The Limits of Power and HBO’s Chernobyl

 

The unsatisfactory ending of Game of Thrones may have left a lacuna in your Sunday evening viewing habits, but there is a balm in Gilead in the form of its Monday-evening replacement: Chernobyl.

Stellan Skarsgård and the criminally underappreciated Jared Harris star in this incandescent HBO thriller surrounding the accident and consequent ecological catastrophe at the infamous nuclear power plant in 1986.

Skarsgård and Harris as Boris Shcherbina and Valery Legasov

Chernobyl opens moments after the explosion which rocked the No. 4 Reactor on April 26, 1986 and is practically a microcosm of the history of the Soviet Union: At first there is simple denial that anything is wrong; then with dawning dread at the enormity of the disaster comes the deflection of responsibility, followed by deception which causes untold quantities of death.

Anybody who has been alive for the last 40 years knows the rough outlines of the causes and results of the Chernobyl disaster, but what comes as a surprise is the frankness with which the show’s producers and writers tackle the dysfunctionality and outright evil inherent to the Soviet Union, a sort of banal fact of reality whose cutting edge emerges most keenly when placed under existential threat.

The picture painted is of a political hierarchy shot through with abject terror yet painted over with perverse pride; The plant’s Chief Engineer, Dyatlov, refuses to believe that the reactor could have exploded, citing his absolute confidence that it was physically impossible for an RBMK Reactor to do so. The source of his confidence? Superior Soviet Science. The Senior Party official who orders all communications in the area cut off in order to prevent the spread of “misinformation” bravely insists that this was necessary for the workers’ own protection yet that this would be their finest hour. Unlike Jeb Bush, he doesn’t have to wait for the assembled to begin their seal-like clapping at this sage pronouncement, even as the evidence of Dyatlov’s radiation poisoning messily begins to manifest in front of him. Describing the proceedings which go on behind closed doors throughout the show at the highest levels as “Orwellian” practically makes mock of the term given the real world consequences that were coming home to roost. Reality itself becomes the enemy of the necessary truth of the Soviet Union’s mission; the human beings who suffer as a result of this hubris become a grisly sacrifice made to the cult of international Socialism.

Chernobyl explores unflinchingly why the Soviet Union was a house made of cards; it serves as a welcome reminder of the fact that the Evil Empire richly deserved that title and how that house of cards ultimately imploded. Lies can’t survive in the sterilizing light of reality any more than men could look into the molten core of that ruined reactor, and even unlimited political power couldn’t contain the creeping evil that festered in the heart of the Kremlin.

Chernobyl concludes on Monday, June 3.

Published in Entertainment
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 32 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Keith Rice Inactive
    Keith Rice
    @KeithRice

    And just in time to remind the “green” types that nuclear energy is not the best path to clean, efficient, inexpensive energy. They aren’t going to consider for a second the huge gap between Soviet incompetence and American ingenuity combined with a host of regulations. No doubt the braintrust at HBO knows this and may even have been prompted to produce this gem to queer the nascent resurgence of nuclear energy talk.

    • #1
  2. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    Game of Thrones left no lacuna in my schedule since after watching the first thirty minutes or so, I decided to put it on my list of way over-hyped shows that I didn’t like.

    The Chernobyl problem is not simply a Soviet problem, but a problem of any governmental bureaucracy anywhere that is trying to cover its backside. The FBI, NSA, and CIA are doing the same thing at the moment scurrying around like the rats they are denying the problem and trying to cover it up. Radioactive fallout on the one hand and subversion of the electoral system on the other. Both are rots at upper management. Which is more damaging? 

    • #2
  3. Shawn Buell (Majestyk) Member
    Shawn Buell (Majestyk)
    @Majestyk

    Keith Rice (View Comment):

    And just in time to remind the “green” types that nuclear energy is not the best path to clean, efficient, inexpensive energy. They aren’t going to consider for a second the huge gap between Soviet incompetence and American ingenuity combined with a host of regulations. No doubt the braintrust at HBO knows this and may even have been prompted to produce this gem to queer the nascent resurgence of nuclear energy talk.

