Chernobyl — Series 1 Episode 4: The Happiness of All Mankind — A Review

16th September, 2019.

It’s a Monday night.

And, frankly?



It’s a Monday night where I’m listening to the only Cabaret Voltaire album I own.

One of these days?



I might just have to … you know … 



Buy some more.



Once I can get a few suggestions from Quora, obviously.

~≈Ç≈~

At any rate?



It’s a Monday night in: which means just one thing at the moment.



Catching another episode of the Sky/HBO miniseries, Chernobyl.



It’s looking good … 

~≈Ç≈~

Episode 4, The Happiness of All Mankind shows us more people being evacuated from Pripyat: and other towns in the vicinity of the power plant.

Whilst this is happening?

General Tarakanov (Ralph Ineson) head of the team cleaning up the ruined remains of the plant, has brought in surplus lunar robots to clean up debris from two of the roofs damaged in the explosion.



Robots that can’t be used on the third of the rooftops: as it’s too radioactive.



Not even the hi-tech West German robot is of any use.

He, Legasov and Shcherbina (Jared Harris and Stellan Skarsgård) are forced to use their worst case option.

Getting volunteer human troops to clear the roof.



Volunteers … who have no more than ninety seconds to clear as much as possible … 

~≈Ç≈~

Meanwhile?

Meanwhile, Dr Khomyuk (Emily Watson) has complete more of her investigations.

She’s confirmed with a slowly recovering Dyatlov (Paul Ritter) exactly when the plant exploded.



After a specific safety feature was activated.

She’s also found a report about Chernobyl-style reactors, dating from the mid-70s: that explains one thing very clearly.

That those very same safety features take too long to activate …

~≈Ç≈~

Now … ?

I have to say, again, that Chernobyl is proving itself to be a watchable series.



Showing us not evil, or heroism … but humanity being human.

All the way from Dyatlov, and his despondency: know he’s doomed whether he’s shown to be guilty or innocent of any fault in the events at the plant.



Through to Legasov: seeking repentance for his actions in  hiding the truth about the Moscow (almost) melt-down.



And finally to Tarankov: ordering his clean-up crews onto the roof at the plant: aware of what’s needed, and forced to give orders he doesn’t want to give, as there is no other option.



To the men, themselves: the guys on the rooftops, doing clearing work.



And the three liquidators, Pavel, Bacho and Garo (Barry Keoghan, Fares Fares and Alexej Manvelov) given the sad — and soul destroying — job of killing domestic animals in the area: the pets cats and dogs spreading further radiation.



Chernobyl?

As I think I’ve said, a couple of times, Chernobyl isn’t a horror story.



Its presentation of history?



Is far to gruesome for that …