Us](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/about-gamesradar\/)\n  - [How to pitch to us](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/gamesradar-pitching-guidelines-how-to-pitch\/)\n  - [How we score](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/review-guidelines-how-we-score\/)\n  - [Newsarama](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/newsarama\/)\n  - [Retro Gamer](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/retrogamer\/)\n  - [Total Film](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/totalfilm\/)\n\nTrending\n\n- [Crimson Desert](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/crimson-desert\/)\n- [Pokopia](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/pokemon-pokopia\/)\n- [Arc Raiders](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/arc-raiders\/)\n- [The Boys S5](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/the-boys\/)\n- [Starfield](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/starfield\/)\n- [Submit your clips. Win prizes](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/replay\/)\n\nDon't miss these\n\n[![Mass Effect 2 - Garrus](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/jEPNwAKw74LdkpLUrbGhvQ.jpg) Adventure Games The 25 best video game stories of all-time](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/the-best-videogame-stories-ever\/ \"The 25 best video game stories of all-time\")\n\n[![One Piece](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hxEn8bDVUd8E2JYPrqrPt3.jpg) Netflix The 25 best shows on Netflix to watch in 2026](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/best-shows-on-netflix\/ \"The 25 best shows on Netflix to watch in 2026\")\n\n[![Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams in Wonder Man.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GvqFXGR8afbJZh79XySS5J.jpg) Superhero Shows Wonder Man review: \"A low-key gem that's up there with the MCU's best\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/superhero-shows\/wonder-man-season-1-review\/ \"Wonder Man review: \\\"A low-key gem that's up there with the MCU's best\\\"\")\n\n[![Charlie Cox as Daredevil in Daredevil: Born Again season 2](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FrAxqioNEb8kWXrBnDcjA4.jpg) Marvel TV Shows Daredevil: Born Again S2 review: \"Still struggling to bloom in the shadow of the Netflix show\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/marvel-tv-shows\/daredevil-born-again-season-2-review\/ \"Daredevil: Born Again S2 review: \\\"Still struggling to bloom in the shadow of the Netflix show\\\"\")\n\n[![Cillian Murphy as Tommy in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xkADfaqGr9xYV388B5XW3L.jpg) Movies The 25 best movies on Netflix to watch right now](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/best-netflix-movies\/ \"The 25 best movies on Netflix to watch right now\")\n\n[![Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LzUyP3MqiY3cHGxZMaPhYm.jpg) Sci-Fi Movies Project Hail Mary review: \"Large scale sci-fi with tons of heart\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/sci-fi-movies\/project-hail-mary-review\/ \"Project Hail Mary review: \\\"Large scale sci-fi with tons of heart\\\"\")\n\n[![Invincible season 4](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pkFsxtTXca2XNsBLQnTEYT.jpg) Superhero Shows Invincible season 4 review: \"The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/superhero-shows\/invincible-season-4-review\/ \"Invincible season 4 review: \\\"The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do\\\"\")\n\n[![Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy Emily Rudd as Nami and Jacob Romero as Usopp standing on the deck of the Merry in One Piece season 2](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/KyH5c4UQW4aFc5hPnkq4tE.jpg) Netflix One Piece season 2 review: \"It's hard to imagine a better version of One Piece in live action\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/superhero-shows\/one-piece-season-2-review\/ \"One Piece season 2 review: \\\"It's hard to imagine a better version of One Piece in live action\\\"\")\n\n[![Ghostface in Scream 7](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/X6tobWL4jRafWhhBLcCbga.jpg) Horror Movies Scream 7 review: \"Never as sharp as the series' best, but still has a few neat tricks up its billowing sleeve\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/horror-movies\/scream-7-review\/ \"Scream 7 review: \\\"Never as sharp as the series' best, but still has a few neat tricks up its billowing sleeve\\\"\")\n\n[![Walton Goggins as the Ghoul in Fallout season 2](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/xZaMPm6K7aM6DTh5fDuihc.jpg) TV The 25 best shows on Amazon Prime Video to watch right now](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/best-shows-on-amazon-prime\/ \"The 25 best shows on Amazon Prime Video to watch right now\")\n\n[![Camila Morrone as Rachel in Something Very Bad is Going to Happen](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/9tqgerH75G4Fk4UwAKM4Gd.jpg) Horror Shows Duffer Brothers' new Netflix horror show called \"captivating\" and \"a dread-filled nightmare\" in first reviews](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/horror-shows\/duffer-brothers-new-netflix-horror-show-called-captivating-and-a-blood-soaked-dread-filled-nightmare-in-first-reviews-as-its-compared-to-a-mike-flanagan-series\/ \"Duffer Brothers' new Netflix horror show called \\\"captivating\\\" and \\\"a dread-filled nightmare\\\" in first reviews\")\n\n[![The Serpent\\&\\#039;s Skin](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wY4G5hSqoc2TdNMpinRseY.jpg) Horror Movies The Serpent's Skin is the neon-soaked, blood-splattered queer love story I've been waiting for](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/horror-movies\/the-serpents-skin-is-the-neon-soaked-blood-splattered-queer-love-story-ive-been-waiting-for\/ \"The Serpent's Skin is the neon-soaked, blood-splattered queer love story I've been waiting for\")\n\n[![Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in Sonic 3](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/c3GrUAv4Fc9uHZtpTpuuDg.jpg) Amazon Prime Video The 25 best movies on Prime Video to watch right now](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/best-movies-on-amazon-prime\/ \"The 25 best movies on Prime Video to watch right now\")\n\n[![A close-up of Grace talking with someone through glass in Resident Evil Requiem](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/bhMoHhHwWrUvHkTbQm7hpT.jpg) Resident Evil Resident Evil Requiem review: \"A soaring piece of survival horror theater\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/games\/resident-evil\/resident-evil-requiem-review\/ \"Resident Evil Requiem review: \\\"A soaring piece of survival horror theater\\\"\")\n\n[![Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in The Godfather.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ATxqkBYmwqTMwGmvqj2gKZ.jpg) Streaming Services The 20 best movies on Paramount Plus to watch right now](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/best-movies-on-paramount-plus\/ \"The 20 best movies on Paramount Plus to watch right now\")\n\n1. [Entertainment](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/)\n2. [TV](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/entertainment\/tv\/)\n\n# Chernobyl review: “Stunning and shattering in equal measure”\n[Reviews](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/reviews\/)\n\nBy [Erlingur Einarsson](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/author\/erlingur-einarsson\/)\n\npublished\n\n6 June 2019\n\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [Here’s how it works](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/about-gamesradar\/#section-affiliate-advertising-disclosure).\n\n![](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mUWoFtPLgeRoLxsaFA5sEk.jpg)\n\nImage credit: HBO\n\n### GamesRadar+ Verdict\nWith award-worthy writing, sensational performances, a hellish soundscape and beautifully stark design, it not only succeeds in telling Chernobyl's story; it triumphs.\n\nWhy you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. [Find out more about our reviews policy.](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/reviews-policy\/)\n\nArriving with none of the fanfare of some other 2019 HBO TV shows, miniseries Chernobyl turned into a television event almost overnight. And it did so not on the strength of a celebrity cast, high-profile showrunners or oversized set pieces, but because here we might, quite simply, have the greatest TV drama of this decade.\n\nChronicling the real-life events of the fateful Chernobyl disaster in April 1986, the unfolding of this terrible tragedy is told in five tightly knit, deliberately paced and flawlessly executed chapters.\n\nOf course, while the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl is a matter of historical record, it should go without saying that this review will contain spoilers regarding the show’s plot, and the level of its adherence and deviation from true events.\n\nArticle continues below\n\nLatest Videos From GamesRadar+\n\nYou may like\n\n- [![Emma D\\&\\#039;Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 3](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/v5t2GqvhvoBoqrhiDGJfLo.jpg) The 30 best shows on HBO Max to watch right now](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/best-shows-on-hbo-max\/)\n- [![Peter Claffey as Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/uLtQBnCsRG9cjy3aE3KdAK.jpg) A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: \"This Game of Thrones spin-off is a heartfelt and fun return to Westeros\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/fantasy-shows\/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-review\/)\n- [![Invincible season 4](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pkFsxtTXca2XNsBLQnTEYT.jpg) Invincible season 4 review: \"The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/superhero-shows\/invincible-season-4-review\/)\n\nOpening in direct and deliberate contravention to most programmes that chronicle a dramatic spectacle, Chernobyl starts with a sickly Jared Harris speaking into a tape recorder before hanging himself. Yeah, it’s that sort of show.\n\nEven the disaster itself, when first witnessed, is only seen through a distant room window, and the room’s occupant doesn’t even notice it. We are then thrown in media res inside the control room of Reactor 4, the one that has just exploded, but even there, the gravity of the situation doesn’t seem apparent. We see men in denial about the terror they have unleashed, the tragedy that is unfolding. When faced with the reality of it, the people in charge either don’t register it, or simply decide to lie.\n\n## Lies, lies, lies\n![Image credit: HBO](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WVDqydp5byvrv8W7aDUMEk.jpg)\n\nImage credit: HBO\n\nAnd it is this theme that continues to permeate the five hour-long episodes to come. Plant operators and officials make up lies to make themselves look better, denying the reality of what’s happening even as they retch and spew bile onto their desks as they succumb to radiation poisoning. Firefighters are lied to as they flock onto the scene and handle the deadly graphite from the core strewn across the scene with their bare hands. Politicians construct bigger lies to keep its population and the world at large in the dark about the terrifying scale of the disaster.\n\nAt the heart of unravelling these lies is Jared Harris’ atomic energy expert, Dr Valery Legasov (Jared Harris). Legasov, summoned by Soviet Central Committee member Boris Scherbina (Stellan Skarsgård) to investigate the incident and coordinate the local response, quickly sees that not much adds up in the official version of events, and is soon helped by the driven Dr Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) in trying to uncover the truth while saving the plant – and by extension, the world – from an even bigger disaster.\n\nSign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter\n\nWeekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more\n\nBy signing up, you agree to our [Terms of services](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/terms-conditions\/)  and acknowledge that you have read our [Privacy Notice](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/privacy-policy). You also agree to receive marketing emails from us that may include promotions from our trusted partners and sponsors, which you can unsubscribe from at any time.\n\nWhile multiple strands follow several different characters through some or all of the episode, it’s those three characters who are the beating heart of Chernobyl, and that’s in no small part thanks to the performances of Harris, Skarsgård and Watson. They are all, in a word, sensational.\n\n## Jared Harris is an acting juggernaut\n![](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mUWoFtPLgeRoLxsaFA5sEk.jpg)\n\nIn his portrayal of the understated but increasingly pained and desperate Legasov, Harris gives a performance that may well come to define his career. In the common consciousness there will be pre-Chernobyl Jared Harris, respected character actor and dimension-hopping terrorist in Fringe, and there is post-ChernobylJared Harris, one of the finest damn actors on the face of this planet. Of course, he has been exactly that for a long time, but here he finally gets to show us. In Harris’ hands, his quiet academic not only navigates the audience through an intricate tapestry of a story, but has us genuinely feeling the fear, the tension, the frustration and the moral conflict he himself faces on his journey. Just give him the Golden Globe already.\n\nSkarsgård may be best known to mainstream viewers as the eccentric Dr Selvig in Marvel’s Thor films, but it is here where an actor of his calibre truly belongs. His Scherbina appears a career politician at the beginning – an *apparatnik* – dedicated to the Party above anything else, but as he is immersed into the unsavoury truth of Chernobyl, the disaster, the response and his superiors’ intransigence, he becomes increasingly embittered by the situation he finds himself in.