10 Amazing First Episodes Of Brilliant TV Series
2. Chernobyl - 1:23:45
Chernobyl was 2019's star performer, and in only 5 episodes it has equalled Band Of Brothers and Breaking Bad as the highest rating tv programs of all time. The first episode is without a doubt one of its strongest, beginning with our lead Valery Legasov recording a message one year after the event saying that it was not an accident, and that the truth must not be buried.
The primary theme of Chernobyl is secrets and lies, and we are told first thing that even after the incident has ended the Soviet Union is still attempting to hide the truth. This makes the following views of a burning reactor and men dying of radiation poisoning all the more disturbing. Even more brilliantly they go all in on highlighting the incompetence of the Soviet management structure in their response. Even as the reactor is burning officials are trying to downplay the truth and blame each other, rather than actually acknowledge the issue.
The episode is perfectly written, visually stunning and doesn't shy away from the ugly truth... instead it leans heavily into it. This isn't going to be shallow drama with a few shots of a reactor core; The creators want you to be shocked that this was a real thing that actually happened.