The Chernobyl Podcast

A special message from Craig Mazin about the new HBO Original series and companion podcast for The Last of Us, based on the critically acclaimed video game of the same name. On HBO's The Last of Us Podcast Craig and co-creator Neil Druckmann go behind the scenes with host Troy Baker, who played the lead voice in the video game. Stream new episodes of The Last of Us on HBO Max Sundays at 9pm ET, then subscribe and listen to HBO's The Last of Us Podcast to dive deeper into every episode. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Peter Sagal (of NPR’s "Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me") is back hosting a new official HBO podcast; this time he’s with David Simon, the creator and executive producer of the new HBO limited series, The Plot Against America. Adapted from Philip Roth's novel of the same name, The Plot Against America explores a chilling alternate history in which the election of Charles Lindbergh during World War II charts America on a path towards facism. Join Sagal and Simon as they dissect the show’s narrative choices, their own personal ties to the material, and the story’s connection to our modern reality. Each episode of The Plot Against America Podcast is available after the series airs on Mondays at 9 PM on HBO. You can subscribe to The Plot Against America Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can stream it on HBO apps. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-plot-against-america-podcast/id1501379687

Peter Sagal and Craig Mazin are back for a special bonus episode. They’re joined by actor Jared Harris (Valery Legasov) to discuss filming Chernobyl, Harris’s experience portraying Legasov and the global reaction to the miniseries.  The Chernobyl Podcast is produced by HBO in conjunction with Pineapple Street Media. Original music by Kaan Erbay

Peter Sagal and Craig Mazin discuss the fifth and final episode of Chernobyl. Valery Legasov (Jared Harris), Boris Shcherbina (Stellan Skarsgård) and Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) risk their lives and reputations to expose the truth about Chernobyl. On the podcast, Mazin exposes the truth about the finale. He compares the real show trial with the series's depiction, explaining where he took liberties and why. We’ll also hear from production designer Luke Hull about recreating the trial room. And finally, Sagal and Mazin talk about what’s happened since Chernobyl, and what they’ve taken away from this series. The Chernobyl Podcast is produced by HBO in conjunction with Pineapple Street Media. Original music by Kaan Erbay. 

Peter Sagal and Craig Mazin discuss the penultimate episode of Chernobyl. Valery Legasov (Jared Harris) and Soviet Deputy Prime Minister Boris Shcherbina (Stellan Skarsgård) consider using lunar rovers to remove radioactive debris, while Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) faces government hurdles in determining the truth about the cause of the explosion. Sagal and Mazin go deep on the exclusion zone; from where they filmed it, to the first person accounts the rooftop cleanup is based on. And yes, they talk about the puppy scene.  The Chernobyl Podcast is produced by HBO in conjunction with Pineapple Street Media. Original music by Kaan Erbay. 

Peter Sagal and Craig Mazin discuss the third episode of Chernobyl. Lyudmilla Ignatenko (Jessie Buckley), a Pripyat resident, ignores warning about her firefighter husband’s (Adam Nagaitis) contamination; Valery Legasov (Jared Harris) lays out a decontamination plan, complete with human risks. On the podcast, Mazin breaks down how they filmed the divers scene with additional commentary from director Johan Renck. Sagal and Mazin talk about scenes that were left on the cutting room floor, how much of Jessie Buckley's actions mirror the real Lyudmilla Ignatenko's, and more.

Peter Sagal and Craig Mazin discuss the second episode of Chernobyl. With untold millions at risk after the explosion, nuclear physicist Ulana Khomyuk (Emily Watson) makes a desperate attempt to reach Valery Legasov (Jared Harris) and warn him about the threat of a second explosion that could devastate the continent. Mazin sheds light on the real-life scientists who inspired the composite character Khomyuk and demystifies how nuclear radiation works. He also gives context about seemingly small details, like the poem being read on the radio, and we get more surprising answers from Sagal's "really?" questions. The Chernobyl Podcast is produced by HBO in conjunction with Pineapple Street Media. Original music by Kaan Erbay. 

April 26, 1986, Ukrainian SSR. Plant workers and firefighters put their lives on the line to control a catastrophic 1986 explosion at a Soviet nuclear power plant. Peter Sagal and Craig Mazin discuss these events and more behind the series premiere of Chernobyl. They talk about what drew Mazin to this story, and dig into when and why he deviated from what really happened. The Chernobyl Podcast is produced by HBO in conjunction with Pineapple Street Media. Original music by Kaan Erbay. 

"The Chernobyl Podcast" is the official podcast of the miniseries Chernobyl, from HBO and Sky. Join host Peter Sagal (NPR’s “Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!”) and series creator, writer and executive producer Craig Mazin as they discuss the true stories that shaped the scenes, themes and characters after each episode airs. The Chernobyl Podcast is available wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can stream it on HBO NOW and HBO GO starting Monday, May 6 at 10 PM. "The Chernobyl Podcast" is produced by HBO in conjunction with Pineapple Street Media. Original music by Kaan Erbay.