Chernobyl

Chernobyl should have been released in October. With its subject matter and direction, it carries aaaalllllll the symptoms of a classic horror. The decision to take the story deep into that territory was perfect. What’s mostly so scary is that it’s not science fiction, it’s science nonfiction. After a nuclear meltdown at the Russian Chernobyl power plant in 1986, toxic radiation saturates the town of Pripyat, Ukraine USSR. While one could easily surmise the white men haphazardly saving the white man from the white men is the antagonist in this tale, the real killer in this story is virtually silent and invisible - nuclear radiation. Where the showmakers could have depended on a lot of horror tropes like jump scares and high tension to deliver fear, they simply rely on the actual reality of the story.

Chernobyl arrives at a perfect time. The political turmoil happening right now sounds like a deep echo from Russia’s past. A lot of young adults have heard of the nuclear tragedy but aren’t very familiar with its details. Through this tale, we learn about the cost of ‘LIIIIIES’ and the serious, snowball effects of them, vs. the cost of truth. HBO took a brilliant true story and packaged it in that glossy, gorgeous way only HBO can do. Now, biopics can definitely suck, (see; Lifetime), but I’m not sure the network has ever made a bad show. Since seeing the freshly starved GoT fans welcome Chernobyl with open arms, I’ve been torturing myself to really rack my brain about what is so appealing to the show, and I keep coming back to the basic story of it all. Chernobyl will surely get Emmy nominations, (CALLED IT) the acting is careful and refrained, the direction nailed the mise-en-scene, and it fits a quirky criteria like Limited series. But why, really, does everyone love it so much? It’s because of the story. This was a surefire, no-fail plan that some genius at HBO decided on. The subject matter is fool-proof, unlike the ‘fool-proof’ nuclear test. Incredible stories make for incredible TV. 

One major aspect HBO keeps nailing time and time again, is finding attentive, distinct directors with every show they make. When I refer to the direction generally I’m saying the ‘arrangement of everything placed in the frame,’ the mise-en-scene. Chernobyl is five episodes of extremely well-crafted television. We’re witnessing that perfect amalgam of great concept, screenwriting, acting, production design, and overall effect. Seeing the courtroom scenes smattered with cold, staring eastern bloc faces made me wonder what the casting call must’ve requested. The music groans like a contorted siren, mimicking that pillow effect you get from going to a loud concert. The fuzziness of the radiation-measuring dosimeters match the grainy film. That scene of children playing in the debris from the blast, all slow-mo and blurry…we essentially watch them make snow angels out of nuclear ash. It’s chilling. 

What I really need to say about Chern-chern, as I call it, is that it feeds the deep rooted tragedy-lover in me who craves to see the face melting, monster-making version of this story. I look at it as a glorious nihilist-pleasing sh*tshow that just so happened to have happened. Nuclear tragedy brings utter despair. We witness the immediate and gradual decay of the local first responders and power plant workers. Big boss Dyatlov, acting as the ‘Snape’ in this story, refuses the obvious facts with a cold, demeaning nature. He should have died right away, as he was physically close to the actual blast. But karma came for him cuz he spent a decade in prison for his mishandling of the disaster. How wild is that?! When a man appears with his skin disintegrating, puking like a coed, Dyatlov is like “ugh take him to the nurse I guess.” Dyatlov is a real life antagonist.

While the human peril is easy to follow in this story, the science of it all isn’t. The actual events of the blast never get explained thoroughly until the very end, during the trial. But I suppose that’s what actually happened, huh? The situation was shrouded in secrecy as the world searched for facts. The USSR was a socialist state until 1991, obsessed with its world reputation being portrayed as nothing but a superpower. They wouldn’t show any error or wrong moves, and buried anything painting them as incompetent, foolish, or weak. (This reminds me of a reality tv personality - any guesses? Yes, RHOBH star Lisa Vandertrump! Except LVP would NEVER order the shooting of dogs, no matter how deadly they may be.)

Personally I see the show as Why We’re F**ked; Humanity - an Observation - to be filed under Nihilism, exhibit A-Z 5. Loved it. But will the recent Emmy nods elicit an inapplicable season two??

Stranger Things 3

I love when a show gets released as it takes place, seasonally or around a holiday. Stranger Things premiered in July but took place during November. ST 2 was released around Halloween, with the story taking place at the same time. Now we have a summery ST 3 to watch betwixt our countless hot dogs and Roman candle misfires…..but has the song remained the same?

