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The Rain Season 1: A Post-Apocalyptic Odyssey Through a Waterlogged World

In the ever-expanding landscape of post-apocalyptic television, Netflix’s The Rain Season 1, the platform’s first Danish original series, carves out a distinct niche with its chilling premise and unrelenting atmosphere. Released in 2018, this eight-episode sci-fi thriller, created by Jannik Tai Mosholt, Christian Potalivo, and Esben Toft Jacobsen, introduces a world where rain is not a harbinger of life but a carrier of death. A virus transmitted through water droplets has decimated Scandinavia’s population, leaving survivors to navigate a treacherous, waterlogged wasteland. While The Rain treads familiar dystopian ground, its unique environmental twist, taut pacing, and focus on human fragility make it a compelling, if imperfect, addition to the genre. This article dives deep into the series’ strengths, flaws, and underlying themes, offering a fresh perspective on its narrative and cultural significance.

A Premise That Drowns Convention

At its core, The Rain hinges on a deceptively simple yet hauntingly original concept: rain as a lethal force. Unlike zombies or nuclear fallout, the natural phenomenon of rainfall becomes the enemy, transforming a universal symbol of renewal into a relentless killer. The series opens with a gripping sequence as Simone (Alba August), a college student, is yanked from her exam by her frantic father, Frederik (Lars Simonsen), who rushes her family to a bunker owned by his employer, the shadowy Apollon corporation. Within minutes, the audience is thrust into chaos as the rain begins, and Simone’s mother sacrifices herself to save her son, Rasmus (Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen), from a single deadly droplet. This immediate plunge into high-stakes drama sets the tone for a series that wastes no time on preamble, prioritizing urgency over exposition.

Six years later, Simone and Rasmus, now teenagers hardened by isolation, emerge from their bunker to find a world reshaped by the virus. They join a ragtag group of survivors—Martin (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard), Beatrice (Angela Bundalovic), Patrick (Lukas Løkken), Lea (Jessica Dinnage), and Jean (Sonny Lindberg)—and embark on a perilous journey to Apollon’s headquarters in Sweden, seeking answers about the virus and their father’s fate. The premise is both a strength and a challenge: the idea of a virus carried by rain is novel, but it requires viewers to suspend disbelief about the logistics of a weather-borne pathogen. As one reviewer noted, “Once you get over the ludicrousness of a killer virus whose host is the weather, The Rain is a taut, tense thriller”. The show’s ability to lean into this absurdity while maintaining suspense is one of its most remarkable feats.

Strengths: Pacing, Atmosphere, and Character Dynamics

The Rain excels in its economy of storytelling. Each episode, clocking in at 38 to 46 minutes, is lean and purposeful, avoiding the bloat that plagues many Netflix originals. The series’ pacing is relentless, driven by the constant threat of rain and the group’s need to scavenge for food, shelter, and safety. Director Kenneth Kainz masterfully amplifies the menace of precipitation, using billowing black clouds, concussive sound design, and overhead shots of single droplets to transform weather into a stalking predator. This atmospheric tension elevates mundane acts—crossing a puddle, seeking shelter—into heart-pounding moments of survival.

The ensemble cast, led by Alba August’s resolute Simone and Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen’s vulnerable Rasmus, grounds the series in emotional stakes. Simone’s fierce protectiveness over her brother, whom she believes holds the key to a cure, provides a compelling anchor. The supporting characters—particularly Martin, a stoic ex-soldier, and Beatrice, whose enigmatic past hints at hidden depths—add layers of complexity through their evolving relationships. The show’s focus on group dynamics, rather than gratuitous shocks, echoes the best seasons of The Walking Dead, emphasizing how catastrophe reshapes human connections. Flashbacks to each character’s pre-apocalypse life, though occasionally heavy-handed, reveal their scars and motivations, making their choices in this brutal world feel authentic.

The series’ mysteries are another hook. The Rain doles out revelations with precision, unraveling the virus’s origins, Apollon’s role, and Rasmus’s significance without overwhelming the viewer. This narrative restraint makes it a “great binge show,” as one critic put it, rewarding patience with well-timed twists. The Scandinavian setting, with its desolate forests and abandoned cities, adds a stark, almost mythic quality, distinguishing it from Americanized dystopias. Watching in Danish with subtitles, as recommended by reviewers, enhances the cultural authenticity, immersing viewers in a world that feels both alien and relatable.

