User reviews

Having read the book any number of times, I was delighted to see Nat Geo produce a miniseries. The story of filoviruses is terrifying, and this particular story is scary enough without the addition of 'jump scares' and absurdist storylines. It's a shame that NatGeo felt the need to add such ridiculous drama to what is already a powerful story. It makes what should be a powerful and sobering message and makes it into a hoary mess. The cast is talented enough, and the events are important enough, that they could have spoken for themselves.

In addition to all the inaccuracies documented in these comments, another thing that ruins this miniseries is all the relationship crap. Husband-wife spats. Teenagers acting all scared. People getting up out of bed to kiss, then getting back in bed and dying. And why is Colonel Jaxx's father in this at all? To show you can die of other things besides Ebola?

If you want to see a good disaster miniseries, check out CHERNOBYL on HBO. Not a bunch of mothers worried about their teenagers. Yuk.

The "drama" was far too phony. Could have easily allowed the story to be dramatic without forcing the acting into over-zealousness. For example, two scientists were moving frozen monkeys from one car trunk into another to take for testing, and were overly dramatic about not being able to keep the monkeys frozen, and they would thaw along the way...while they were parked in the lot of Quick-Shop...right in front of an ice machine!!! That pretty much sums up how the first two episodes went.

Inaccurate depiction of events, poorly directed, and mediocre performances. All the ingredients needed for forgettable show.

Save your time and watch Chernobyl instead.

Too much drama, spoils what could have been an interesting show.

the show feels condescending too, like they have to spell everything out to us.

but the worse thing of all is Topher Grace's wig, it's maybe just me but WTF does he have on his head?

It kind of spoils the moment when one of the lead characters has a carpet on his head

Lt Col Jaax drives past a HMMWV three years before they were made. She gets out of the car with her hair out of regulations, and puts on her uniform IN THE PARKING LOT, at least everything but her hat, which many characters do without. Rank and corps badges are not only misplaced on uniforms, but they are misplaced with inconsistent problems.

These are some details I am intimately familiar with, but the series creators lazy approach is also evident in the writing (both the story and the dialogue), in some of the acting, and probably in the handling of infectious diseases.

It's a shame. Preston's book is fascinating, and could have been a great miniseries, but this is not it. The subject deserved better treatment.

I was really looking forward to this as I have read the book many times since it came out in 1994. If I recall it had a quote from Stephen King which says it is the most frightening book he has ever read.

The book is a very intelligent look at the Reston Monkey House outbreak told in some ways like a thriller. It is technical in parts but explains everything in terms a layman can grasp. It's not action packed with exciting incidents, car chases and nick of time scenarios. It just tells the story well and aims to scare the crap out of whoever is reading. It frightened the hell out of me when I read it. I read it last a few years ago and it still had that same resonance.

The TV series had none of that. It was just another TV thriller based on a true story and I easily was able to predict what was going to happen (as I am sure did most viewers) on many occasions before it actually did. Outbreak which was not based on a true story did a so much better job.

Some good actors in it including Liam Cunningham who is always worth watching but none of the intelligence of the book. Too much fake tension between the agencies and some truly abysmal professionalism on USAMRIIDs part. It never really convinced me it was real which a good drama does. A good drama immerses the viewer in the story and that viewer invests time in the drama caring about the characters. I did that with GOT. This one never even managed to take me above mildly interested.

It could have told that story so well if it had the courage to cut out the fake high drama bits and just told the story which happens to be one of the most horrifying events to ever occur in the Western Hemisphere. Sadly all we got was 6 hours of typical weak TV fare. It's a shame as HBO show how it can be done with Chernobyl.

DVD lacked subtitles for the elderly, disabled, hearing impaired, and ESL viewers. Disrespectful & cheap on the part of the producers especially when audio & enunciation is poor.

Russia is developing & released a deadly aerosol of anthrax. Story could have been much shorter thus clearer. Be succinct.

I enjoyed the premise of this series through the first 4 episodes but then the writing just crashed. Starting in episode 4 the writers made everyone absolutely stupid, ignorant and completely brain dead. Such a shame. A group of kindergartners would be a better group then the way the experts and the military are represented in this series. I had much higher hopes for this series. I was absolutely pleased when I pushed through and finished episode 6. As bad as it was I was sadly too invested to not finish it up. Watch at your own peril. I binged it all in one day so I was able to minimize the longevity of the suffering.

The first 4 hours of this 6 hour long 'limited drama' were OK, BUT - then the 5th hour just started to really peeve me off because the writer(s)/producers just started getting stupid - all for the purpose of drama and trying to keep us on the edge of our seat.

I actually stopped watching part way through the 5th hour because it was just too irritating. There's better stuff out there to invest my time into.

And I have to ask: "What happened to Julianna Margulies?" Back when she was on ER, she was cute and curvy - and now she's a gross bag of bones. I don't think it's only because she's old - she's just SO THIN now. And you can't really see it in this performance. So if you haven't seen her on recent evening talk shows, you know, like the former Letterman and Leno, you may not notice just how skinny she REALLY is now (because during this performance she covers her arms most of the time) - but if you see her in short sleeves - OMG - she's repulsive. She has this big head on a tiny rack of bones. Sorry to go on a rant - but I'm SO TIRED of formerly gorgeous actresses turning into anorexics.

Not even past the first episode and already the show is filled with creative license than actual facts. Lack of personal protective equipment, disregarding rules just told to a trainee - I take more precautions in a dental office than these people supposedly handling pathogens unknown and known. I can only imagine what travesties lie ahead. Lunch stored in the same fridge as samples maybe? I wouldn't be surprised!

Oh dear, episode two steps up the stupidity.

They state that the Jaax's assisted in the creation of the the show, but why would they agree to be portrayed in such a manner? It'd be embarrassing if true!

The core of the story is interesting, but the writing and acting lets it down. Too over dramatised. The lead actress really frustrates me

There is something wrong or missing from the acting or editing, directing. It falls short of being good, the source material is good. The book was good. Even Outbreak was a pretty good film. It's like cheap store bought cookies, not wrong but just not right. None of the characters are likeable. Lt. Colonel Jaxx comes across as an a-hole to his wife, at the same time he seems weak with little presence. He passes out and has to go to the hospital after working for 12 hours?! That had us cacking jokes for days. Dr. Jaxx/Colonel seems forced and her authority and competence is not believable. It's a mini series so it's worth the watch. Nothing close to the near perfection of Chernobyl.