Stranger Things 3 has shaken things up a bit. This moody tween still has angst, bite, mystery, and monsters. But she’s traded in her scratchy autumnal sweaters for a festive summer dress. As the show has seemed to up their budget, (that CGI laser gun sequence, anyone??) the city of Hawkins, Indiana has upgraded from 1983’s earth tones and corduroy, main street mom and pop shops, to 1985’s preppy pastels, neons, loud prints, and a shiny new local mall to match. There has been a major tone shift on the show. We were settled into a fall time groove with dark early evenings and cozy costuming. Now we’ve been thrown into the dog days and someone switched the lights on. Hopper and Joyce are laughing and shooting the shit. The Starcourt Mall set is stuffed to the gills with Reagan-era signage and six thousand extras donning plastic jewelry and fluffy perms. The kids traverse a sunny green hill, and the visual is jarringly stark. Suddenly it’s a classic mid-80’s film, filled with camera work and tropes we’ve seen before. In the span of the first episode we hear about eight modern bops. The gang bands together for a surprise ‘welcome home’ for Dustin complete with a cheesy movie score. We’re cannonballed into jovial pool scenes with bodice ripper readers drooling over Billy the lifeguard, a shopping montage, a fiery new female, makeouts, and dispiriting internships at the local sexist-run newspaper. The camera slowly tracks up as music builds to reveal a fan favorite, science teacher Mr. Clarke. What once felt independent and unique now feels like watered-down American cinema. Seriously, I felt like I was watching a movie. Are we here for this change? One could easily argue these are purposeful techniques to give us that authentic 80’s feel. But to a more critical, cynical eye, (AHEM,) it’s tired. It’s cliche. It’s distracting from the actual substance these showmakers put before us. However, once the dust settled, we got right back into the groove we all know and love. The mood is hopeful as everyone’s sure their monster issues have been handled. But as us viewers expect, things just keep getting stranger…

The tone shift is great! It’s refreshing, it’s fun, it’s exciting. But can we say the same about the plot? I’m going to start by quoting myself, if I MAY BE SO BOLD. Three years ago I wrote - “The moment season one of Stranger Things ended, my husband and I got into a 1am ninety minute civilized yet shouty discussion of the future of the show, where we hoped it would go, and where we believed it would go….. I…felt so shockingly satisfied by the way the season ended, that I lamented and wished the next season would be a new “book in the series”, so to speak. Why keep on a story that feels so conclusive? Sure, this may only be a peek into the overall story, but I’m so happy with what I’ve seen! I don’t want to see more of these people in this place with this situation! I was distinctly shown this story is a book, wouldn’t the end of the season be the end of the book? Can’t we have another book in the series of Stranger Things, about some other, absurd and intriguing stranger things?? ST ended on SUCH a satisfying note, some of us want the show as an anthology series instead of an overwrought, wrung-dry slave to the moneymaking Netflix machine. Thomas has a very optimistic point of view with how the story will progress. (I don’t think it’ll be bad, season two, no.) I am pessimistic though. Why tamper with a good thing? Why not let it lie?” 

After viewing ST 3, I can proudly declare my fears were valid. We have now witnessed the same story three times. Season one consisted of; missing persons, the demogorgon, scientists, telekinetic powers, body snatching, Hopper going ham, the upside down, and what I refer to as the inside out (the dark place El goes to with the watery floor.) Season two; missing persons, demodogs, scientists, telekinetic powers, body snatching, Hopper going ham, the upside down, the inside out, and the Mind Flayer. Season three; missing shoppers, rat monsters, russian scientists, telekinetic powers, body snatching, Hopper going ham, the inside out, and the Mind Flayer. Is anyone else frustrated by this? At the end of season two, I distinctly remember turning to my husband and declaring “so we’re back to where we started, right?” What was it all even for, then? The Mind Flayer is back on his bullshit. Can we at least agree the Mind Flayer is a ‘he’?? Not to assume genders or gender roles, heaven forbid, but like, Mrs. Mind Flayer is probably sitting at home with some cold, corpse-y meal, wondering why he hasn’t called to say he’d be three seasons late. I’m starting to think there is no chance of defeat, especially since this season just broke every viewer record Netflix has (!!!) Within its first four days, 40.7 million accounts streamed Stranger Things 3. But obviously mine was one of them. Because at the end of the day, the show is entertaining! I may have issues with how cyclical the story is, (El’s all like “wait didn’t I just close the gate? I swear we just dealt with this exact thing.”) but there’s no doubt I’m mourning the end of the season, and am already excited for season four. 

A few more things and then I’m done I swear. The show currently spans two years and has taken at least three to film. These teen actors are aging like…well….teenagers. Noah Schnapp (Will) felt like a twenty year old playing twelve. We’re all just gonna have to keep suspending our disbelief on this one, ya? Ya. And do we really need to see Will reach for his neck EVERY time his hairs stand up? The CGI is great, he doesn’t need to give us another visual cue. Same with El’s nosebleeds, perhaps her body is getting more used to it by now? But who am I to mitigate a girl’s flow. David Harbour (Hopper) has been an acclaimed actor for years now, but he truly shines this season. Sometimes I have a hard time finding the words for acting chops, but I just had to let it be known. He really is a scene-stealer. Dacre Montgomery (Billy) really gets his due. He presents an ideal example of what good writing can do for a character. Billy was arguably the worst part of season two, and quickly becomes the best of season three. One last thing - correct me if I’m wrong, but, THE RUSSIANS NEVER SAID WHY?!