Episode

Open Wide, O Earth

by Craig Mazin, Johan Renck, Baltasar Breki Samper, Philip Barantini, Oscar Dyekjær Giese and 75 others

Valery Legasov, Boris Shcherbina and Ulana Khomyuk risk their lives and reputations to expose the truth about Chernobyl. Finale.

(9 total)

Characters

Craig Mazin (9)Valery Legasov (5)Jared Harris (5)Anatoly Dyatlov (2)Paul Ritter (2)Boris Shcherbina (1)Stellan Skarsgard (1)Soldier (1)Josef Altin (1)

“[Ending scene: As Legasov is driven away from Chernobyl by the KGB, his voice on tape is heard] To be a scientist is to be naive. We are so focused on our search for truth, we fail to consider how few actually want us to find it. But it is always there, whether we see it or not, whether we choose to…”

— Craig Mazin, Valery Legasov, Jared Harris, imdb.com

Tagged: Chernobyl, Scientist, Lies, Naive

“[Legasov is arrested by the KGB for refusing to toe the party line and is led to a private interrogation room] Charkov: [reads file] Valery Alexeyevich Legasov, son of Alexei Legasov, Head of Ideological Compliance, Central Committee. Do you know what your father did there? Legasov: Yes. Charkov: As…”

— Craig Mazin, Valery Legasov, Jared Harris, imdb.com

Tagged: Chernobyl, Communist Youth, Communist Party, Vienna

“[As the courtroom is at a recess, Legasov meets with Shcherbina outside] Shcherbina: [Coughing] Do you know anything about this town, Chernobyl? Legasov: Not really, no. Shcherbina: It was mostly Jews and Poles. The Jews were killed in pogroms, and Stalin forced the Poles out. And then the Nazis cam…”

— Craig Mazin, Anatoly Dyatlov, Paul Ritter, imdb.com

Tagged: Chernobyl, Jews, Poles, Pogroms

“[Pripyat, April 25, 1986 - twelve hours prior to the explosion] Fomin: I hear they might promote Bryukhanov. This little problem we have with the safety test, if it's completed successfully... yes, I think promotion's very likely. Who knows? Maybe Moscow. Naturally, they'll put me in charge once he'…”

— Craig Mazin, Anatoly Dyatlov, Paul Ritter, imdb.com

Tagged: Moscow, Kiev

“Legasov: No one in the room that night knew the shutdown button (AZ-5) could act as a detonator. They didn't know it, because it was kept from them. Kadnikov: Comrade Legasov, you're contradicting your own testimony in Vienna. Legasov: My testimony in Vienna was a lie. I lied to the world. I'm not t…”

— Craig Mazin, Valery Legasov, Jared Harris, imdb.com

Tagged: KGB, Vienna, Soviet Union, Lies

“Of course I know they're listening! I want them to hear! I want them to hear it all! [from outside, where Legasov and General Tarakanov can hear] Do you know what we're doing here?! Tell those geniuses what they have done! I don't give a fuck! Tell them! Go tell them! Ryzhkov! Go tell them he's a jo…”

— Craig Mazin, Boris Shcherbina, Stellan Skarsgard, imdb.com

Tagged: Soviet Union, Gorbachev, Fucking, Germans

“[An old woman milking a cow refuses to evacuate from a village near Chernobyl] Old Woman: You know how old I am? Soldier: I don't know. Old. Old Woman: I'm 82. I've lived here my whole life. Right here, that house, this place. What do I care about ‘safe’? Soldier: I have a job. Don't cause trouble.…”

— Craig Mazin, Soldier, Josef Altin, imdb.com

Tagged: Holodomor, Bolsheviks, World War I

“Legasov: [showing pictures of the damaged reactor] The atom is a humbling thing. General Nikolai Tarakanov: It's not humbling, it's humiliating. Why is the core still exposed to the air? Why have we not already covered it up? Legasov: We want to, but we can't get close enough. The debris on the roof…”

— Craig Mazin, Valery Legasov, Jared Harris, imdb.com

Tagged: Radiation, Roentgen, afghanistan, Nuclear Meltdown

“[After a meeting with the Central Committee, Legasov confronts KGB official Aleksandr Charkov about Khomyuk's arrest] Legasov: She was arrested by the KGB. You are the first deputy chairman of the KGB. Aleksandr Charkov: [amused] I am. That's why I don't have to bother with arresting people anymore.…”

— Craig Mazin, Valery Legasov, Jared Harris, imdb.com

Tagged: KGB, Ronald Reagan