\n\nYou may like\n\n- [![Emma D\\&\\#039;Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 3](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/v5t2GqvhvoBoqrhiDGJfLo.jpg) The 30 best shows on HBO Max to watch right now](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/best-shows-on-hbo-max\/)\n- [![Peter Claffey as Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/uLtQBnCsRG9cjy3aE3KdAK.jpg) A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: \"This Game of Thrones spin-off is a heartfelt and fun return to Westeros\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/fantasy-shows\/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-review\/)\n- [![Invincible season 4](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pkFsxtTXca2XNsBLQnTEYT.jpg) Invincible season 4 review: \"The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/superhero-shows\/invincible-season-4-review\/)\n\n![Image credit: HBO](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wTH2encQNZuQKmCSbnb52j.jpeg)\n\nImage credit: HBO\n\nThe dynamic between Harris and Skarsgård is electric. The play off each other’s plentiful static energy, there’s collaboration, conflict and even the occasional light moment of wit between them, which offers essential breathing between the oppressive tension of the show. We start to care for both of them, and deeply so, which makes their eventual fate even harder for us to bear than it would have in lesser hands than theirs. Somewhere in the multiverse, there is a slapstick buddy cop show starring these two, and it is as hilarious as Chernobylis heart-wrenching.\n\nAnd as she has done so many times throughout her illustrious career, Emily Watson shines in a role that could so easily have become a rote instrument for various plot devices. Her Khomyuk, a driven scientist in relentless pursuit of the truth, is the only fictional character of the main cast, as she is amalgamated from a group of real-life scientists who aided Legasov and Scherbina following the disaster. Still, she slots well into the narrative, even as her story runs parallel to the main plot for much of the series, often used to illustrate the horrors of the aftermath, the power of the KGB or simply representing us viewers as we ask, “what the hell happened here?”\n\nWhile spectacle is substituted for airtight narrative, there are certainly plenty of breathtaking, heart-pounding moments of excitement throughout the series, and the gory injury detail is stomach-churningly accurate at times, especially as we follow the unfortunate controllers who went into the exposed reactors and the firefighters who handled radioactive graphite literally disintegrate in hospital. And because the drama is handled so delicately, both by the actors and the writer and director, the agony of these scenes is doubled by the deep empathy we feel for every single character we encounter.\n\n## Starkly beautiful design and quietly oppressive soundtrack\n![Image credit: HBO](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WVDqydp5byvrv8W7aDUMEk.jpg)\n\nImage credit: HBO\n\nOther highlights include the production design, slavishly faithful to historical fact in many ways but still strikingly cinematic, aided by excellent cinematography and editing.\n\nAnd then there is the music. Hildur Gudnadottir is an up-and-coming composer, having previously impressed with her scores for A Hijacking, Mary Magdalene, Sicario 2: Soldado and Icelandic crime series Trapped, for example. But it here where she comes of age, composing a soundscape that envelops the viewer as much as it supports the drama. Recorded using the sounds made by an actual nuclear plant (a disused one in Lithuania that was used for filming large parts of this series), the music is completely organic to the visuals, elevating an already-great drama to a whole new level. She may have been a protege of the late, great Johann Johannsson (Arrival, The Theory of Everything), but here she stamps her authority as a master of the art herself.\n\nThe consistency of performances from the main players to minor characters is a testament to the work of director Johan Renck, who has until now been mainly known as a respected music video and commercial director, and writer\/producer Craig Mazin, who has managed to balance adherence to historical fact with an utterly gripping drama. Where it deviates, it does so deliberately, enhancing and tightening the story – we skip the part where the sarcophagus is built around the reactor in late-1986, for example – and focus on the main theme: lies.\n\nChernobylis not an indictment of Communism, nor is it a campaign against nuclear power. Instead, it focuses on the common human trait of lying, and how much it costs, not only on the big scale of geopolitics, but even more so on a personal level. And by focusing on the commonly human instead of getting bogged down in politics or tempted by the lure of a central set-piece spectacle, is where Chernobyl stands out. It tells us something, not only about Chernobyl, and it does so in spades, but about us. It may sound pretentious, but this show is anything but.\n\n[Erlingur Einarsson](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/author\/erlingur-einarsson\/)\n\nSocial Links Navigation\n\nProduction Editor, Total Film\n\nErlingur Einarsson is a film reviewer and writer, lover of cinema, television, tractors, and basketball. Erlingur has worked at Future for Plc for five years now, having spent time as the Editor for Photoshop Creative, Operations Editor for Digital Camera World, and Deals Editor for Top Ten Reviews. Erlingur currently serves as the Production Editor for our friends over at Total Film magazine – you should expect to find his byline of film reviews and the hottest of takes.\n\nRead more\n\n[![Emma D\\&\\#039;Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 3](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/v5t2GqvhvoBoqrhiDGJfLo.jpg) TV The 30 best shows on HBO Max to watch right now](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/best-shows-on-hbo-max\/ \"The 30 best shows on HBO Max to watch right now\")\n\n[![Peter Claffey as Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/uLtQBnCsRG9cjy3aE3KdAK.jpg) Fantasy Shows A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: \"This Game of Thrones spin-off is a heartfelt and fun return to Westeros\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/fantasy-shows\/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-review\/ \"A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: \\\"This Game of Thrones spin-off is a heartfelt and fun return to Westeros\\\"\")\n\n[![Invincible season 4](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pkFsxtTXca2XNsBLQnTEYT.jpg) Superhero Shows Invincible season 4 review: \"The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/superhero-shows\/invincible-season-4-review\/ \"Invincible season 4 review: \\\"The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do\\\"\")\n\n[![For All Mankind](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/kJvKGmMoQZnYx9zgWP8cSV.jpg) Apple TV Plus The 25 best shows on Apple TV to watch right now](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/best-apple-tv-shows\/ \"The 25 best shows on Apple TV to watch right now\")\n\n[![Peter Claffey as Dunk and Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg talking in the rain in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ki6CQKZGqFxGEnrptqrjdU.jpg) Fantasy Shows A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is no Game of Thrones, but that's what makes it special](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/fantasy-shows\/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-is-no-game-of-thrones-but-thats-what-makes-it-special\/ \"A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is no Game of Thrones, but that's what makes it special\")\n\n[![Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/LzUyP3MqiY3cHGxZMaPhYm.jpg) Sci-Fi Movies Project Hail Mary review: \"Large scale sci-fi with tons of heart\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/sci-fi-movies\/project-hail-mary-review\/ \"Project Hail Mary review: \\\"Large scale sci-fi with tons of heart\\\"\")\n\nLatest in TV\n\n[![An alien turning into a human](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/65qJruhHZo8U4oWwcmzc8G.jpg) Sci-Fi Shows Sinners director Ryan Coogler is executive producing an Animorphs show because hell yeah](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/sci-fi-shows\/sinners-director-ryan-coogler-is-executive-producing-an-animorphs-show-because-hell-yeah\/ \"Sinners director Ryan Coogler is executive producing an Animorphs show because hell yeah\")\n\n[![Debbie confronting Omni-Man](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/QbSJJurzPdb9Uh9SxDiWG3.jpg) Superhero Shows Invincible bounces back after last week's series low with its second-highest rated episode ever](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/superhero-shows\/invincible-has-quickly-bounced-back-after-last-weeks-series-low-as-the-latest-episode-of-season-4-becomes-the-shows-second-highest-rated-ever\/ \"Invincible bounces back after last week's series low with its second-highest rated episode ever\")\n\n[![Brian Cox in Succession](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/a8ficXvbTUCnXmg3SEf3kV.jpg) Crime Shows Succession star Brian Cox will play New York's biggest, scariest killer in Dexter: Resurrection season 2](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/crime-shows\/succession-star-brian-cox-will-play-new-yorks-biggest-scariest-killer-in-dexter-resurrection-season-2\/ \"Succession star Brian Cox will play New York's biggest, scariest killer in Dexter: Resurrection season 2\")\n\n[![A Grogu mini Loungefly backpack beside a crossbody bag on a gray background](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vPSkvsv4UQDHurUuUXm2V7.jpg) Toys & Collectibles Get an exclusive first look at new Star Wars Loungefly bags inspired by The Mandalorian, Grogu, Darth Maul, and more](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/toys-collectibles\/get-an-exclusive-first-look-at-new-star-wars-loungefly-bags-inspired-by-grogu-darth-maul-and-more\/ \"Get an exclusive first look at new Star Wars Loungefly bags inspired by The Mandalorian, Grogu, Darth Maul, and more\")\n\n[![Maul holding his lightsaber in Maul – Shadow Lord](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Cdy8pfiCx35TxnhywFxb45.jpg) Star Wars TV Shows Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord is officially renewed for season 2 before season 1 has even premiered](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/star-wars-tv-shows\/star-wars-maul-shadow-lord-is-officially-renewed-for-season-2-before-season-1-has-even-premiered\/ \"Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord is officially renewed for season 2 before season 1 has even premiered\")\n\n[![Homelander smiling smugly in the Oval Office of the White House](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ukH8wbSRhnFH4ELVhzBHog.jpg) Superhero Shows Who will kill Homelander in The Boys season 5?](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/superhero-shows\/who-will-kill-homelander-in-the-boys-season-5\/ \"Who will kill Homelander in The Boys season 5?\")\n\nLatest in Reviews\n\n[![Genki Covert Dock 3 on a wooden desk in front of an Asus ROG Ally and Nintendo Switch 2](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/dgYSJYNs7e4zxaURULPvoM.jpg) Accessories Genki just updated one of my favorite Nintendo Switch accessories and it might finally be ready for Steam Deck users](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/hardware\/accessories\/genki-covert-dock-3-review\/ \"Genki just updated one of my favorite Nintendo Switch accessories and it might finally be ready for Steam Deck users\")\n\n[![Anycubic Photon P1 sat on a wooden table](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/AfD3PT3GDNqELeHPmkivhF.jpg) Hardware If you want to try printing D\\&D models or wargame miniatures, this 3D printer feels almost foolproof](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/hardware\/anycubic-photon-p1-review\/ \"If you want to try printing D&D models or wargame miniatures, this 3D printer feels almost foolproof\")\n\n[![Mario riding Yoshi through space with Luigi and Peach flying along beside him](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5CxvHziS34pbjNf6JumtYc.jpg) Animated Movies The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review: \"Never quite reaches Galaxy's gravity-defying game heights\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/animation-movies\/super-mario-galaxy-movie-review\/ \"The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review: \\\"Never quite reaches Galaxy's gravity-defying game heights\\\"\")\n\n[![MSI Cyborg gaming laptop on a wooden desk with blue backlighting](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/cWC63pNijt8kUTcWGa2GQA.jpg) Laptops Bargain hunters will know the MSI Cyborg well but are its sacrifices worth it?](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/hardware\/laptops\/msi-cyborg-review\/ \"Bargain hunters will know the MSI Cyborg well but are its sacrifices worth it?\")\n\n[![Close up of the earcups of the MMX 150 Wireless headset.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TH2sNePn2RNJiuqhdPVZCe.jpg) Headsets & Headphones Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Wireless headset sounds as good as it looks, but my head wasn't a fan](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/hardware\/headsets-headphones\/beyerdynamic-mmx-150-wireless-review\/ \"Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Wireless headset sounds as good as it looks, but my head wasn't a fan\")\n\n[![Key art for Life is Strange: Reunion showing Max and Chloe standing together looking serious as Max reaches out her hand to use her time powers - the background is Caledon University in fall, overlaid with a polaroid photograph of it in flames](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/5bF9mXuuP7fKhinajqrXkP.jpg) Adventure Games Life is Strange: Reunion review: \"Confused storytelling dilutes the joy of Chloe and rewind's return\"](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/games\/adventure\/life-is-strange-reunion-review\/ \"Life is Strange: Reunion review: \\\"Confused storytelling dilutes the joy of Chloe and rewind's return\\\"\")\n\nLATEST ARTICLES\n\n1. [![Best Space Games](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/fWPCRfridL3mRTCnBEZLtZ.jpg)](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/games\/survival\/no-mans-sky-player-creates-stunning-underwater-city-reminiscent-of-bioshocks-own-rapture-and-im-not-even-sure-this-is-the-same-game-anymore\/ \"No Man's Sky player creates stunning underwater city reminiscent of BioShock's own Rapture\")\n   \n   1\n   \n   [No Man's Sky player creates stunning underwater city reminiscent of BioShock's own Rapture](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/games\/survival\/no-mans-sky-player-creates-stunning-underwater-city-reminiscent-of-bioshocks-own-rapture-and-im-not-even-sure-this-is-the-same-game-anymore\/)\n2. 