ADHD is not just a constant topic on social media. Influencers have been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder – with or without hyperactivity – in large numbers. The number of official diagnoses among adults has also increased significantly in Germany. ZDF is now showing a series with Klara Deutschmann (“Hubert and Staller”) and Clelia Sarto (“Maxton Hall”), which takes place in the Karwendel Mountains.

“Simply Elli” tells the story of emergency paramedic Elli, who, like her mother Louise, has ADHD and turns it into a superpower, although not always. Many of those affected are quite critical of the term superpower alone. ZDF is initially showing two episodes on television (the first aired on March 12th and the second on March 19th at 8:15 p.m.) and in the ZDF media library.

Why is a series about ADHD important?

“We’re finally talking about it, we’re getting it out of the frowned-upon, neurodivergence in general and all forms of psychological issues,” says Sarto, who thinks of times when restless children were considered “fidgets” and were sometimes even punished.

“Louise comes from a time when ADHD was a problem, in girls anyway, maybe a bit worse,” the actress remembers. “When you grow up like that, you build a protective wall around yourself. You’ve heard all your life that you’re not right the way you are.”

Deutschmann sees it that way too – and received messages from those affected even before the film started. “People thank that these topics have a place and say that they feel totally seen,” the actress tells the German Press Agency.

That’s why the term superpower is problematic

At the same time, many of those affected find the term superpower problematic. Calling ADHD a superpower is dangerous, explains ADHD trainer Melanie Klefeldt. For many people it rarely feels like this in our world. “And we have to take that seriously,” she warns in the podcast “A Head Full of Gold.”

That’s what the ZDF series is about

In the first 90-minute “New Beginning” Elli (Deutschmann) starts in the Karwendel Nord rescue center – in the most beautiful Alpine idyll. It’s her dream job, but she gets annoyed on the first day, even before she starts work. Elli witnesses a serious accident and saves a woman’s life. When she shows up late at the station, her boss is angry.

Elli encounters strict regulations and hierarchies, which is not easy for her. She is also troubled by a secret from her mother Louise (Sarto), which turns Elli’s life upside down. In the second film “Forgive” she has to come to terms with this – and save lives at the same time.

That’s what makes Elli special

Her ADHD, which makes her brain function differently, makes Elli special. Unlike her mother Louise, Elli takes pills and goes to therapy to better realize her dream of a medical career. Nevertheless, their neurodivergence is noticeable. For example, when she impulsively ignores competencies and regulations when it seems necessary to her.

Are the consequences worth it?

The series doesn’t devalue people, but instead shows ADHD as a superpower. Because Elli has a very special sense of feelings and connections. She notices things that others simply don’t notice and is extremely creative. And precisely because she is so spontaneous, she often achieves more than others who ponder over something for hours.

However: The series does not come up with anything revolutionary, it is a mixture of ZDF series such as “Spring” and “Der Bergdoktor”. The episodes are particularly worth seeing because of Sarto and Deutschmann, who are there with a lot of heart and joy as a wonderful mother-daughter team.

How is ADHD taught?

“Simply Elli” shows difference as a natural part of life. Elli and her mother can be exhausting – but who isn’t sometimes? At the same time, they are very likeable in their often chaotic and impulsive nature, although this is even more pronounced with Mama Louise.

What do the actresses see in their roles?

Deutschmann sees something in common with Elli: “Going into exchanges and confrontations, even if it might be unpleasant. Elli is just a little better at it than I am.”

Clelia Sarto finds fewer parallels to her character, the chaotic Louise. She herself would perhaps approach things in a more structured manner, with greater calm or with greater clarity. “Louise doesn’t want any of that.” Nevertheless, she enjoyed the role. “I would have been kicked out of class earlier for everything Louise was doing. That was fun.”

Who else is playing?

Sebastian Griegel (“Mandate for May”) is Elli’s paramedic colleague Felix, Rainer Bock (“Branch Office”) can be seen as Louise’s close friend. Doctor roles in the hospital include Sophie von Kessel (“The Interrogation in the Night”) and Marcus Mittermeier (“Munich Murder”). Another important actor: the picture-book landscape. Filming took place in Mittenwald, Bavaria, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and St. Johann in Tirol, among others.