Credit: Netflix

Netflix has churned out several historical dramas over the years, but Lead Children has fans and critics comparing the limited series to the likes of Chernobyl and Toxic Town.

The six-part miniseries, which was released on Netflix last week, tells the story of bravery by Polish doctor Jolanta Wadowska-Król, who, out of genuine concern, launched her own investigation into the flock of children falling ill from lead poisoning due to a nearby smelter.

Lead Children is undoubtedly constructed in a bingeable mini-series format, and at the heart of the show is a shocking true story packed with heavier themes, which makes completing the show in one sitting rather difficult.

As it turns out, Lead Children actually is inspired by real events from 1970s Upper Silesia during Communist-era Poland. Of course, the Netflix limited series inculcates characters and narrative structure for additional dramatic effect. However, the core story surrounding a doctor’s exposure of widespread lead poisoning of kids has its roots in historical events.

Set in 1970s Communist Poland, Lead Children primarily follows a determined young doctor, Jolanta Wadowska-Król, who works in a small industrial city consisting of a large smelter. After local children begin showing symptoms of serious ailments as well as developmental problems, Jolanta begins her probe to uncover the mysterious health crisis affecting the children.

It was in Szopienice, a district of Katowice in Upper Silesia, Poland, that many children began falling ill with symptoms of lead poisoning in the 1970s, especially those who were residing near the smelting plant, which resulted in high levels of lead and other heavy metal emissions. Real-life paediatrician and physician Jolanta Wadowska-Król identified the unusual rates of anaemia and ailments in young children, subsequently launching her own investigation, which uncovered the links to environmental contamination caused by the plant.

In addition to conducting medical examinations of numerous children, Jolanta Wadowska-Król shouldered the responsibility of raising awareness about the historical crisis. While Netflix’s Lead Children is based on these true events, the show also captures the doctor’s efforts to expose the public-health scandal, despite opposition from higher authorities.

After identifying that the children, largely residing near the steelworks, were more likely to suffer more serious health effects, Jolanta Wadowska-Król ensured she understood the full scope of the crisis plaguing the town. Although a continuous six-hour watch can feel heavy considering the crux of the story, the grimness is essential for maintaining and portraying the struggles of those at the core of the series.

So, if you still haven’t watched it, Lead Children is currently streaming on Netflix. Do it now!