Open Wide, O Earth

The living room or wherever you choose to watch this episode ceases to exist about 25 minutes into this episode. WE become the miners, we want to follow this shift-boss into certain death, just... because..

This is the most brilliant performance I have seen on screen. Alex Ferns interpretation of Glukhov is captivating to say the least. Seldom do one-liners or facial grins alone make the hair on your arm stand. This Glukhov will. Considering the year this happened, this man or any of these men could be your father, brother, your friend. It's amazing the way they portray silent and obedient bravery shown by these miners in 1986. There is something epic about this episode. Something beyond our everyday toils and troubles

Honestly, if you've seen the episode, you know what I'm talking about. Utterly disturbing sights to see. Utterly incredible effects and makeup, shockingly dark and realistic.

After being devastated from the disappointing finale of you know which TV show, this episode really has cheered me up.

The acting was once again superb by everyone and the perfect cinematography makes it even more stunning and thought provoking. It literally makes you feel the situation of people effected by this in the real world, when the actual events happened.

A review from someone who actually viewed the episode first. Another great episode . The facts about the nuclear disaster are well known, and the aftermath is far worse than imagined. The people still do not know how badly the radiation will effect them, but the longer time passes the more they are seeing just how sick this is making people. The government decides to call on their comrades in the coal mining industry to help stop the reactor from leaking radioactive waste into the water table that will poison it pretty much forever around the whole country. Plans are in action to cool the reactor before it totally melts and kills the miners whom are pretty much doomed in the foreseeable future anyway. This is a spectacular mini series , and yet another award worthy one from HBO. Acting is incredible and the writing is great. Very informative and fact based.

There are so few shows that are put together so perfectly and in a way that completely grips you and keeps you glued to the events unfolding. Everything from the writing, directing, acting, editing and set design is done so beautifully and accurately. This episode portrayed the authenticity of the aftermath of what happened to the firefighters and any and all who were at the disaster site. Every scene is as gripping as the previous. Also, as a person who escaped Czechoslovakia in 1968, Chernobyl shows how the insane asinine Soviet system worked and how the KGB was everywhere and watched everything. The actors and actresses are 100% in character and bring validity to every moment. This episode showed us how people die from acute radiation exposure and it is done in a way that show remind us all what our nuclear world can be if we as a society forget its unstoppable power. Fantastic work on this episode and an amazing miniseries!