The Rain: A Gripping Nordic Tale of Apocalypse, Survival, and Humanity
The Rain is a Danish post-apocalyptic sci-fi drama that debuted on Netflix in May 2018. Created by Jannik Tai Mosholt, Esben Toft Jacobsen, and Christian Potalivo, the series was Netflix’s first Danish original, and it successfully brought a fresh, emotionally charged perspective to the crowded genre of survival fiction. Over the course of three seasons, The Rain explores a world devastated by a mysterious virus carried by rainfall and follows a group of young survivors trying to navigate not just the ravaged landscape, but also their own humanity.
The story begins in a near-future version of Scandinavia, where a powerful biotech company named Apollon has inadvertently unleashed a deadly virus via rainfall. The rain carries an engineered pathogen that kills on contact. The inciting event follows siblings Simone and Rasmus Andersen (played by Alba August and Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen), who are forced into an underground bunker by their scientist father, who cryptically tells them that Rasmus may be the key to humanity’s survival.
After six years in isolation, the siblings emerge to find Denmark completely abandoned and nature reclaiming the cities. They soon join a band of other young survivors and set out across the quarantine zone to find answers. As the series progresses, it becomes clear that the virus—and Rasmus’s unique connection to it—is far more complex and sinister than anyone initially imagined.
What sets The Rain apart from other dystopian dramas is its focus on emotional storytelling and character development. Rather than relying on constant action or horror elements, the series spends time exploring how each character responds to loss, love, betrayal, and trauma. Simone is a determined, compassionate leader, while Rasmus evolves from an innocent teenager into something much darker, as he grapples with the godlike power his mutation affords him.
The series weaves in themes of scientific ethics, corporate control, and existential dread, especially in later seasons. As the mystery behind the virus unfolds, the characters are forced to choose between saving the few or sacrificing themselves for the many. The philosophical underpinnings of the show—free will versus control, hope versus fear—are explored with nuance, albeit occasionally bogged down by melodrama or plot repetition.
Visually, The Rain is stunning, with the lush, overgrown forests of Denmark offering a hauntingly beautiful backdrop to the desolate world. The cinematography is rich with natural lighting, abandoned buildings, and quiet moments of reflection. The soundtrack, heavy on atmospheric Nordic indie music, complements the show’s moody tone and emotional arcs.
Critics and audiences received the show with mixed-to-positive reviews. Many praised its originality, character work, and compelling premise, while others noted pacing issues and a narrative that sometimes stretched its core concept too thin across three seasons. Still, The Rain carved out a niche fanbase and marked a milestone for Scandinavian storytelling on global streaming platforms.
In conclusion, The Rain is a thoughtful, character-driven apocalypse tale that brings something unique to the genre. With its humanistic approach and stunning Nordic atmosphere, it’s a story about how far people will go not only to survive—but to preserve what makes us human.
