Netflix’s ‘answer to Chernobyl’ tells harrowing story of children suffering lead poisoning

Netflix has dropped all episodes of a ‘compelling’ new period drama that has been dubbed the ‘perfect replacement’ for HBO’s Chernobyl.

Based on the remarkable true story of a young doctor named Dr. Jolanta Wadowska-Król, Lead Children explores the widespread lead-poisoning epidemic in 1970s Poland.

Following Dr. Jolanta’s attempts to save the lives of thousands of sick children with heavy-metal poisoning, the six-part series sees her get discouraged and pressured by her communist state which is under under Soviet influence.

The Polish government also attempts to cover up reports of the sick children while denying any links to a nearby smelting plant, which was later proven to be the direct cause of mass death and illness.

So far the series, which boasts an 8.0 rating on IMDb, has received strong reviews, with Neerja Choudhurin from the Midgard Times describing the story as ‘perfectly executed’.

Giving the series three stars out of four, Clint Worthington from Roger Ebert said there were ‘shades of Chernobyl’ in this ‘compelling’ Netflix drama, as Shahrbanoo from Gazettely called it ‘gripping’.

Drawn from actual events, the show takes inspiration from Dr. Jolanta and  author Michal Jedryka’s book, which shares the same name as the series.

Eventually, Dr. Jolanta’s determined campaigning secured diagnoses and treatment for the affected youngsters. forcing authorities to demolish properties near the smelter.

Discussing playing the real-life character, Joanna Kulig told Netflix: ‘Lead Children shows resistance to change and the strength one must find within oneself to oppose it.’

‘In the character of Jola Wadowska-Król, I saw above all honesty, extraordinary courage, persistence, and uncompromising nature.’

She added: ‘Her life story poses the question of whether we, in her place, would find enough strength in ourselves to stand alone against the system.

‘Proper preparation, the atmosphere on set – all this allowed me to completely immerse myself in the world of this character and feel her rhythm.

‘It was a fascinating, intense, and exhausting job, but precisely because of that, a true one.’

As well as boasting similarities to Chernobyl, Lead Children has also been compared to Netflix’s limited series Toxic Town, which was created by Adolescence writer Jack Thorne.

The four-part drama was hailed as ‘exceptional’ by fans, as it revealed one of the country’s biggest environmental scandals.

Telling the stories of the people involved in the Corby poisonings, the series followed a group of four mothers who fought for justice over more than 10 years after their children developed birth defects affecting their hands and feet.

The Lead Children is available to stream on Netflix.

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