There are some clear pros here - a fascinating true-life crisis, some great performances, and a build-up of tension. In those respects, along with the relative foreboding chaos and problem solving, it reminded me a little of the much superior Chernobyl.
But from an engagement perspective, it felt quite weak. So many characters are set up and developed who have no resolution. Eg the corporate helper guy who gets involved and then is just dropped. Vera narrates over the first episode, but then becomes a background character (and the narration is dropped). Non-linear editing is employed where different moments are intercut, which often becomes completely confusing and inconsistent. It ends in quite a downbeat way without any final title cards explaining the overall stats of what happened (lives lost, saved, what happened to people). With better writing and story dynamics it could have been SO much more engaging and fulfilling, building more emotional connection rather than just relying on a blanket of consistent chaos. I appreciate its trying hard to be docu-style and refrain from artifice, but in the end it felt like thin disaster-porn stretched out across five episodes. It was interesting and fascinating at times, but the shifting focus and lack of overall story arcs left me feeling quite distant.
But from an engagement perspective, it felt quite weak. So many characters are set up and developed who have no resolution. Eg the corporate helper guy who gets involved and then is just dropped. Vera narrates over the first episode, but then becomes a background character (and the narration is dropped). Non-linear editing is employed where different moments are intercut, which often becomes completely confusing and inconsistent. It ends in quite a downbeat way without any final title cards explaining the overall stats of what happened (lives lost, saved, what happened to people). With better writing and story dynamics it could have been SO much more engaging and fulfilling, building more emotional connection rather than just relying on a blanket of consistent chaos. I appreciate its trying hard to be docu-style and refrain from artifice, but in the end it felt like thin disaster-porn stretched out across five episodes. It was interesting and fascinating at times, but the shifting focus and lack of overall story arcs left me feeling quite distant.