The Days

I was fascinated with the idea of a view of the Fukushima nuclear disaster from the Japanese point of view. The event is presented from the views of the nuclear plant operators, management, the federal government and various agencies. Individual characters have some development, and you can see what they may have experienced. Unfortunately, each episode developed very slowly, and it was obvious to me that there wasn't enough material to really flesh-out 8 episodes. It's a shame because this was a monumental event in modern Japanese history. After three episodes, we started fast-forwarding and finally gave up in the fifth episode. Loved HBO's Chernobyl by contrast and I could see there is opportunity for a worthy dramatization of this disaster. I have seen documentaries, and it should be noted that this is still unfolding, and the environmental damage is on-going.

Quite disappointing compared to « Chernobyl » which was more complete, although shorter (5h30).

Although this series lasts 7h, it omits several important information: -when the radioactive cloud escaped from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, favorable winds sent it towards the sea. But if winds had sent it towards Tokyo, then Tokyo should have been evacuated, as said Naoto Kan, the Prime Minister at the time.

• In 2009, two years before the disaster, a report had stipulated that the dykes of two power stations had to be raised because of the risk of a tsunami: the Fukushima power station and the Onagawa power station, further north which did not depend on Tepco. But it cost millions, and Tepco buried the report. On the contrary, the Onagawa power plant raised its dikes and was therefore spared during the tsunami.

Yes, it had to have the inept advisors like all the shows of this type.

And it had the questionable politicians and business leaders. That's a given.

But it stays the course and delivers an enjoyable ride of technical expertise and problem-solving. This is NOT the Japanese version of the show Chernobyl. That show was much more focused on government ineptitude. If I had to compare it to another show, I would compare it to the Tom Hanks movie Apollo 13. Lots of "make it work with what we have" and grit and determination.

Sure, the end is a bit soft and a tad anticlimactic. But that's a good thing. A climactic finish to a movie about a nuclear reactor would be...umm...bad. And a BANG!

In the first place don't compare it to Chernobyl.

It wrong to compare it.

Chernobyl has it accident, but Fukushima suufers a huge nature disaster, a historic earthquake of magnitude 9 accompanied by Tsunamis that came not only once but countless times destroying cities...

I completely agree when they say that HBO's Chernobyl is fantastic, that's in doubt. But it is a mistake to say that they completely the same stories and try to compare them.

I think they could have introduced more tsunami scenes around the Power Plant and in Fukushima. Maybe that would have removed this comparison between Chernobyl and THE DAYS.

Anyway, in my opinion, I LOVED IT.

People always expect a production with a Hollywood vision, but you have to remember that not all stories need to follow the same style.

They are different styles an its. It works

Anyway, great story and congratulations to the heroes who gave their lives to try to minimize the damage caused by so many factors in the Nuclear plant, even having lost their families, homes and city.

Could be a bit tighter, but the comparisons to HBOs Chernobyl are a bit unfair.

This mini series takes a more documentary/historically accurate approach, with drama being secondary. Nothing wrong with that approach, with this series I felt like i was in the control room and on the ground with the responders. Sure there were times it dragged and at times they did not need to show ALL the failed attempts and ALL the repetative discussions, but it added to the authenticity.

It wasn't a clean/typical, "found the issue, ok we solved it, day is saved" story, it goes through the numerous theories/trials/surprises/let downs that would naturally occur in a situation such as this.

If it is taken as a hybrid documentary/drama, it works well. Take it as a drama or documentary by itself and it becomes either dry or too drawn out.

Solid 7/10.