I always get dowvoted when I say this, but I often end up comparing it to Star War The Clone Wars's Siege of Mandalore arc. The fuckinh stress and tense waiting in both, even though Chernobyl is obviously worse because it is based in a real event which actually killed people and ruined lives.

But in both, it's just the fact that you know something bad is happening and each chance you get you want to stop it. You want things to be different and they won't be.