This was a very good drama, which nonetheless plays pretty fast and loose with some facts in order to build dramatic tension. Which is fine; it's not a documentary. I just hope people don't believe that this is the absolute truth.

The book "Midnight in Chernobyl" by Adam Higginbotham, which was released a few months before this show aired, paints a more well rounded (or perhaps complicated) picture.

Chernobyl's civil defense chief, Serafim Vorobyev, made clear as early as 3-4 am that the reactor has exploded, something which was confirmed by tests taken by Chernobyl's department of nuclear safety at 8 am. I understand that the way the show portrayed events made for a better drama, but don't take it as absolute truth.

In the TV series Dyatlov is an almost cartoonishly evil and incompetent figure and Legasov near saintlike. I understand they had to take some dramatic license, all dramas need their protagonist and antagonist, just don't take it as absolute truth. Judging from the book it's no doubt that Dyatlov was a tough and demanding boss, but not as unfair and willing to lay blame at anyone but himself as in the show. As for Legasov, the speech at the trial never happened. His change of heart seemed to have come from not so much as a radically changed outlook on the Soviet Union and its nuclear power, but it seemingly had more to do with his loss of status as he was viewed as being too entrenched with the ancien régime by a new generation of scientists. Again, it doesn't make for an effective drama so I ac understand why the filmmakers decided to change it. But again, just don't take it as absolute truth.

As for the show's Legasov's claim that the flaw inherent in the RBMK reactors would be covered up by the Soviet leadership it doesn't make much sense. By the time the trial began all 15 remaining RMBK reactors had been subjected to an extensive technical refit proposed in a Politburo resolution passed in July 1986. Again, it makes for a compelling drama, just don't take it as absolute truth.

A very effective drama, well acted, well constructed. Just don't confuse it for a documentary.