Fans Praise 'Haunting' 'Chernobyl' Finale: 'Infinitely Better Than 'Game of Thrones'

HBO drama Chernobyl ended on Monday night, with fans praising it as one of the best programs in years.

The harrowing five-part miniseries depicts the real-life Chernobyl nuclear disaster that occurred in what was then the Soviet Union in 1986 and the incredibly arduous cleanup efforts that followed. Starring Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård and Emily Watson, the program has received critical acclaim throughout its run, and is currently the highest-rated TV show of all time on the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), ahead of revered dramas such as Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and The Wire.

After the finale aired on Monday night, viewers took to social media to praise the show. One person tweeted, "Hands down one of the best shows I have watched. Haunting, crisp and on point in every way possible."

Another posted that they hoped the show would be recognized with plenty of awards. "Chernobyl better win every goddamn award possible. Props to everyone who helped create such an accurate, harrowing account of a very preventable tragedy," they said.

And another person said that children should be educated about the terrifying true tale of nuclear disaster and the consequences of covering it up. "#ChernobylHBO is a cinematic masterpiece that 33 years later still resonates with the world we live in today. I truly believe that this miniseries should be shown/taught in classrooms across the world," they wrote.

Others favorably compared the drama with HBO's other big show that aired this year, Game of Thrones. Unlike the praise Chernobyl received, Game of Thrones was widely derided for its last few episodes, with over a million fans signing a petition to have the final season remade.

One person tweeted, "#Chernobyl was the perfect and best miniseries you could ask for. Infinitely better than season 8 of game thrones thanks HBO."

Another wrote, "After watching Chernobyl I completely forgive HBO for what they did to Game of Thrones."

Craig Mazin, the writer of Chernobyl's five episodes, took to Twitter to thank fans for their support of the show. "I am overwhelmed by the response tonight. On behalf of myself, Carolyn, Jane, Johan, Sanne, Jared, Stellan, Emily, HBO, Sky and the entire cast and crew who worked so hard and labored with such love...thank you, dyakuyu, dziakui, spasiba," he said.

For HBO subscribers wondering what to watch next, there are two big new shows coming to the cable channel later this month, with the second season of Big Little Lies premiering on June 9 and new teen drama Euphoria, based on the Israeli series of the same name, airing on June 16.