2\n   \n   [Indie dev sees Ubisoft fail to bring back Splinter Cell for 13 years, says fine, I'll do it myself](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/games\/stealth\/indie-dev-sees-ubisoft-fail-to-bring-back-splinter-cell-for-13-years-says-fine-ill-do-it-myself-with-a-short-focused-stealth-game-inspired-by-classic-ps2-era-games\/)\n3. 3\n   \n   [3 best new to Prime Video movies to watch this weekend (April 3–April 5)](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/entertainment\/streaming-services\/prime-video-has-added-loads-of-new-movies-here-are-the-3-that-i-recommend-you-watch-this-weekend-april-3-april-5\/)\n4. 4\n   \n   [New MMO rebuilding 2008's AdventureQuest Worlds asks for \\$1 on Kickstarter and raises \\$1.6 million](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/games\/mmo\/new-mmo-rebuilding-2008s-adventurequest-worlds-cleverly-becomes-164-000-000-percent-funded-on-kickstarter-by-asking-for-usd1-and-raising-usd1-6-million\/)\n5. 5\n   \n   [Spider-Noir swings through old-timey Metropolis in Marvel and DC's Spider-Man\/Superman crossover](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/comics\/marvel-comics\/spider-noir-swings-through-old-timey-metropolis-in-marvel-and-dcs-spider-man-superman-crossover\/)\n\nGamesRadar+ is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. [Visit our corporate site](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/).\n\n[![Add as a preferred source on Google](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/mednnv697g1760357120.png) Add as a preferred source on Google](https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=gamesradar.com)\n\n- [Terms and conditions](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/terms-conditions\/)\n- [Contact Future's experts](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/contact\/)\n- [Privacy policy](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/privacy-policy\/)\n- [Cookies policy](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/cookies-policy\/)\n- [Accessibility statement](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/accessibility-statement\/)\n- [Careers](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/careers\/)\n- [About us](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/about-gamesradar\/)\n- [Advertise with us](https:\/\/go.future-advertising.com\/GamesRadar-Media-Kit.html)\n- [Review guidelines](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/review-guidelines-how-we-score\/)\n- [Write for us](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/accessibility-statement\/)\n- [Accessibility Statement](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/accessibility-statement\/)\n- [Do not sell or share my personal information](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/privacy-portal)\n\n© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.\n\nClose\n\nPlease login or signup to comment\n\nPlease wait...\n\nLogin\n\nSign Up","attrs_readable_markdown":"### GamesRadar+ Verdict\nWith award-worthy writing, sensational performances, a hellish soundscape and beautifully stark design, it not only succeeds in telling Chernobyl's story; it triumphs.\n\nWhy you can trust GamesRadar+   Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. [Find out more about our reviews policy.](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/reviews-policy\/)\n\nArriving with none of the fanfare of some other 2019 HBO TV shows, miniseries Chernobyl turned into a television event almost overnight. And it did so not on the strength of a celebrity cast, high-profile showrunners or oversized set pieces, but because here we might, quite simply, have the greatest TV drama of this decade.\n\nChronicling the real-life events of the fateful Chernobyl disaster in April 1986, the unfolding of this terrible tragedy is told in five tightly knit, deliberately paced and flawlessly executed chapters.\n\nOf course, while the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl is a matter of historical record, it should go without saying that this review will contain spoilers regarding the show’s plot, and the level of its adherence and deviation from true events.\n\nArticle continues below\n\nLatest Videos From GamesRadar+\n\nOpening in direct and deliberate contravention to most programmes that chronicle a dramatic spectacle, Chernobyl starts with a sickly Jared Harris speaking into a tape recorder before hanging himself. Yeah, it’s that sort of show.\n\nEven the disaster itself, when first witnessed, is only seen through a distant room window, and the room’s occupant doesn’t even notice it. We are then thrown in media res inside the control room of Reactor 4, the one that has just exploded, but even there, the gravity of the situation doesn’t seem apparent. We see men in denial about the terror they have unleashed, the tragedy that is unfolding. When faced with the reality of it, the people in charge either don’t register it, or simply decide to lie.\n\n## Lies, lies, lies\n![Image credit: HBO](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WVDqydp5byvrv8W7aDUMEk.jpg)\n\nImage credit: HBO\n\nAnd it is this theme that continues to permeate the five hour-long episodes to come. Plant operators and officials make up lies to make themselves look better, denying the reality of what’s happening even as they retch and spew bile onto their desks as they succumb to radiation poisoning. Firefighters are lied to as they flock onto the scene and handle the deadly graphite from the core strewn across the scene with their bare hands. Politicians construct bigger lies to keep its population and the world at large in the dark about the terrifying scale of the disaster.\n\nAt the heart of unravelling these lies is Jared Harris’ atomic energy expert, Dr Valery Legasov (Jared Harris). Legasov, summoned by Soviet Central Committee member Boris Scherbina (Stellan Skarsgård) to investigate the incident and coordinate the local response, quickly sees that not much adds up in the official version of events, and is soon helped by the driven Dr Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) in trying to uncover the truth while saving the plant – and by extension, the world – from an even bigger disaster.\n\nSign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter\n\nWeekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more\n\nWhile multiple strands follow several different characters through some or all of the episode, it’s those three characters who are the beating heart of Chernobyl, and that’s in no small part thanks to the performances of Harris, Skarsgård and Watson. They are all, in a word, sensational.\n\n## Jared Harris is an acting juggernaut\n![](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/mUWoFtPLgeRoLxsaFA5sEk.jpg)\n\nIn his portrayal of the understated but increasingly pained and desperate Legasov, Harris gives a performance that may well come to define his career. In the common consciousness there will be pre-Chernobyl Jared Harris, respected character actor and dimension-hopping terrorist in Fringe, and there is post-ChernobylJared Harris, one of the finest damn actors on the face of this planet. Of course, he has been exactly that for a long time, but here he finally gets to show us. In Harris’ hands, his quiet academic not only navigates the audience through an intricate tapestry of a story, but has us genuinely feeling the fear, the tension, the frustration and the moral conflict he himself faces on his journey. Just give him the Golden Globe already.\n\nSkarsgård may be best known to mainstream viewers as the eccentric Dr Selvig in Marvel’s Thor films, but it is here where an actor of his calibre truly belongs. His Scherbina appears a career politician at the beginning – an *apparatnik* – dedicated to the Party above anything else, but as he is immersed into the unsavoury truth of Chernobyl, the disaster, the response and his superiors’ intransigence, he becomes increasingly embittered by the situation he finds himself in.\n\n![Image credit: HBO](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/wTH2encQNZuQKmCSbnb52j.jpeg)\n\nImage credit: HBO\n\nThe dynamic between Harris and Skarsgård is electric. The play off each other’s plentiful static energy, there’s collaboration, conflict and even the occasional light moment of wit between them, which offers essential breathing between the oppressive tension of the show. We start to care for both of them, and deeply so, which makes their eventual fate even harder for us to bear than it would have in lesser hands than theirs. Somewhere in the multiverse, there is a slapstick buddy cop show starring these two, and it is as hilarious as Chernobylis heart-wrenching.\n\nAnd as she has done so many times throughout her illustrious career, Emily Watson shines in a role that could so easily have become a rote instrument for various plot devices. Her Khomyuk, a driven scientist in relentless pursuit of the truth, is the only fictional character of the main cast, as she is amalgamated from a group of real-life scientists who aided Legasov and Scherbina following the disaster. Still, she slots well into the narrative, even as her story runs parallel to the main plot for much of the series, often used to illustrate the horrors of the aftermath, the power of the KGB or simply representing us viewers as we ask, “what the hell happened here?”\n\nWhile spectacle is substituted for airtight narrative, there are certainly plenty of breathtaking, heart-pounding moments of excitement throughout the series, and the gory injury detail is stomach-churningly accurate at times, especially as we follow the unfortunate controllers who went into the exposed reactors and the firefighters who handled radioactive graphite literally disintegrate in hospital. And because the drama is handled so delicately, both by the actors and the writer and director, the agony of these scenes is doubled by the deep empathy we feel for every single character we encounter.\n\n## Starkly beautiful design and quietly oppressive soundtrack\n![Image credit: HBO](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/WVDqydp5byvrv8W7aDUMEk.jpg)\n\nImage credit: HBO\n\nOther highlights include the production design, slavishly faithful to historical fact in many ways but still strikingly cinematic, aided by excellent cinematography and editing.\n\nAnd then there is the music. Hildur Gudnadottir is an up-and-coming composer, having previously impressed with her scores for A Hijacking, Mary Magdalene, Sicario 2: Soldado and Icelandic crime series Trapped, for example. But it here where she comes of age, composing a soundscape that envelops the viewer as much as it supports the drama. Recorded using the sounds made by an actual nuclear plant (a disused one in Lithuania that was used for filming large parts of this series), the music is completely organic to the visuals, elevating an already-great drama to a whole new level. She may have been a protege of the late, great Johann Johannsson (Arrival, The Theory of Everything), but here she stamps her authority as a master of the art herself.\n\nThe consistency of performances from the main players to minor characters is a testament to the work of director Johan Renck, who has until now been mainly known as a respected music video and commercial director, and writer\/producer Craig Mazin, who has managed to balance adherence to historical fact with an utterly gripping drama. Where it deviates, it does so deliberately, enhancing and tightening the story – we skip the part where the sarcophagus is built around the reactor in late-1986, for example – and focus on the main theme: lies.\n\nChernobylis not an indictment of Communism, nor is it a campaign against nuclear power. Instead, it focuses on the common human trait of lying, and how much it costs, not only on the big scale of geopolitics, but even more so on a personal level. And by focusing on the commonly human instead of getting bogged down in politics or tempted by the lure of a central set-piece spectacle, is where Chernobyl stands out. It tells us something, not only about Chernobyl, and it does so in spades, but about us. It may sound pretentious, but this show is anything but.\n\n[Erlingur Einarsson](https:\/\/www.gamesradar.com\/uk\/author\/erlingur-einarsson\/)\n\nProduction Editor, Total Film\n\nErlingur Einarsson is a film reviewer and writer, lover of cinema, television, tractors, and basketball. Erlingur has worked at Future for Plc for five years now, having spent time as the Editor for Photoshop Creative, Operations Editor for Digital Camera World, and Deals Editor for Top Ten Reviews. Erlingur currently serves as the Production Editor for our friends over at Total Film magazine – you should expect to find his byline of film reviews and the hottest of takes.","meta_canonical":null}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

3 days ago

🤖

ROBOTS ALLOWED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0.1 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property	Value
URL	https://www.gamesradar.com/chernobyl-hbo-review/
Last Crawled	2026-04-09 12:01:42 (3 days ago)
First Indexed	2019-06-06 11:28:16 (6 years ago)
HTTP Status Code	200
Meta Title	Chernobyl review: “Stunning and shattering in equal measure” \| GamesRadar+
Meta Description	With award-worthy writing, sensational performances, a hellish soundscape and beautifully stark design, it not only succeeds in telling Chernobyl's story; it triumphs.
