Zombie apocalypse show ‘The Rain’: Why you need to watch right now
When we thought we saw the last of YA spinoffs and post-apocalyptic shows, Netflix released The Rain. Based on a Danish series of young adult (YA) books, The Rain follows Simone and her brother Rasmus after a deadly zombie virus comes through a rainstorm. Their mother dies, their father leaves, and they hide in a bunker for six years.
The Rain follows Simone and Rasmus as they meet with other teenagers to re-build their life and avoid danger. The premise of their journey is rooted in YA fiction, but the show takes it to a new level. The first episode had us blown away because of how originally it was shot. We can’t wait to watch more. Here’s why.
A new premise
It sounds ridiculous, but hear us out. A zombie apocalypse that’s spread by the rain sounds silly. Yet, the way The Rain establishes a normal weather phenomenon as a frightening, menacing thing left us hooked.
After the first episode, The Rain turns into a YA post-apocalyptic landscape where teenagers have to figure out the new rules for survival without many adults around the guide them. While it sounds cliche, the way The Rain is shot feels more like an adult post-apocalyptic film like The Road than a YA movie.
Establishing mystery
The first episode of The Rain is wonderful at leaving breadcrumbs to tease out through the season. The importance of Rasmus, the boy, is established within the first ten minutes and leaves us wondering how a young boy could potentially save the world from a novel, deadly disease.
Speaking of, The Rain uses the perspective of the kids to keep us in the dark which works wonders for our suspense. We feel frustrated like Simone that we’re not getting the whole story. The sudden way Simone is taken out of her school is jarring and hurls us into how upended this new virus made everyone.
Compare and contrast for our times
While watching The Rain, we thought a lot about the parallels between the zombie apocalypse and COVID-19. For most people, COVID seemed to come out of nowhere, like the rainstorm in The Rain. Suddenly, we were stuck inside, unsure if it was safe to go out.
The horror elements are “real”
While the extreme nature of a zombie apocalypse in The Rain is farfetched, the show plays on our real fears. The first episode leaves Simone alone in the bunker with her little brother. Her mother dies trying to save them from contaminated people trying to break in. Her father left in a hazmat suit to conduct research.
In the first episode of The Rain, we have real fears of abandonment, death, disease, and isolation covered. The Rain plays on our real fears of these things happening, so much so that we feel like we’ve been taken on a long, scary ride after the first episode ends.
The cinematography
What makes the show is the way it’s shot. From the drab colors to the crowded scenes, The Rain visually lets you know about the grim situation and the inescapability of it. The scene in the car, when the family is driving to the bunker, is uncomfortably close together.
Downsides
Granted, there are a few downsides to The Rain. If you’re looking for a fast-paced show, look elsewhere. Plus, if kids doing dumb things they’ve been told not to do irks you, the first episode will be a turn-off.
