‘Chernobyl’: HBO Will Release Weekly Podcast Companion to Limited Series

It makes sense that a story as enduring and wide-reaching as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster can’t be contained to a single medium. On Thursday HBO, the network behind the upcoming limited series “Chernobyl,” announced that it will be releasing a podcast to accompany the TV show’s weekly installments.

“The Chernobyl Podcast” will be co-hosted by a pair of podcast veterans: series creator Craig Mazin and “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” host (and unwitting ill-advised sequel generator) Peter Sagal. Mazin currently serves alongside fellow screenwriter John August as the ongoing co-host of the ScriptNotes podcast.

Thursday’s announcement explained that this new audio venture will take “an in-depth look at adapting the true stories that shaped the scenes, characters and themes depicted in the miniseries.”

New episodes of the podcast will be available wherever podcasts can be found following the airing of each episode of the television series. “Chernobyl” will be part of HBO’s Monday night programming, one of the highest-profile premieres for a scripted series on that night in the network’s history.

Mazin wrote all five installments of the TV series, which were in turn directed by Johan Renck. The series stars Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård, and Emily Watson, headlining an ensemble of characters based on individuals who lived through or were instrumental to the response to the failed nuclear reactor. HBO describes the television series as a profile of “the 1986 nuclear accident, one of the worst human-made catastrophes in history, and tells the story of the brave men and women who made incredible sacrifices to save Europe from unimaginable disaster, all the while battling a culture of disinformation.”

“Chernobyl” makes its premiere next month on May 6, part of HBO’s list of post-“Game of Thrones” dovetail shows that also includes the Anne Lister series “Gentleman Jack” and teen-centered drama “Euphoria,” set to debut in June.