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	GamesRadar+ Verdict With award-worthy writing, sensational performances, a hellish soundscape and beautifully stark design, it not only succeeds in telling Chernobyl's story; it triumphs. Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy. Arriving with none of the fanfare of some other 2019 HBO TV shows, miniseries Chernobyl turned into a television event almost overnight. And it did so not on the strength of a celebrity cast, high-profile showrunners or oversized set pieces, but because here we might, quite simply, have the greatest TV drama of this decade. Chronicling the real-life events of the fateful Chernobyl disaster in April 1986, the unfolding of this terrible tragedy is told in five tightly knit, deliberately paced and flawlessly executed chapters. Of course, while the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl is a matter of historical record, it should go without saying that this review will contain spoilers regarding the show’s plot, and the level of its adherence and deviation from true events. Article continues below Latest Videos From GamesRadar+ Opening in direct and deliberate contravention to most programmes that chronicle a dramatic spectacle, Chernobyl starts with a sickly Jared Harris speaking into a tape recorder before hanging himself. Yeah, it’s that sort of show. Even the disaster itself, when first witnessed, is only seen through a distant room window, and the room’s occupant doesn’t even notice it. We are then thrown in media res inside the control room of Reactor 4, the one that has just exploded, but even there, the gravity of the situation doesn’t seem apparent. We see men in denial about the terror they have unleashed, the tragedy that is unfolding. When faced with the reality of it, the people in charge either don’t register it, or simply decide to lie. Lies, lies, lies Image credit: HBO And it is this theme that continues to permeate the five hour-long episodes to come. Plant operators and officials make up lies to make themselves look better, denying the reality of what’s happening even as they retch and spew bile onto their desks as they succumb to radiation poisoning. Firefighters are lied to as they flock onto the scene and handle the deadly graphite from the core strewn across the scene with their bare hands. Politicians construct bigger lies to keep its population and the world at large in the dark about the terrifying scale of the disaster. At the heart of unravelling these lies is Jared Harris’ atomic energy expert, Dr Valery Legasov (Jared Harris). Legasov, summoned by Soviet Central Committee member Boris Scherbina (Stellan Skarsgård) to investigate the incident and coordinate the local response, quickly sees that not much adds up in the official version of events, and is soon helped by the driven Dr Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) in trying to uncover the truth while saving the plant – and by extension, the world – from an even bigger disaster. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more While multiple strands follow several different characters through some or all of the episode, it’s those three characters who are the beating heart of Chernobyl, and that’s in no small part thanks to the performances of Harris, Skarsgård and Watson. They are all, in a word, sensational. Jared Harris is an acting juggernaut In his portrayal of the understated but increasingly pained and desperate Legasov, Harris gives a performance that may well come to define his career. In the common consciousness there will be pre-Chernobyl Jared Harris, respected character actor and dimension-hopping terrorist in Fringe, and there is post-Chernobyl Jared Harris, one of the finest damn actors on the face of this planet. Of course, he has been exactly that for a long time, but here he finally gets to show us. In Harris’ hands, his quiet academic not only navigates the audience through an intricate tapestry of a story, but has us genuinely feeling the fear, the tension, the frustration and the moral conflict he himself faces on his journey. Just give him the Golden Globe already. Skarsgård may be best known to mainstream viewers as the eccentric Dr Selvig in Marvel’s Thor films, but it is here where an actor of his calibre truly belongs. His Scherbina appears a career politician at the beginning – an apparatnik – dedicated to the Party above anything else, but as he is immersed into the unsavoury truth of Chernobyl, the disaster, the response and his superiors’ intransigence, he becomes increasingly embittered by the situation he finds himself in. Image credit: HBO The dynamic between Harris and Skarsgård is electric. The play off each other’s plentiful static energy, there’s collaboration, conflict and even the occasional light moment of wit between them, which offers essential breathing between the oppressive tension of the show. We start to care for both of them, and deeply so, which makes their eventual fate even harder for us to bear than it would have in lesser hands than theirs. Somewhere in the multiverse, there is a slapstick buddy cop show starring these two, and it is as hilarious as Chernobyl is heart-wrenching. And as she has done so many times throughout her illustrious career, Emily Watson shines in a role that could so easily have become a rote instrument for various plot devices. Her Khomyuk, a driven scientist in relentless pursuit of the truth, is the only fictional character of the main cast, as she is amalgamated from a group of real-life scientists who aided Legasov and Scherbina following the disaster. Still, she slots well into the narrative, even as her story runs parallel to the main plot for much of the series, often used to illustrate the horrors of the aftermath, the power of the KGB or simply representing us viewers as we ask, “what the hell happened here?” While spectacle is substituted for airtight narrative, there are certainly plenty of breathtaking, heart-pounding moments of excitement throughout the series, and the gory injury detail is stomach-churningly accurate at times, especially as we follow the unfortunate controllers who went into the exposed reactors and the firefighters who handled radioactive graphite literally disintegrate in hospital. And because the drama is handled so delicately, both by the actors and the writer and director, the agony of these scenes is doubled by the deep empathy we feel for every single character we encounter. Starkly beautiful design and quietly oppressive soundtrack Image credit: HBO Other highlights include the production design, slavishly faithful to historical fact in many ways but still strikingly cinematic, aided by excellent cinematography and editing. And then there is the music. Hildur Gudnadottir is an up-and-coming composer, having previously impressed with her scores for A Hijacking, Mary Magdalene, Sicario 2: Soldado and Icelandic crime series Trapped, for example. But it here where she comes of age, composing a soundscape that envelops the viewer as much as it supports the drama. Recorded using the sounds made by an actual nuclear plant (a disused one in Lithuania that was used for filming large parts of this series), the music is completely organic to the visuals, elevating an already-great drama to a whole new level. She may have been a protege of the late, great Johann Johannsson (Arrival, The Theory of Everything), but here she stamps her authority as a master of the art herself. The consistency of performances from the main players to minor characters is a testament to the work of director Johan Renck, who has until now been mainly known as a respected music video and commercial director, and writer/producer Craig Mazin, who has managed to balance adherence to historical fact with an utterly gripping drama. Where it deviates, it does so deliberately, enhancing and tightening the story – we skip the part where the sarcophagus is built around the reactor in late-1986, for example – and focus on the main theme: lies. Chernobyl is not an indictment of Communism, nor is it a campaign against nuclear power. Instead, it focuses on the common human trait of lying, and how much it costs, not only on the big scale of geopolitics, but even more so on a personal level. And by focusing on the commonly human instead of getting bogged down in politics or tempted by the lure of a central set-piece spectacle, is where Chernobyl stands out. It tells us something, not only about Chernobyl, and it does so in spades, but about us. It may sound pretentious, but this show is anything but. Erlingur Einarsson Production Editor, Total Film Erlingur Einarsson is a film reviewer and writer, lover of cinema, television, tractors, and basketball. Erlingur has worked at Future for Plc for five years now, having spent time as the Editor for Photoshop Creative, Operations Editor for Digital Camera World, and Deals Editor for Top Ten Reviews. Erlingur currently serves as the Production Editor for our friends over at Total Film magazine – you should expect to find his byline of film reviews and the hottest of takes.
