If you’re over 50 there’s a good chance that on November 20, 1983, you were one of the over 100 million people who tuned in to the ABC-TV broadcast of The Day After, a made-for-TV fictional account the effects of a nuclear war on the U.S., shot in and centering on the midwestern town of Lawrence, Kansas before, during, and after the bombing. You also might’ve also watched the post-airing discussion with a panel that included Henry Kissinger and Carl Sagan. The timing was perfect. Increasing nuclear buildup through President Ronald Reagan’s “peace through strength” philosophy generated what-ifs, fear, and protests.

With great detail, Jeff Daniels combines interviews with the film’s director Nick Meyer, screenwriter Edward Hume, ABC-TV executives, residents of Lawrence where the film was shot, and many others with production footage, news footage covering the hype, and clips from the film, to trace a story of statement-making versus network censorship. The film chronicles disagreements on the set, the White House’s concern, the long-lasting effect on the townspeople of Lawrence, and the determination of the producers to get the film aired. This truly was a “television event” that generated controversy before its airing, riveted audiences, and left an impact in an unstable time.—Brian Gordon