Flaws: Familiar Tropes and Narrative Stumbles

Despite its strengths, The Rain is not immune to the pitfalls of its genre. The post-apocalyptic landscape is littered with familiar tropes: shadowy corporations, cult-like safe havens with dark secrets, and survivors torn between humanity and ruthlessness. For every innovative element, like the rain-as-death mechanism, there’s a moment that feels borrowed from 28 Days Later, The Road, or The Walking Dead. The series’ reliance on characters making questionable decisions—such as venturing into obvious traps or ignoring clear dangers—can frustrate viewers. As one IMDb reviewer lamented, “In literally EVERY SINGLE episode the main protagonists make stupid decisions after stupid decisions”. While these choices are often justified by the characters’ inexperience or desperation, they occasionally strain credulity.

The world-building also falters at times. The logistics of a rain-borne virus are never fully explained, leaving questions about how survivors avoid infection from unpurified water or why the virus hasn’t spread beyond Scandinavia. The show’s low budget, while cleverly masked by tight editing and minimal gore, limits its visual scope, making some settings feel repetitive. Additionally, certain plot twists, particularly those involving Frederik’s motivations and Apollon’s leadership, lack the depth needed to resonate fully. These gaps prevent The Rain from reaching the heights of more cohesive dystopian series like Dark or The 100.

Thematic Depth: Climate, Survival, and Human Nature

Beneath its survivalist thrills, The Rain offers a subtle commentary on humanity’s relationship with the environment. The deadly rain serves as a metaphor for climate change, a warning that nature can turn against us when pushed too far. As Common Sense Media noted, the series underscores that “climate change can have fatal results,” weaving environmental ethics into its narrative without preaching. The virus, tied to Apollon’s scientific hubris, reflects humanity’s tendency to meddle with forces it doesn’t fully understand, a theme that resonates in an era of genetic engineering and ecological crises.

The show also explores the cost of survival. Simone’s unwavering commitment to Rasmus highlights the lengths one will go to protect family, while the group’s moral dilemmas—whether to trust strangers, sacrifice one for the many, or cling to hope—probe the fragility of human decency in a collapsed world. The younger characters, in particular, grapple with the loss of their formative years, forced to mature in a reality that offers no second chances. These themes, while not groundbreaking, are handled with enough nuance to elevate The Rain above pure genre fare.

Cultural Significance and Viewer Reception

As Netflix’s first Danish original, The Rain represents a milestone in the platform’s push for global storytelling. Its Scandinavian perspective, with understated performances and a bleak aesthetic, contrasts with the flashier American dystopias, offering a fresh lens for international audiences. Critics have praised its binge-ability and character-driven drama, with Rotten Tomatoes reviews calling it “some of the best survivalist drama to hit screens in years” despite its reliance on familiar tropes. Audience reactions are mixed, with some hooked by its premise and others frustrated by its inconsistencies. IMDb reviews range from enthusiastic—“I got hooked on The Rain when season one came to Netflix”—to scathing, with one viewer decrying its “bonkers and stupidity”.

The show’s accessibility, with episodes under 45 minutes and a compact eight-episode arc, makes it an easy entry point for dystopian fans, though its subtitles may deter some viewers. Watching in Danish, as many recommend, preserves the emotional authenticity of the performances, particularly August’s raw portrayal of Simone. For those fatigued by post-apocalyptic clichés, the series may feel derivative, but its unique premise and tight storytelling offer enough to warrant a look.

Final Verdict: A Storm Worth Weathering?

The Rain Season 1 is a gripping, if flawed, addition to the post-apocalyptic canon. Its lethal rain premise, brisk pacing, and strong ensemble cast make it a compelling binge, while its environmental subtext adds a layer of relevance. Yet, its reliance on genre tropes and occasional narrative missteps keep it from true greatness. For viewers craving a fresh spin on dystopian drama, The Rain delivers enough intrigue and tension to justify braving its storms, especially if you’re drawn to character-driven survival tales. Just don’t expect every plot point to hold water.

Recommendation: Watch it in Danish with subtitles for the full experience, and stick past the first episode to let the mysteries unfold. If you’re a fan of The Walking Dead’s group dynamics or Contagion’s viral suspense, The Rain will likely keep you hooked through its eight-episode run.¹