Markdown	![](https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/p/?c1=2&c2=10055482&cv=4.4.0&cj=1) [Skip to main content](https://www.gamesradar.com/chernobyl-hbo-review/#main) ![Background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/p47qegqe0n1769156215.png) Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community \! Hi , Your membership journey starts here. Keep exploring and earning more as a member. [MY ACCOUNT](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/my-account/) * ![Badge picture](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/7qzq6a1m0i1768319327.svg) Earn your first badge Read 1 article to unlock your first badge. Keep earning badges Explore ways to get more involved as a member. ![Latest Games News](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/m0mucoqqfg1768902859.svg) Latest Games News Breaking gaming news and updates [Read Now](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/news/) ![Latest Games Reviews](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/zpvpvuntuy1768902877.svg) Latest Games Reviews Expert verdicts on the newest releases [Read Now](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/reviews/) * See what you’ve unlocked. Explore your membership benefits. [Explore](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/membership/) Member Exclusives Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+ Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox. [Explore](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/newsletter/) *** [Sign Out]() Open menu [![GamesRadar+](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/l3fqzehadb1768907286.svg) GamesRadar+](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/) UK Edition ![flag of GB](https://vanilla.futurecdn.net/gamesradar/media/shared/img/flags/nosize/GB.svg) [![US Edition](https://vanilla.futurecdn.net/gamesradar/media/shared/img/flags/nosize/US.svg)US](https://www.gamesradar.com/chernobyl-hbo-review/) [![CA Edition](https://vanilla.futurecdn.net/gamesradar/media/shared/img/flags/nosize/CA.svg)Canada](https://www.gamesradar.com/chernobyl-hbo-review/) [![UK Edition](https://vanilla.futurecdn.net/gamesradar/media/shared/img/flags/nosize/GB.svg)UK](https://www.gamesradar.com/chernobyl-hbo-review/) [![AU Edition](https://vanilla.futurecdn.net/gamesradar/media/shared/img/flags/nosize/AU.svg)Australia](https://www.gamesradar.com/chernobyl-hbo-review/) Sign in - View Profile - Sign out Search - [Games](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/) - Game Insights - [Games News](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/news/) - [Games Features](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/features/) - [Games Reviews](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/reviews/) - [Games Guides](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/guides/) - [Big in 2026](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/big-in-2026/) - [The Big Preview](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/the-big-preview/) - [On The Radar](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/on-the-radar/) - [Indie Spotlight](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/indie-spotlight/) - [Future Games Show](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/future-games-show/) - [Golden Joystick Awards](https://www.gamesradar.com/goldenjoystickawards/) - Genres - [Action Games](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/action/) - [RPGs](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/rpg/) - [Action RPGs](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/action-rpg/) - [Adventure Games](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/adventure/) - [Third Person Shooters](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/third-person-shooter/) - [FPS Games](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/fps/) - [Platforms](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/platforms/) - [PS5](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/platforms/playstation/ps5/) - [Xbox Series X](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/platforms/xbox/xbox-series-x/) - [PC](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/platforms/pc-gaming/) - [Nintendo Switch](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/platforms/nintendo/nintendo-switch/) - [Nintendo Switch 2](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/platforms/nintendo/nintendo-switch-2/) - [Tabletop Gaming](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tabletop-gaming/) - Franchises - [Grand Theft Auto](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/action/grand-theft-auto/) - [Pokemon](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/adventure/pokemon/) - [Assassin's Creed](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/action/assassin-s-creed/) - [Monster Hunter](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/action-rpg/monster-hunter/) - [Fortnite](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/battle-royale/fortnite/) - [Cyberpunk](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/rpg/cyberpunk/) - [Red Dead](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/action/red-dead/) - [The Elder Scrolls](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/rpg/the-elder-scrolls/) - [The Sims](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/simulation/the-sims/) - [Entertainment](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/) - [TV Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/) - [TV News](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/news/) - [TV Reviews](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/reviews/) - [Anime Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/anime-shows/) - [Sci-Fi Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/sci-fi-shows/) - [Superhero Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/superhero-shows/) - [Animated Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/animation-shows/) - [Marvel TV Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/action-shows/marvel-tv-shows/) - [Star Wars TV Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/sci-fi-shows/star-wars-tv-shows/) - [DC TV Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/action-shows/dc-tv-shows/) - [Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/) - [Movie News](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/news/) - [Movie Reviews](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/reviews/) - [Big Screen Spotlight](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/big-screen-spotlight/) - [Superhero Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/superhero-movies/) - [Action Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/action-movies/) - [Anime Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/anime-movies/) - [Sci-Fi Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/sci-fi-movies/) - [Horror Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/horror-movies/) - [Marvel Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/action-movies/marvel-movies/) - [DC Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/action-movies/dc-movies/) - [Streaming](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/) - [Apple TV Plus](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/apple-tv-plus/) - [Disney Plus](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/disney-plus/) - [Netflix](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/netflix/) - [HBO](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/hbo/) - [Amazon Prime Video](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/amazon-prime-video/) - [Hulu](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/hulu/) - [Comics](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/comics/) - [Marvel Comics](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/comics/marvel-comics/) - [DC Comics](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/comics/dc-comics/) - Toys & Merch - [Toys & Collectibles](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/toys-collectibles/) - [Lego](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/lego/) - [Dungeons and Dragons](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/dungeons-and-dragons/) - [Merch](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/merch/) - [Hardware](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/) - Insights - [Hardware News](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/news/) - [Hardware Reviews](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/reviews/) - [Hardware Features](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/features/) - Computing - [Desktop PCs](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/desktop-pc/) - [Laptops](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/laptops/) - [Handhelds](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/handhelds/) - [Peripherals](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/peripherals/) - [Headsets & Headphones](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/headsets-headphones/) - [TVs & Monitors](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/tvs-monitors/) - [Gaming Mice](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/peripherals/gaming-mice/) - [Gaming Keyboards](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/peripherals/gaming-keyboards/) - [Gaming Chairs](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/peripherals/chairs/) - [Speakers & Audio](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/speakers-audio/) - Accessories & Tech - [Gaming Controllers](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/gaming-controllers/) - [Tech](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/tech/) - [SSDs & Hard Drives](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/ssd-hard-drives/) - [VR](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/vr/) - [Accessories](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/accessories/) - [Retro](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/retro/) - [Deals](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/deals/) - [Game Deals](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/deals/) - [Tech Deals](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/tech/deals/) - [TV Deals](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/tvs-monitors/deals/) - [Buying Guides](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/buying-guide/) - [Video](https://www.gamesradar.com/videos/) - [Video](https://www.gamesradar.com/videos/) - [GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips](https://www.gamesradar.com/replay/) - [Newsletters](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/newsletter/) - Explore - [Quizzes](https://www.gamesradar.com/gamesradar-quiz-collection/) - [About Us](https://www.gamesradar.com/about-gamesradar/) - [How to pitch to us](https://www.gamesradar.com/gamesradar-pitching-guidelines-how-to-pitch/) - [How we score](https://www.gamesradar.com/review-guidelines-how-we-score/) - [Newsarama](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/newsarama/) - [Retro Gamer](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/retrogamer/) - [Total Film](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/totalfilm/) - More - [Deals](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/deals/) - [Newsletters](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/newsletter/) - [Video](https://www.gamesradar.com/videos/) - [Home](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/) - [Games](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/) - [View Games](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/) - Game Insights - [Games News](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/news/) - [Games Features](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/features/) - [Games Reviews](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/reviews/) - [Games Guides](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/guides/) - [Big in 2026](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/big-in-2026/) - [The Big Preview](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/the-big-preview/) - [On The Radar](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/on-the-radar/) - [Indie Spotlight](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/indie-spotlight/) - [Future Games Show](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/future-games-show/) - [Golden Joystick Awards](https://www.gamesradar.com/goldenjoystickawards/) - Genres - [Action Games](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/action/) - [RPGs](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/rpg/) - [Action RPGs](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/action-rpg/) - [Adventure Games](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/adventure/) - [Third Person Shooters](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/third-person-shooter/) - [FPS Games](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/fps/) - [Platforms](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/platforms/) - [View Platforms](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/platforms/) - [PS5](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/platforms/playstation/ps5/) - [Xbox Series X](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/platforms/xbox/xbox-series-x/) - [PC](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/platforms/pc-gaming/) - [Nintendo Switch](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/platforms/nintendo/nintendo-switch/) - [Nintendo Switch 2](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/platforms/nintendo/nintendo-switch-2/) - [Tabletop Gaming](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tabletop-gaming/) - Franchises - [Grand Theft Auto](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/action/grand-theft-auto/) - [Pokemon](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/adventure/pokemon/) - [Assassin's Creed](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/action/assassin-s-creed/) - [Monster Hunter](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/action-rpg/monster-hunter/) - [Fortnite](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/battle-royale/fortnite/) - [Cyberpunk](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/rpg/cyberpunk/) - [Red Dead](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/action/red-dead/) - [The Elder Scrolls](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/rpg/the-elder-scrolls/) - [The Sims](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/simulation/the-sims/) - [Entertainment](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/) - [View Entertainment](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/) - [TV Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/) - [View TV Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/) - [TV News](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/news/) - [TV Reviews](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/reviews/) - [Anime Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/anime-shows/) - [Sci-Fi Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/sci-fi-shows/) - [Superhero Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/superhero-shows/) - [Animated Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/animation-shows/) - [Marvel