    I live 15 miles from a gigawatt nuclear generation station.  Our electricity is both cheap and reliable, and our carbon footprint makes any NY hipster shamefaced.

    If this was the aim, I missed that bit given how powerful the scolding of the USSR was.

    • #3
  4. Keith Rice Inactive
    Keith Rice
    @KeithRice

    Shawn Buell (Majestyk) (View Comment):

    Keith Rice (View Comment):

    And just in time to remind the “green” types that nuclear energy is not the best path to clean, efficient, inexpensive energy. They aren’t going to consider for a second the huge gap between Soviet incompetence and American ingenuity combined with a host of regulations. No doubt the braintrust at HBO knows this and may even have been prompted to produce this gem to queer the nascent resurgence of nuclear energy talk.

    I live 15 miles from a gigawatt nuclear generation station. Our electricity is both cheap and reliable, and our carbon footprint makes any NY hipster shamefaced.

    If this was the aim, I missed that bit given how powerful the scolding of the USSR was.

    That part mattered to you, it wouldn’t matter to them. Even now they speak the words of the USSR, even if they know not the origins of their beliefs.

    • #4
  5. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Shawn Buell (Majestyk): …but what comes as a surprise is the frankness with which the show’s producers and writers tackle the dysfunctionality and outright evil inherent to the Soviet Union…

    “But they didn’t do real socialism.”

    Obligatory. Now that it’s thirty years since the fall of the USSR, it’s alright to criticize them. After all, that wasn’t real socialism. Or so I’m told.

    • #5
  6. Shawn Buell (Majestyk) Member
    Shawn Buell (Majestyk)
    @Majestyk

    Keith Rice (View Comment):
    That part mattered to you, it wouldn’t matter to them. Even now they speak the words of the USSR, even if they know not the origins of their beliefs.

    If that’s the case, they’ve made a huge mistake.  Heck, the writers even managed to smuggle in a pro-life message that was as subtle as a trout to the piehole in last night’s episode.

    No matter what: this show is a masterpiece and just when I thought we’d hit Peak TV, this show has come along and shouldered its way to the front of the line, demanding to be considered among such leading lights as Breaking Bad or The Americans – another show which is shocking in its anti-Soviet, and pro-American sentiments.

    • #6
  7. Mark Wilson Inactive
    Mark Wilson
    @MarkWilson

    Shawn Buell (Majestyk): Describing the proceedings which go on behind closed doors throughout the show at the highest levels as “Orwellian” practically makes mock of the term given the real world consequences that were coming home to roost. Reality itself becomes the enemy of the necessary truth of the Soviet Union’s mission; the human beings who suffer as a result of this hubris become a grisly sacrifice made to the cult of international Socialism.

    This was perfectly illustrated by the gut-punch that was the robot fiasco.

    Also, at times Game of Thrones was hard to watch because of the rape, torture, immolation, dismemberment, etc.  It was shocking and violent, but I found it rarely moved me to an emotionally uncomfortable place.  I had another thing coming watching the squad of men with the rifles in last night’s episode.  It made me heartsick as I sat watching and cuddling with my wife and my dog on the couch.

    • #7
  8. Mark Wilson Inactive
    Mark Wilson
    @MarkWilson

    Hang On (View Comment):

    Game of Thrones left no lacuna in my schedule since after watching the first thirty minutes or so, I decided to put it on my list of way over-hyped shows that I didn’t like.

    I’m starting to think people who don’t watch Game of Thrones should be added to that joke about vegans, atheists, and Cross-fitters.

    • #8
  9. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Mark Wilson (View Comment):
    I’m starting to think people who don’t watch Game of Thrones should be added to that joke about vegans, atheists, and Cross-fitters.

    Hey, now.

    • #9
  10. Keith Rice Inactive
    Keith Rice
    @KeithRice

    Shawn Buell (Majestyk) (View Comment):

    Keith Rice (View Comment):
    That part mattered to you, it wouldn’t matter to them. Even now they speak the words of the USSR, even if they know not the origins of their beliefs.

