TV series, movies and plays are not accurate sources of historical knowledge. This is especially true in the Arab world, where political, religious, sectarian, and cultural factors inform drastically different views of history.
But this doesn't stop TV dramas from trying to push their version of the truth. Even more decent works striving for historical accuracy can deviate from the truth.
This can be intentional, to toe the ideological line of show producers—or unintentional to make the story more dramatic and attractive to viewers.
For example, HBO's mini-series Chernobyl, which tells the story of the Soviet-era nuclear reactor explosion of 1986, shows that dramas that go to great lengths to be accurate, winning the admiration of critics and audiences alike, resort to dramatisation for viewer engagement.
Actress Emily Watson plays a scientist, Ulana Khomyuk, who monitors the conditions of those infected with radiation and determines the true extent of the damage. It goes far beyond what the authorities have acknowledged.
Watson’s role is central to the story. But there was no such scientist as Ulana Khomyuk. The character was created to illustrate the real-life efforts of many scientists, researchers, and doctors who were concerned with the conditions of the injured and worked hard to prevent the spread of the effects of radiation among citizens. Through these efforts, they saved thousands of people