TV Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/action-shows/marvel-tv-shows/) - [Star Wars TV Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/sci-fi-shows/star-wars-tv-shows/) - [DC TV Shows](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/action-shows/dc-tv-shows/) - [Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/) - [View Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/) - [Movie News](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/news/) - [Movie Reviews](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/reviews/) - [Big Screen Spotlight](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/big-screen-spotlight/) - [Superhero Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/superhero-movies/) - [Action Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/action-movies/) - [Anime Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/anime-movies/) - [Sci-Fi Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/sci-fi-movies/) - [Horror Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/horror-movies/) - [Marvel Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/action-movies/marvel-movies/) - [DC Movies](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/movies/action-movies/dc-movies/) - [Streaming](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/) - [View Streaming](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/) - [Apple TV Plus](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/apple-tv-plus/) - [Disney Plus](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/disney-plus/) - [Netflix](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/netflix/) - [HBO](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/hbo/) - [Amazon Prime Video](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/amazon-prime-video/) - [Hulu](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/streaming-services/hulu/) - [Comics](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/comics/) - [View Comics](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/comics/) - [Marvel Comics](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/comics/marvel-comics/) - [DC Comics](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/comics/dc-comics/) - Toys & Merch - [Toys & Collectibles](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/toys-collectibles/) - [Lego](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/lego/) - [Dungeons and Dragons](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/dungeons-and-dragons/) - [Merch](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/merch/) - [Hardware](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/) - [View Hardware](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/) - Insights - [Hardware News](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/news/) - [Hardware Reviews](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/reviews/) - [Hardware Features](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/features/) - Computing - [Desktop PCs](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/desktop-pc/) - [Laptops](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/laptops/) - [Handhelds](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/handhelds/) - [Peripherals](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/peripherals/) - [View Peripherals](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/peripherals/) - [Headsets & Headphones](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/headsets-headphones/) - [TVs & Monitors](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/tvs-monitors/) - [Gaming Mice](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/peripherals/gaming-mice/) - [Gaming Keyboards](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/peripherals/gaming-keyboards/) - [Gaming Chairs](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/peripherals/chairs/) - [Speakers & Audio](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/speakers-audio/) - Accessories & Tech - [Gaming Controllers](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/gaming-controllers/) - [Tech](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/tech/) - [SSDs & Hard Drives](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/ssd-hard-drives/) - [VR](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/vr/) - [Accessories](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/accessories/) - [Retro](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/retro/) - [Deals](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/deals/) - [View Deals](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/deals/) - [Game Deals](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/games/deals/) - [Tech Deals](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/tech/deals/) - [TV Deals](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/hardware/tvs-monitors/deals/) - [Buying Guides](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/tag/buying-guide/) - [Video](https://www.gamesradar.com/videos/) - [View Video](https://www.gamesradar.com/videos/) - [Video](https://www.gamesradar.com/videos/) - [GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips](https://www.gamesradar.com/replay/) - [Newsletters](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/newsletter/) - Explore - [Quizzes](https://www.gamesradar.com/gamesradar-quiz-collection/) - [About Us](https://www.gamesradar.com/about-gamesradar/) - [How to pitch to us](https://www.gamesradar.com/gamesradar-pitching-guidelines-how-to-pitch/) - [How we score](https://www.gamesradar.com/review-guidelines-how-we-score/) - [Newsarama](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/newsarama/) - [Retro Gamer](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/retrogamer/) - [Total Film](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/totalfilm/) Trending - [Crimson Desert](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/crimson-desert/) - [Pokopia](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/pokemon-pokopia/) - [Arc Raiders](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/arc-raiders/) - [The Boys S5](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/the-boys/) - [Starfield](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/starfield/) - [Submit your clips. Win prizes](https://www.gamesradar.com/replay/) Don't miss these [![Mass Effect 2 - Garrus](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jEPNwAKw74LdkpLUrbGhvQ.jpg) Adventure Games The 25 best video game stories of all-time](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-best-videogame-stories-ever/ "The 25 best video game stories of all-time") [![One Piece](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hxEn8bDVUd8E2JYPrqrPt3.jpg) Netflix The 25 best shows on Netflix to watch in 2026](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-shows-on-netflix/ "The 25 best shows on Netflix to watch in 2026") [![Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams in Wonder Man.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GvqFXGR8afbJZh79XySS5J.jpg) Superhero Shows Wonder Man review: "A low-key gem that's up there with the MCU's best"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/superhero-shows/wonder-man-season-1-review/ "Wonder Man review: \"A low-key gem that's up there with the MCU's best\"") [![Charlie Cox as Daredevil in Daredevil: Born Again season 2](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FrAxqioNEb8kWXrBnDcjA4.jpg) Marvel TV Shows Daredevil: Born Again S2 review: "Still struggling to bloom in the shadow of the Netflix show"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/marvel-tv-shows/daredevil-born-again-season-2-review/ "Daredevil: Born Again S2 review: \"Still struggling to bloom in the shadow of the Netflix show\"") [![Cillian Murphy as Tommy in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xkADfaqGr9xYV388B5XW3L.jpg) Movies The 25 best movies on Netflix to watch right now](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/best-netflix-movies/ "The 25 best movies on Netflix to watch right now") [![Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LzUyP3MqiY3cHGxZMaPhYm.jpg) Sci-Fi Movies Project Hail Mary review: "Large scale sci-fi with tons of heart"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-movies/project-hail-mary-review/ "Project Hail Mary review: \"Large scale sci-fi with tons of heart\"") [![Invincible season 4](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pkFsxtTXca2XNsBLQnTEYT.jpg) Superhero Shows Invincible season 4 review: "The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/superhero-shows/invincible-season-4-review/ "Invincible season 4 review: \"The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do\"") [![Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy Emily Rudd as Nami and Jacob Romero as Usopp standing on the deck of the Merry in One Piece season 2](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KyH5c4UQW4aFc5hPnkq4tE.jpg) Netflix One Piece season 2 review: "It's hard to imagine a better version of One Piece in live action"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/superhero-shows/one-piece-season-2-review/ "One Piece season 2 review: \"It's hard to imagine a better version of One Piece in live action\"") [![Ghostface in Scream 7](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/X6tobWL4jRafWhhBLcCbga.jpg) Horror Movies Scream 7 review: "Never as sharp as the series' best, but still has a few neat tricks up its billowing sleeve"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/scream-7-review/ "Scream 7 review: \"Never as sharp as the series' best, but still has a few neat tricks up its billowing sleeve\"") [![Walton Goggins as the Ghoul in Fallout season 2](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/xZaMPm6K7aM6DTh5fDuihc.jpg) TV The 25 best shows on Amazon Prime Video to watch right now](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-shows-on-amazon-prime/ "The 25 best shows on Amazon Prime Video to watch right now") [![Camila Morrone as Rachel in Something Very Bad is Going to Happen](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9tqgerH75G4Fk4UwAKM4Gd.jpg) Horror Shows Duffer Brothers' new Netflix horror show called "captivating" and "a dread-filled nightmare" in first reviews](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-shows/duffer-brothers-new-netflix-horror-show-called-captivating-and-a-blood-soaked-dread-filled-nightmare-in-first-reviews-as-its-compared-to-a-mike-flanagan-series/ "Duffer Brothers' new Netflix horror show called \"captivating\" and \"a dread-filled nightmare\" in first reviews") [![The Serpent\&\#039;s Skin](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wY4G5hSqoc2TdNMpinRseY.jpg) Horror Movies The Serpent's Skin is the neon-soaked, blood-splattered queer love story I've been waiting for](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/the-serpents-skin-is-the-neon-soaked-blood-splattered-queer-love-story-ive-been-waiting-for/ "The Serpent's Skin is the neon-soaked, blood-splattered queer love story I've been waiting for") [![Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in Sonic 3](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/c3GrUAv4Fc9uHZtpTpuuDg.jpg) Amazon Prime Video The 25 best movies on Prime Video to watch right now](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/best-movies-on-amazon-prime/ "The 25 best movies on Prime Video to watch right now") [![A close-up of Grace talking with someone through glass in Resident Evil Requiem](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bhMoHhHwWrUvHkTbQm7hpT.jpg) Resident Evil Resident Evil Requiem review: "A soaring piece of survival horror theater"](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/resident-evil/resident-evil-requiem-review/ "Resident Evil Requiem review: \"A soaring piece of survival horror theater\"") [![Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in The Godfather.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ATxqkBYmwqTMwGmvqj2gKZ.jpg) Streaming Services The 20 best movies on Paramount Plus to watch right now](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-movies-on-paramount-plus/ "The 20 best movies on Paramount Plus to watch right now") 1. [Entertainment](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/) 2. [TV](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/entertainment/tv/) # Chernobyl review: “Stunning and shattering in equal measure” [Reviews](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/reviews/) By [Erlingur Einarsson](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/author/erlingur-einarsson/) published 6 June 2019 When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [Here’s how it works](https://www.gamesradar.com/about-gamesradar/#section-affiliate-advertising-disclosure). ![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mUWoFtPLgeRoLxsaFA5sEk.jpg) Image credit: HBO ### GamesRadar+ Verdict With award-worthy writing, sensational performances, a hellish soundscape and beautifully stark design, it not only succeeds in telling Chernobyl's story; it triumphs. Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. [Find out more about our reviews policy.](https://www.gamesradar.com/reviews-policy/) Arriving with none of the fanfare of some other 2019 HBO TV shows, miniseries Chernobyl turned into a television event almost overnight. And it did so not on the strength of a celebrity cast, high-profile showrunners or oversized set pieces, but because here we might, quite simply, have the greatest TV drama of this decade. Chronicling the real-life events of the fateful Chernobyl disaster in April 1986, the unfolding of this terrible tragedy is told in five tightly knit, deliberately paced and flawlessly executed chapters. Of course, while the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl is a matter of historical record, it should go without saying that this review will contain spoilers regarding the show’s plot, and the level of its adherence and deviation from true events. Article continues below Latest Videos From GamesRadar+ You may like - [![Emma D\&\#039;Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 3](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/v5t2GqvhvoBoqrhiDGJfLo.jpg) The 30 best shows on HBO Max to watch right now](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-shows-on-hbo-max/) - [![Peter Claffey as Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uLtQBnCsRG9cjy3aE3KdAK.jpg) A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: "This Game of Thrones spin-off is a heartfelt and fun return to Westeros"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/fantasy-shows/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-review/) - [![Invincible season 4](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pkFsxtTXca2XNsBLQnTEYT.jpg) Invincible season 4 review: "The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/superhero-shows/invincible-season-4-review/) Opening in direct and deliberate contravention to most programmes that chronicle a dramatic spectacle, Chernobyl starts with a sickly Jared Harris speaking into a tape recorder before hanging himself. Yeah, it’s that sort of show. Even the disaster itself, when first witnessed, is only seen through a distant room window, and the room’s occupant doesn’t even notice it. We are then thrown in media res inside the control room of Reactor 4, the one that has just exploded, but even there, the gravity of the situation doesn’t seem apparent. We see men in denial about the terror they have unleashed, the tragedy that is unfolding. When faced with the reality of it, the people in charge either don’t register it, or simply decide to lie. ## Lies, lies, lies ![Image credit: HBO](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WVDqydp5byvrv8W7aDUMEk.jpg) Image credit: HBO And it is this theme that continues to permeate the five hour-long episodes to come. Plant operators and officials make up lies to make themselves look better, denying the reality of what’s happening even as they retch and spew bile onto their desks as they succumb to radiation poisoning. Firefighters are lied to as they flock onto the scene and handle the deadly graphite from the core strewn across the scene with their bare hands. Politicians construct bigger lies to keep its population and the world at large in the dark about the terrifying scale of the disaster. At the heart of unravelling these lies is Jared Harris’ atomic energy expert, Dr Valery Legasov (Jared Harris). Legasov, summoned by Soviet Central Committee member Boris Scherbina (Stellan Skarsgård) to investigate the incident and coordinate the local response, quickly sees that not much adds up in the official version of events, and is soon helped by the driven Dr Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) in trying to uncover the truth while saving the plant – and by extension, the world – from an even bigger disaster. