Top-rated period drama on IMDb is 'masterpiece' five-part miniseries – it's a must watch

The mini-series made waves across the world for its emotional take on the historical events of a nuclear plant disaster, and TV fans are still left with "goosebumps".

Viewers continue to discover Chernobyl on streaming services and are just as blown away by it as the rest of the world was during its 2019 release. The short series retells the gripping story of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine during the Soviet Union.

Its five-part series explores the stories of the real-life people who were left in the wake of the tragedy and the work they did in response to it. From the firefighters who rushed to the scene to the volunteers and the miners, all of their immense efforts that often go untold are captured in each episode.

Chernobyl received critical acclaim after its 2019 release – praised with nineteen Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe awards – for its "incredible" atmosphere, historical accuracy and the cinematography throughout. Although it's not just the industry that felt impacted, viewers continue to share their raving reviews on IMDb as they rediscover the drama.

One touched viewer summed it up by writing: "Goose bumps and tears – what a masterpiece." Another review reads: "The acting is impeccable by all, the filming is top-notch, and the sounds are used to heighten the tension versus music. The way they are able to capture that exact feeling of anxiety, horror, disgust and sadness all rolled into one is admirable.

"I have completed the series, and it definitely ranks as one of the best. This story has been waiting to be told, and there is hands down no one better than HBO to do it."

A 10-star review warns that this is not an “easy watch”, comparing it to the likes of a horror film. They wrote: “'Chernobyl' is scarier than most horror movies in that it is a dramatisation of actual, real-life horror experienced by thousands of people on that fateful April 1986 morning and the years that followed.

“This disaster has haunted the nation, Europe, and the rest of mankind more than three decades later. And that creeping dread permeates the whole show. It's difficult to watch. But it certainly makes it a must-watch.”

Fans of the show have praised the ensemble cast’s performances, with the likes of Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, Emily Watson and Paul Ritter all starring alongside each other. In fact, Skarsgård went on to win Best Actor at the Golden Globes that year for his role as Boris Shcherbina in the series.

"Mesmerising" was a word one viewer used to describe the acting in Chernobyl. Another review claims: "Every actor did an amazing job at portraying each character and their feelings, which ultimately led to an even greater ambience. When the episode ended, I was left with a feeling like I was in Chernobyl!"

For those who are yet to see the "masterpiece" miniseries, Chernobyl is available now to stream on Now TV. It can also be rented on both Amazon Prime and YouTube.