    If that’s the case, they’ve made a huge mistake. Heck, the writers even managed to smuggle in a pro-life message that was as subtle as a trout to the piehole in last night’s episode.

    No matter what: this show is a masterpiece and just when I thought we’d hit Peak TV, this show has come along and shouldered its way to the front of the line, demanding to be considered among such leading lights as Breaking Bad or The Americans – another show which is shocking in its anti-Soviet, and pro-American sentiments.

    I’m sure you’re right and I’m in no position to judge without having seen it. It’s probably just my knee-jerk reaction that anything to come out of Hollywood (for example) is likely to be agenda co-ordinated.

    • #10
  11. Judge Mental Member
    Judge Mental
    @JudgeMental

    Mark Wilson (View Comment):

    Hang On (View Comment):

    Game of Thrones left no lacuna in my schedule since after watching the first thirty minutes or so, I decided to put it on my list of way over-hyped shows that I didn’t like.

    I’m starting to think people who don’t watch Game of Thrones should be added to that joke about vegans, atheists, and Cross-fitters.

    Difference is that it’s the vast majority of people.

    • #11
  12. Mark Wilson Inactive
    Mark Wilson
    @MarkWilson

    Judge Mental (View Comment):

    Mark Wilson (View Comment):

    Hang On (View Comment):

    Game of Thrones left no lacuna in my schedule since after watching the first thirty minutes or so, I decided to put it on my list of way over-hyped shows that I didn’t like.

    I’m starting to think people who don’t watch Game of Thrones should be added to that joke about vegans, atheists, and Cross-fitters.

    Difference is that it’s the vast majority of people.

    Probably true, and it’s easy for me to lose sight of that when my own social circle is saturated with people who watched it.

    On the other hand, there isn’t a bigger TV show or arguably pop culture phenomenon in the past decade than Game of Thrones.

    • #12
  13. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    Mark Wilson (View Comment):

    Hang On (View Comment):

    Game of Thrones left no lacuna in my schedule since after watching the first thirty minutes or so, I decided to put it on my list of way over-hyped shows that I didn’t like.

    I’m starting to think people who don’t watch Game of Thrones should be added to that joke about vegans, atheists, and Cross-fitters.

    What joke is that?

    • #13
  14. Mark Wilson Inactive
    Mark Wilson
    @MarkWilson

    Hang On (View Comment):

    Mark Wilson (View Comment):

    Hang On (View Comment):

    Game of Thrones left no lacuna in my schedule since after watching the first thirty minutes or so, I decided to put it on my list of way over-hyped shows that I didn’t like.

    I’m starting to think people who don’t watch Game of Thrones should be added to that joke about vegans, atheists, and Cross-fitters.

    What joke is that?

    An atheist, a vegan, and a Cross-fitter walk into a bar.  How can you tell which — actually, don’t worry, they’ll tell you.

    • #14
  15. SkipSul Inactive
    SkipSul
    @skipsul

    Mark Wilson (View Comment):

    Judge Mental (View Comment):

    Mark Wilson (View Comment):

    Hang On (View Comment):

    Game of Thrones left no lacuna in my schedule since after watching the first thirty minutes or so, I decided to put it on my list of way over-hyped shows that I didn’t like.

    I’m starting to think people who don’t watch Game of Thrones should be added to that joke about vegans, atheists, and Cross-fitters.

    Difference is that it’s the vast majority of people.

    Probably true, and it’s easy for me to lose sight of that when my own social circle is saturated with people who watched it.

    On the other hand, there isn’t a bigger TV show or arguably pop culture phenomenon in the past decade than Game of Thrones.

    MCU has been much much bigger.

    • #15
  16. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    Keith Rice (View Comment):
    And just in time to remind the “green” types that nuclear energy is not the best path to clean, efficient, inexpensive energy. They aren’t going to consider for a second the huge gap between Soviet incompetence and American ingenuity combined with a host of regulations. No doubt the braintrust at HBO knows this and may even have been prompted to produce this gem to queer the nascent resurgence of nuclear energy talk.