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more By signing up, you agree to our [Terms of services](https://futureplc.com/terms-conditions/) and acknowledge that you have read our [Privacy Notice](https://futureplc.com/privacy-policy). You also agree to receive marketing emails from us that may include promotions from our trusted partners and sponsors, which you can unsubscribe from at any time. While multiple strands follow several different characters through some or all of the episode, it’s those three characters who are the beating heart of Chernobyl, and that’s in no small part thanks to the performances of Harris, Skarsgård and Watson. They are all, in a word, sensational. ## Jared Harris is an acting juggernaut ![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mUWoFtPLgeRoLxsaFA5sEk.jpg) In his portrayal of the understated but increasingly pained and desperate Legasov, Harris gives a performance that may well come to define his career. In the common consciousness there will be pre-Chernobyl Jared Harris, respected character actor and dimension-hopping terrorist in Fringe, and there is post-ChernobylJared Harris, one of the finest damn actors on the face of this planet. Of course, he has been exactly that for a long time, but here he finally gets to show us. In Harris’ hands, his quiet academic not only navigates the audience through an intricate tapestry of a story, but has us genuinely feeling the fear, the tension, the frustration and the moral conflict he himself faces on his journey. Just give him the Golden Globe already. Skarsgård may be best known to mainstream viewers as the eccentric Dr Selvig in Marvel’s Thor films, but it is here where an actor of his calibre truly belongs. His Scherbina appears a career politician at the beginning – an apparatnik – dedicated to the Party above anything else, but as he is immersed into the unsavoury truth of Chernobyl, the disaster, the response and his superiors’ intransigence, he becomes increasingly embittered by the situation he finds himself in. You may like - [![Emma D\&\#039;Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 3](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/v5t2GqvhvoBoqrhiDGJfLo.jpg) The 30 best shows on HBO Max to watch right now](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-shows-on-hbo-max/) - [![Peter Claffey as Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uLtQBnCsRG9cjy3aE3KdAK.jpg) A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: "This Game of Thrones spin-off is a heartfelt and fun return to Westeros"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/fantasy-shows/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-review/) - [![Invincible season 4](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pkFsxtTXca2XNsBLQnTEYT.jpg) Invincible season 4 review: "The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/superhero-shows/invincible-season-4-review/) ![Image credit: HBO](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wTH2encQNZuQKmCSbnb52j.jpeg) Image credit: HBO The dynamic between Harris and Skarsgård is electric. The play off each other’s plentiful static energy, there’s collaboration, conflict and even the occasional light moment of wit between them, which offers essential breathing between the oppressive tension of the show. We start to care for both of them, and deeply so, which makes their eventual fate even harder for us to bear than it would have in lesser hands than theirs. Somewhere in the multiverse, there is a slapstick buddy cop show starring these two, and it is as hilarious as Chernobylis heart-wrenching. And as she has done so many times throughout her illustrious career, Emily Watson shines in a role that could so easily have become a rote instrument for various plot devices. Her Khomyuk, a driven scientist in relentless pursuit of the truth, is the only fictional character of the main cast, as she is amalgamated from a group of real-life scientists who aided Legasov and Scherbina following the disaster. Still, she slots well into the narrative, even as her story runs parallel to the main plot for much of the series, often used to illustrate the horrors of the aftermath, the power of the KGB or simply representing us viewers as we ask, “what the hell happened here?” While spectacle is substituted for airtight narrative, there are certainly plenty of breathtaking, heart-pounding moments of excitement throughout the series, and the gory injury detail is stomach-churningly accurate at times, especially as we follow the unfortunate controllers who went into the exposed reactors and the firefighters who handled radioactive graphite literally disintegrate in hospital. And because the drama is handled so delicately, both by the actors and the writer and director, the agony of these scenes is doubled by the deep empathy we feel for every single character we encounter. ## Starkly beautiful design and quietly oppressive soundtrack ![Image credit: HBO](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WVDqydp5byvrv8W7aDUMEk.jpg) Image credit: HBO Other highlights include the production design, slavishly faithful to historical fact in many ways but still strikingly cinematic, aided by excellent cinematography and editing. And then there is the music. Hildur Gudnadottir is an up-and-coming composer, having previously impressed with her scores for A Hijacking, Mary Magdalene, Sicario 2: Soldado and Icelandic crime series Trapped, for example. But it here where she comes of age, composing a soundscape that envelops the viewer as much as it supports the drama. Recorded using the sounds made by an actual nuclear plant (a disused one in Lithuania that was used for filming large parts of this series), the music is completely organic to the visuals, elevating an already-great drama to a whole new level. She may have been a protege of the late, great Johann Johannsson (Arrival, The Theory of Everything), but here she stamps her authority as a master of the art herself. The consistency of performances from the main players to minor characters is a testament to the work of director Johan Renck, who has until now been mainly known as a respected music video and commercial director, and writer/producer Craig Mazin, who has managed to balance adherence to historical fact with an utterly gripping drama. Where it deviates, it does so deliberately, enhancing and tightening the story – we skip the part where the sarcophagus is built around the reactor in late-1986, for example – and focus on the main theme: lies. Chernobylis not an indictment of Communism, nor is it a campaign against nuclear power. Instead, it focuses on the common human trait of lying, and how much it costs, not only on the big scale of geopolitics, but even more so on a personal level. And by focusing on the commonly human instead of getting bogged down in politics or tempted by the lure of a central set-piece spectacle, is where Chernobyl stands out. It tells us something, not only about Chernobyl, and it does so in spades, but about us. It may sound pretentious, but this show is anything but. [Erlingur Einarsson](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/author/erlingur-einarsson/) Social Links Navigation Production Editor, Total Film Erlingur Einarsson is a film reviewer and writer, lover of cinema, television, tractors, and basketball. Erlingur has worked at Future for Plc for five years now, having spent time as the Editor for Photoshop Creative, Operations Editor for Digital Camera World, and Deals Editor for Top Ten Reviews. Erlingur currently serves as the Production Editor for our friends over at Total Film magazine – you should expect to find his byline of film reviews and the hottest of takes. Read more [![Emma D\&\#039;Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 3](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/v5t2GqvhvoBoqrhiDGJfLo.jpg) TV The 30 best shows on HBO Max to watch right now](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-shows-on-hbo-max/ "The 30 best shows on HBO Max to watch right now") [![Peter Claffey as Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uLtQBnCsRG9cjy3aE3KdAK.jpg) Fantasy Shows A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: "This Game of Thrones spin-off is a heartfelt and fun return to Westeros"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/fantasy-shows/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-review/ "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review: \"This Game of Thrones spin-off is a heartfelt and fun return to Westeros\"") [![Invincible season 4](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pkFsxtTXca2XNsBLQnTEYT.jpg) Superhero Shows Invincible season 4 review: "The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/superhero-shows/invincible-season-4-review/ "Invincible season 4 review: \"The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do\"") [![For All Mankind](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kJvKGmMoQZnYx9zgWP8cSV.jpg) Apple TV Plus The 25 best shows on Apple TV to watch right now](https://www.gamesradar.com/best-apple-tv-shows/ "The 25 best shows on Apple TV to watch right now") [![Peter Claffey as Dunk and Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg talking in the rain in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ki6CQKZGqFxGEnrptqrjdU.jpg) Fantasy Shows A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is no Game of Thrones, but that's what makes it special](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/fantasy-shows/a-knight-of-the-seven-kingdoms-is-no-game-of-thrones-but-thats-what-makes-it-special/ "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is no Game of Thrones, but that's what makes it special") [![Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/LzUyP3MqiY3cHGxZMaPhYm.jpg) Sci-Fi Movies Project Hail Mary review: "Large scale sci-fi with tons of heart"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-movies/project-hail-mary-review/ "Project Hail Mary review: \"Large scale sci-fi with tons of heart\"") Latest in TV [![An alien turning into a human](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/65qJruhHZo8U4oWwcmzc8G.jpg) Sci-Fi Shows Sinners director Ryan Coogler is executive producing an Animorphs show because hell yeah](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/sci-fi-shows/sinners-director-ryan-coogler-is-executive-producing-an-animorphs-show-because-hell-yeah/ "Sinners director Ryan Coogler is executive producing an Animorphs show because hell yeah") [![Debbie confronting Omni-Man](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QbSJJurzPdb9Uh9SxDiWG3.jpg) Superhero Shows Invincible bounces back after last week's series low with its second-highest rated episode ever](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/superhero-shows/invincible-has-quickly-bounced-back-after-last-weeks-series-low-as-the-latest-episode-of-season-4-becomes-the-shows-second-highest-rated-ever/ "Invincible bounces back after last week's series low with its second-highest rated episode ever") [![Brian Cox in Succession](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/a8ficXvbTUCnXmg3SEf3kV.jpg) Crime Shows Succession star Brian Cox will play New York's biggest, scariest killer in Dexter: Resurrection season 2](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/crime-shows/succession-star-brian-cox-will-play-new-yorks-biggest-scariest-killer-in-dexter-resurrection-season-2/ "Succession star Brian Cox will play New York's biggest, scariest killer in Dexter: Resurrection season 2") [![A Grogu mini Loungefly backpack beside a crossbody bag on a gray background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vPSkvsv4UQDHurUuUXm2V7.jpg) Toys & Collectibles Get an exclusive first look at new Star Wars Loungefly bags inspired by The Mandalorian, Grogu, Darth Maul, and more](https://www.gamesradar.com/toys-collectibles/get-an-exclusive-first-look-at-new-star-wars-loungefly-bags-inspired-by-grogu-darth-maul-and-more/ "Get an exclusive first look at new Star Wars Loungefly bags inspired by The Mandalorian, Grogu, Darth Maul, and more") [![Maul holding his lightsaber in Maul – Shadow Lord](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Cdy8pfiCx35TxnhywFxb45.jpg) Star Wars TV Shows Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord is officially renewed for season 2 before season 1 has even premiered](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/star-wars-tv-shows/star-wars-maul-shadow-lord-is-officially-renewed-for-season-2-before-season-1-has-even-premiered/ "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord is officially renewed for season 2 before season 1 has even premiered") [![Homelander smiling smugly in the Oval Office of the White House](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ukH8wbSRhnFH4ELVhzBHog.jpg) Superhero Shows Who will kill Homelander in The Boys season 5?](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/superhero-shows/who-will-kill-homelander-in-the-boys-season-5/ "Who will kill Homelander in The Boys season 5?") Latest in Reviews [![Genki Covert Dock 3 on a wooden desk in front of an Asus ROG Ally and Nintendo Switch 2](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dgYSJYNs7e4zxaURULPvoM.jpg) Accessories Genki just updated one of my favorite Nintendo Switch accessories and it might finally be ready for Steam Deck users](https://www.gamesradar.com/hardware/accessories/genki-covert-dock-3-review/ "Genki just updated one of my favorite Nintendo Switch accessories and it might finally be ready for Steam Deck users") [![Anycubic Photon P1 sat on a wooden table](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AfD3PT3GDNqELeHPmkivhF.jpg) Hardware If you want to try printing D\&D models or wargame miniatures, this 3D printer feels almost foolproof](https://www.gamesradar.com/hardware/anycubic-photon-p1-review/ "If you want to try printing D&D models or wargame miniatures, this 3D printer feels almost foolproof") [![Mario riding Yoshi through space with Luigi and Peach flying along beside him](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5CxvHziS34pbjNf6JumtYc.jpg) Animated Movies The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review: "Never quite reaches Galaxy's gravity-defying game heights"](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/animation-movies/super-mario-galaxy-movie-review/ "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie review: \"Never quite reaches Galaxy's gravity-defying game heights\"") [![MSI Cyborg gaming laptop on a wooden desk with blue backlighting](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cWC63pNijt8kUTcWGa2GQA.jpg) Laptops Bargain hunters will know the MSI Cyborg well but are its sacrifices worth it?](https://www.gamesradar.com/hardware/laptops/msi-cyborg-review/ "Bargain hunters will know the MSI Cyborg well but are its sacrifices worth it?") [![Close up of the earcups of the MMX 150 Wireless headset.