: Deputy Chief Engineer Anatoly Dyatlov (Paul Ritter) refuses to believe the core has exploded, famously dismissing radiation readings of 3.6 roentgen/hour as "not great, not terrible," unaware the actual levels are thousands of times higher. Key Moments and Themes
The episode begins with a haunting prologue set two years after the disaster: "Chernobyl" 1:23:45(2019)
: The explosion was triggered during a low-power safety test. A surge caused by a design flaw in the RBMK reactor’s control rods (graphite tips) led to a massive steam explosion that blew the 1,000-ton lid off the reactor. : Deputy Chief Engineer Anatoly Dyatlov (Paul Ritter)
The premiere episode of the HBO/Sky miniseries "Chernobyl," titled "1:23:45," originally aired on May 6, 2019. The title refers to the exact moment on April 26, 1986 , when Reactor No. 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded in the Ukrainian SSR, marking the beginning of the world's worst man-made nuclear catastrophe . Plot Overview The premiere episode of the HBO/Sky miniseries "Chernobyl,"
: The narrative then shifts back to the night of the accident. Inside the Control Room of Unit 4, a safety test goes horribly wrong.