    Nothing of the sort can be found in the show, or the long detailed podcasts that attend it. They’re quite specific about the clusterfarg design of the Soviet’s junk tech and the hideous system that produced it. IIRC, the creator / writer in the first podcast specifically says it’s not intended to be a critique of nuclear power.

    It’s the most harrowing show I’ve seen in years. I subscribed to HBO to get the Deadwood movie, but would recommend anyone get a trial just to watch “Chernobyl.”

    • #16
  17. Clifford A. Brown Member
    Clifford A. Brown
    @CliffordBrown

    Keith Rice (View Comment):

    And just in time to remind the “green” types that nuclear energy is not the best path to clean, efficient, inexpensive energy. They aren’t going to consider for a second the huge gap between Soviet incompetence and American ingenuity combined with a host of regulations. No doubt the braintrust at HBO knows this and may even have been prompted to produce this gem to queer the nascent resurgence of nuclear energy talk.

    But wait, nuclear power is French approved.

    • #17
  18. JustmeinAZ Member
    JustmeinAZ
    @JustmeinAZ

    Just watched the first two episodes. OMG! Intense!

    • #18
  19. Keith Rice Inactive
    Keith Rice
    @KeithRice

    Clifford A. Brown (View Comment):

    Keith Rice (View Comment):

    And just in time to remind the “green” types that nuclear energy is not the best path to clean, efficient, inexpensive energy. They aren’t going to consider for a second the huge gap between Soviet incompetence and American ingenuity combined with a host of regulations. No doubt the braintrust at HBO knows this and may even have been prompted to produce this gem to queer the nascent resurgence of nuclear energy talk.

    But wait, nuclear power is French approved.

    I always wondered why this was not something we were supposed to emulate.

    • #19
  20. Amy Schley Coolidge
    Amy Schley
    @AmySchley

    I too have been incredibly impressed with the show. I want to watch it with my dad who worked on American naval nuclear reactors in the 80s to see how the details match up, along with how what they’re showing matches with what he was told happened at the time.

    I also want to congratulate HBO on having a scene of (historically accurate) mass nudity without any titillation value what so ever.  In most shows, a scene of a bunch of coal miners digging while swinging pipe would be erotic. Not so when it’s a bunch of potbellied hairy men in their 40s.  And the leader of the coal miners has been a wonderful source of comic relief, even if it’s black comedy. e.g. “What’s the size of a house, burns 11 liters of petrol an hour, belches smoke, leaks oil, and chops apples into three pieces? A Soviet machine for chopping apples into four pieces!”

    • #20
  21. Shawn Buell (Majestyk) Member
    Shawn Buell (Majestyk)
    @Majestyk

    Amy Schley (View Comment):
    I too have been incredibly impressed with the show.

    It has become the highest rated show on IMDB already.

    • #21
  22. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    Keith Rice (View Comment):

    Clifford A. Brown (View Comment):

    Keith Rice (View Comment):

    And just in time to remind the “green” types that nuclear energy is not the best path to clean, efficient, inexpensive energy. They aren’t going to consider for a second the huge gap between Soviet incompetence and American ingenuity combined with a host of regulations. No doubt the braintrust at HBO knows this and may even have been prompted to produce this gem to queer the nascent resurgence of nuclear energy talk.

    But wait, nuclear power is French approved.

    I always wondered why this was not something we were supposed to emulate.

    We don’t have one power company (as France does), so one government-approved design of nuclear power plant at a time that works. How are we going to emulate it?

    • #22
  23. LibertyDefender Member
    LibertyDefender
    @LibertyDefender

    Shawn Buell (Majestyk)

    Chernobyl opens moments after the explosion which rocked the No. 4 Reactor on April 26, 1986 …

    Anybody who has been alive for the last 40 years knows the rough outlines of the causes and results of the Chernobyl disaster,  …

    The plant’s Chief Engineer, Dyatlov, refuses to believe that the reactor could have exploded, citing his absolute confidence that it was physically impossible for an RBMK Reactor to do so. 

