We Are the Wave

We Are the Wave (German 'Wir sind die Welle') is a German coming-of-age drama web series that is loosely based on the 1981 novel The Wave by Todd Strasser. The series premiered on Netflix on 1 November 2019. Synopsis The series takes place in the fictitious German city of Meppersfeld. It tells the story of a group of teenagers who decide to fight together against injustice and social problems. Lea, a high school student from a wealthy family, is bored and frustrated by her privileged life. She doubts her parents' way of life, who consider themselves to be cosmopolitan and environmentally aware. Lea feels that she wants to do more than them in order to create a better world. When Tristan, a new classmate, comes to Meppersfeld and quickly makes friends with the outsiders Zazie, Rahim and Hagen, Lea's interest is aroused. Tristan uses the personal circumstances of the very different teenagers in order to inspire them for a common fight against grievances and injustices. Rahim and his family, for example, are regularly attacked racially. In addition, his family is threatened with the loss of their apartment because an investor wants to renovate the building into expensive luxury apartments. Hagen's parents who are organic farmers lost their economic livelihood after waste sludge from a local paper mill contaminated their fields. Zazie is bullied by classmates and feels oppressed by sexist gender stereotypes she doesn't match. After a short hesitation, Lea also joins the group, which meets in the afternoon on an abandoned factory site to plan the next steps together.