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TH2sNePn2RNJiuqhdPVZCe.jpg) Headsets & Headphones Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Wireless headset sounds as good as it looks, but my head wasn't a fan](https://www.gamesradar.com/hardware/headsets-headphones/beyerdynamic-mmx-150-wireless-review/ "Beyerdynamic MMX 150 Wireless headset sounds as good as it looks, but my head wasn't a fan") [![Key art for Life is Strange: Reunion showing Max and Chloe standing together looking serious as Max reaches out her hand to use her time powers - the background is Caledon University in fall, overlaid with a polaroid photograph of it in flames](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5bF9mXuuP7fKhinajqrXkP.jpg) Adventure Games Life is Strange: Reunion review: "Confused storytelling dilutes the joy of Chloe and rewind's return"](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/adventure/life-is-strange-reunion-review/ "Life is Strange: Reunion review: \"Confused storytelling dilutes the joy of Chloe and rewind's return\"") LATEST ARTICLES 1. [![Best Space Games](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fWPCRfridL3mRTCnBEZLtZ.jpg)](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/survival/no-mans-sky-player-creates-stunning-underwater-city-reminiscent-of-bioshocks-own-rapture-and-im-not-even-sure-this-is-the-same-game-anymore/ "No Man's Sky player creates stunning underwater city reminiscent of BioShock's own Rapture") 1 [No Man's Sky player creates stunning underwater city reminiscent of BioShock's own Rapture](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/survival/no-mans-sky-player-creates-stunning-underwater-city-reminiscent-of-bioshocks-own-rapture-and-im-not-even-sure-this-is-the-same-game-anymore/) 2. 2 [Indie dev sees Ubisoft fail to bring back Splinter Cell for 13 years, says fine, I'll do it myself](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/stealth/indie-dev-sees-ubisoft-fail-to-bring-back-splinter-cell-for-13-years-says-fine-ill-do-it-myself-with-a-short-focused-stealth-game-inspired-by-classic-ps2-era-games/) 3. 3 [3 best new to Prime Video movies to watch this weekend (April 3–April 5)](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/streaming-services/prime-video-has-added-loads-of-new-movies-here-are-the-3-that-i-recommend-you-watch-this-weekend-april-3-april-5/) 4. 4 [New MMO rebuilding 2008's AdventureQuest Worlds asks for \$1 on Kickstarter and raises \$1.6 million](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/mmo/new-mmo-rebuilding-2008s-adventurequest-worlds-cleverly-becomes-164-000-000-percent-funded-on-kickstarter-by-asking-for-usd1-and-raising-usd1-6-million/) 5. 5 [Spider-Noir swings through old-timey Metropolis in Marvel and DC's Spider-Man/Superman crossover](https://www.gamesradar.com/comics/marvel-comics/spider-noir-swings-through-old-timey-metropolis-in-marvel-and-dcs-spider-man-superman-crossover/) GamesRadar+ is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. [Visit our corporate site](https://futureplc.com/). [![Add as a preferred source on Google](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/mednnv697g1760357120.png) Add as a preferred source on Google](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=gamesradar.com) - [Terms and conditions](https://futureplc.com/terms-conditions/) - [Contact Future's experts](https://futureplc.com/contact/) - [Privacy policy](https://futureplc.com/privacy-policy/) - [Cookies policy](https://futureplc.com/cookies-policy/) - [Accessibility statement](https://futureplc.com/accessibility-statement/) - [Careers](https://futureplc.com/careers/) - [About us](https://www.gamesradar.com/about-gamesradar/) - [Advertise with us](https://go.future-advertising.com/GamesRadar-Media-Kit.html) - [Review guidelines](https://www.gamesradar.com/review-guidelines-how-we-score/) - [Write for us](https://futureplc.com/accessibility-statement/) - [Accessibility Statement](https://futureplc.com/accessibility-statement/) - [Do not sell or share my personal information](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/privacy-portal) © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Close Please login or signup to comment Please wait... Login Sign Up
Readable Markdown	### GamesRadar+ Verdict With award-worthy writing, sensational performances, a hellish soundscape and beautifully stark design, it not only succeeds in telling Chernobyl's story; it triumphs. Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. [Find out more about our reviews policy.](https://www.gamesradar.com/reviews-policy/) Arriving with none of the fanfare of some other 2019 HBO TV shows, miniseries Chernobyl turned into a television event almost overnight. And it did so not on the strength of a celebrity cast, high-profile showrunners or oversized set pieces, but because here we might, quite simply, have the greatest TV drama of this decade. Chronicling the real-life events of the fateful Chernobyl disaster in April 1986, the unfolding of this terrible tragedy is told in five tightly knit, deliberately paced and flawlessly executed chapters. Of course, while the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl is a matter of historical record, it should go without saying that this review will contain spoilers regarding the show’s plot, and the level of its adherence and deviation from true events. Article continues below Latest Videos From GamesRadar+ Opening in direct and deliberate contravention to most programmes that chronicle a dramatic spectacle, Chernobyl starts with a sickly Jared Harris speaking into a tape recorder before hanging himself. Yeah, it’s that sort of show. Even the disaster itself, when first witnessed, is only seen through a distant room window, and the room’s occupant doesn’t even notice it. We are then thrown in media res inside the control room of Reactor 4, the one that has just exploded, but even there, the gravity of the situation doesn’t seem apparent. We see men in denial about the terror they have unleashed, the tragedy that is unfolding. When faced with the reality of it, the people in charge either don’t register it, or simply decide to lie. ## Lies, lies, lies ![Image credit: HBO](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WVDqydp5byvrv8W7aDUMEk.jpg) Image credit: HBO And it is this theme that continues to permeate the five hour-long episodes to come. Plant operators and officials make up lies to make themselves look better, denying the reality of what’s happening even as they retch and spew bile onto their desks as they succumb to radiation poisoning. Firefighters are lied to as they flock onto the scene and handle the deadly graphite from the core strewn across the scene with their bare hands. Politicians construct bigger lies to keep its population and the world at large in the dark about the terrifying scale of the disaster. At the heart of unravelling these lies is Jared Harris’ atomic energy expert, Dr Valery Legasov (Jared Harris). Legasov, summoned by Soviet Central Committee member Boris Scherbina (Stellan Skarsgård) to investigate the incident and coordinate the local response, quickly sees that not much adds up in the official version of events, and is soon helped by the driven Dr Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) in trying to uncover the truth while saving the plant – and by extension, the world – from an even bigger disaster. Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more While multiple strands follow several different characters through some or all of the episode, it’s those three characters who are the beating heart of Chernobyl, and that’s in no small part thanks to the performances of Harris, Skarsgård and Watson. They are all, in a word, sensational. ## Jared Harris is an acting juggernaut ![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mUWoFtPLgeRoLxsaFA5sEk.jpg) In his portrayal of the understated but increasingly pained and desperate Legasov, Harris gives a performance that may well come to define his career. In the common consciousness there will be pre-Chernobyl Jared Harris, respected character actor and dimension-hopping terrorist in Fringe, and there is post-ChernobylJared Harris, one of the finest damn actors on the face of this planet. Of course, he has been exactly that for a long time, but here he finally gets to show us. In Harris’ hands, his quiet academic not only navigates the audience through an intricate tapestry of a story, but has us genuinely feeling the fear, the tension, the frustration and the moral conflict he himself faces on his journey. Just give him the Golden Globe already. Skarsgård may be best known to mainstream viewers as the eccentric Dr Selvig in Marvel’s Thor films, but it is here where an actor of his calibre truly belongs. His Scherbina appears a career politician at the beginning – an apparatnik – dedicated to the Party above anything else, but as he is immersed into the unsavoury truth of Chernobyl, the disaster, the response and his superiors’ intransigence, he becomes increasingly embittered by the situation he finds himself in. ![Image credit: HBO](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wTH2encQNZuQKmCSbnb52j.jpeg) Image credit: HBO The dynamic between Harris and Skarsgård is electric. The play off each other’s plentiful static energy, there’s collaboration, conflict and even the occasional light moment of wit between them, which offers essential breathing between the oppressive tension of the show. We start to care for both of them, and deeply so, which makes their eventual fate even harder for us to bear than it would have in lesser hands than theirs. Somewhere in the multiverse, there is a slapstick buddy cop show starring these two, and it is as hilarious as Chernobylis heart-wrenching. And as she has done so many times throughout her illustrious career, Emily Watson shines in a role that could so easily have become a rote instrument for various plot devices. Her Khomyuk, a driven scientist in relentless pursuit of the truth, is the only fictional character of the main cast, as she is amalgamated from a group of real-life scientists who aided Legasov and Scherbina following the disaster. Still, she slots well into the narrative, even as her story runs parallel to the main plot for much of the series, often used to illustrate the horrors of the aftermath, the power of the KGB or simply representing us viewers as we ask, “what the hell happened here?” While spectacle is substituted for airtight narrative, there are certainly plenty of breathtaking, heart-pounding moments of excitement throughout the series, and the gory injury detail is stomach-churningly accurate at times, especially as we follow the unfortunate controllers who went into the exposed reactors and the firefighters who handled radioactive graphite literally disintegrate in hospital. And because the drama is handled so delicately, both by the actors and the writer and director, the agony of these scenes is doubled by the deep empathy we feel for every single character we encounter. ## Starkly beautiful design and quietly oppressive soundtrack ![Image credit: HBO](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WVDqydp5byvrv8W7aDUMEk.jpg) Image credit: HBO Other highlights include the production design, slavishly faithful to historical fact in many ways but still strikingly cinematic, aided by excellent cinematography and editing. And then there is the music. Hildur Gudnadottir is an up-and-coming composer, having previously impressed with her scores for A Hijacking, Mary Magdalene, Sicario 2: Soldado and Icelandic crime series Trapped, for example. But it here where she comes of age, composing a soundscape that envelops the viewer as much as it supports the drama. Recorded using the sounds made by an actual nuclear plant (a disused one in Lithuania that was used for filming large parts of this series), the music is completely organic to the visuals, elevating an already-great drama to a whole new level. She may have been a protege of the late, great Johann Johannsson (Arrival, The Theory of Everything), but here she stamps her authority as a master of the art herself. The consistency of performances from the main players to minor characters is a testament to the work of director Johan Renck, who has until now been mainly known as a respected music video and commercial director, and writer/producer Craig Mazin, who has managed to balance adherence to historical fact with an utterly gripping drama. Where it deviates, it does so deliberately, enhancing and tightening the story – we skip the part where the sarcophagus is built around the reactor in late-1986, for example – and focus on the main theme: lies. Chernobylis not an indictment of Communism, nor is it a campaign against nuclear power. Instead, it focuses on the common human trait of lying, and how much it costs, not only on the big scale of geopolitics, but even more so on a personal level. And by focusing on the commonly human instead of getting bogged down in politics or tempted by the lure of a central set-piece spectacle, is where Chernobyl stands out. It tells us something, not only about Chernobyl, and it does so in spades, but about us. It may sound pretentious, but this show is anything but. [Erlingur Einarsson](https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/author/erlingur-einarsson/) Production Editor, Total Film Erlingur Einarsson is a film reviewer and writer, lover of cinema, television, tractors, and basketball. Erlingur has worked at Future for Plc for five years now, having spent time as the Editor for Photoshop Creative, Operations Editor for Digital Camera World, and Deals Editor for Top Ten Reviews. Erlingur currently serves as the Production Editor for our friends over at Total Film magazine – you should expect to find his byline of film reviews and the hottest of takes.
Shard	94 (laksa)
Root Hash	11183388425566263694
Unparsed URL	com,gamesradar!www,/chernobyl-hbo-review/ s443