    I disagree with the notion that people are informed of the nature of the Chernobyl accident (if that’s what you meant by “the rough outlines of the causes and results of the Chernobyl disaster”).

    The explosion in the Chernobyl reactor was a steam explosion. I suspect most people think that it was a nuclear explosion.

    Nuclear fission material was of course spread by the blast, but that’s very different than a nuclear fission explosion of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs.

    I also suspect that relatively few people understand that the Soviet nuclear reactors were/are not housed in containment structures as are reactors in the US.

    That said, the series sounds compelling, and I’ve not heard or read a bad review.

    • #23
  24. Shawn Buell (Majestyk) Member
    Shawn Buell (Majestyk)
    @Majestyk

    LibertyDefender (View Comment):

    Shawn Buell (Majestyk)

    Chernobyl opens moments after the explosion which rocked the No. 4 Reactor on April 26, 1986 …

    Anybody who has been alive for the last 40 years knows the rough outlines of the causes and results of the Chernobyl disaster, …

    The plant’s Chief Engineer, Dyatlov, refuses to believe that the reactor could have exploded, citing his absolute confidence that it was physically impossible for an RBMK Reactor to do so.

    I disagree with the notion that people are informed of the nature of the Chernobyl accident (if that’s what you meant by “the rough outlines of the causes and results of the Chernobyl disaster”).

    The explosion in the Chernobyl reactor was a steam explosion. I suspect most people think that it was a nuclear explosion.

    Nuclear fission material was of course spread by the blast, but that’s very different than a nuclear fission explosion of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs.

    I also suspect that relatively few people understand that the Soviet nuclear reactors were/are not housed in containment structures as are reactors in the US.

    That said, the series sounds compelling, and I’ve not heard or read a bad review.

    Without getting too technical, there is well-informed analysis that indicates that the initial steam explosion was followed by a “fizzled” nuclear reaction which caused a secondary explosion.

    Basically, because the cooling water flashed off in the steam explosion, there was a rush of unmoderated neutrons which briefly caused a criticality before the pile deconstructed.

    • #24
  25. Amy Schley Coolidge
    Amy Schley
    @AmySchley

    LibertyDefender (View Comment):

    Shawn Buell (Majestyk)

    Chernobyl opens moments after the explosion which rocked the No. 4 Reactor on April 26, 1986 …

    Anybody who has been alive for the last 40 years knows the rough outlines of the causes and results of the Chernobyl disaster, …

    The plant’s Chief Engineer, Dyatlov, refuses to believe that the reactor could have exploded, citing his absolute confidence that it was physically impossible for an RBMK Reactor to do so.

    I disagree with the notion that people are informed of the nature of the Chernobyl accident (if that’s what you meant by “the rough outlines of the causes and results of the Chernobyl disaster”).

    The explosion in the Chernobyl reactor was a steam explosion. I suspect most people think that it was a nuclear explosion.

    Nuclear fission material was of course spread by the blast, but that’s very different than a nuclear fission explosion of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs.

    I also suspect that relatively few people understand that the Soviet nuclear reactors were/are not housed in containment structures as are reactors in the US.

    That said, the series sounds compelling, and I’ve not heard or read a bad review.

    The previews suggest that next week’s episode will give a detailed timeline breakdown, down to the second where necessary, of exactly what happened. 

    I feel like the show is doing a great job of explaining that while the RBMK reactor had design flaws (primarily that the process of an emergency shutdown actually initially increased the radioactivity), the disaster was caused by people: 25 year old “senior” engineers, design flaws not being shared with reactor operators, layers of bureaucrats more interested in deflecting blame than solving problems, leaders refusing to admit the embarrassing truths and ask for help, etc. Each episode goes further and further in explaining that this was a human disaster far more than a nuclear one. 

    • #25
  26. LibertyDefender Member
    LibertyDefender
    @LibertyDefender

    Shawn Buell (Majestyk) (View Comment):

    LibertyDefender (View Comment):

    Shawn Buell (Majestyk)

    Chernobyl opens moments after the explosion which rocked the No. 4 Reactor on April 26, 1986 …

    Anybody who has been alive for the last 40 years knows the rough outlines of the causes and results of the Chernobyl disaster, …

    The plant’s Chief Engineer, Dyatlov, refuses to believe that the reactor could have exploded, citing his absolute confidence that it was physically impossible for an RBMK Reactor to do so.

    I disagree with the notion that people are informed of the nature of the Chernobyl accident (if that’s what you meant by “the rough outlines of the causes and results of the Chernobyl disaster”).

    The explosion in the Chernobyl reactor was a steam explosion. I suspect most people think that it was a nuclear explosion.

    Nuclear fission material was of course spread by the blast, but that’s very different than a nuclear fission explosion of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs.

    I also suspect that relatively few people understand that the Soviet nuclear reactors were/are not housed in containment structures as are reactors in the US.

    That said, the series sounds compelling, and I’ve not heard or read a bad review.

    Without getting too technical, there is well-informed analysis that indicates that the initial steam explosion was followed by a “fizzled” nuclear reaction which caused a secondary explosion.

    Basically, because the cooling water flashed off in the steam explosion, there was a rush of unmoderated neutrons which briefly caused a criticality before the pile deconstructed.

    Of this analysis I am highly skeptical. The nature of nuclear power generating fuel rods is such low level radioactivity compared to bomb grade material, it’s difficult to imagine that a steam explosion in an already ruptured reactor could cause criticality in such low density/low energy material.

    The World Nuclear Association admits “There is some dispute among experts about the character of this second explosion, but it is likely to have been caused by the production of hydrogen from zirconium-steam reactions.” Their page on the Chernobyl disaster makes no mention of a chain reaction.

    Granted, there are huge gaps in available information, so a complete explanation will never be available.

    • #26
  27. Shawn Buell (Majestyk) Member
    Shawn Buell (Majestyk)
    @Majestyk

    LibertyDefender (View Comment):
    Of this analysis I am highly skeptical. The nature of nuclear power generating fuel rods is such low level radioactivity compared to bomb grade material, it’s difficult to imagine that a steam explosion in an already ruptured reactor could cause criticality in such low density/low energy material.

    The trouble is that at the time of the accident the maximum number of control rods had been removed from the pile including manual overrides and when they tried to SCRAM the reactor the control rods fractured and jammed in the out position.

    This in turn seems to have led to the flashing of the cooling water and steam explosion along with a release of fast neutrons that precipitated the criticality event.

    • #27
  28. Shawn Buell (Majestyk) Member
    Shawn Buell (Majestyk)
    @Majestyk

    It should be pointed out as well that the design of the RBMK Reactor was itself the chief culprit in the accident – a design flaw which was rendered into a state secret and therefore hidden from its operators, who were unprepared for how the reactor would function at low power levels.  Then, due to inappropriate training (the chief engineer was 25… really) and a reactor configuration which was primed for maximum reactivity a series of human errors caused the disaster.

    The Graphite Moderators serve the purpose of slowing down fast neutrons in order to facilitate the nuclear chain reaction, so in this case the reactor’s power output paradoxically and unexpectedly increased at low power levels when the graphite-tipped control rods were inserted into the pile.

    This unanticipated behavior in combination with the fact that the reactor was designed with a positive void ratio (along with a decrease in feed water flow which meant a lower vapor pressure as a result of reliance upon decaying turbine inertia powering the pumps) is what set the catastrophe in motion.

    • #28
  29. Dbroussa Coolidge
    Dbroussa
    @Dbroussa

    Another film that really shows the depravity of the Soviet system is The Death of Stalin. If you haven’t seen that I would highly recommend it.  

    • #29
  30. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Dbroussa (View Comment):

    Another film that really shows the depravity of the Soviet system is The Death of Stalin. If you haven’t seen that I would highly recommend it.

    I’d spend a kopeck on it.

    • #30
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.