The Wave (TV special)

The Wave, is a short made-for-TV movie based on Ron Jones' The Third Wave experiment. Though more prominently featured in the ABC Afterschool Special Series, this show debuted October 4, 1981; almost two years before being featured in the Afterschool Special series.

Plot

Ben Ross (Bruce Davison) is a young high school history teacher who is passionate about his chosen subject. One day as he delivers a lecture on The Holocaust, he notes that his students have an unusually piqued curiosity about the subject matter, as they haven't delivered this kind of interest in the past [http://www.diederikrep.nl/thewave/images/movie.jpg] .

Though the students have expressed an interest in the Holocaust, they haven't expressed the same interest with the subject matter concerning Adolf Hitler's role in it. Determined to bring this critical element closer to his students, Ross decides to conduct a social experiment. He forms an organization called "The Wave", which its members salute each other in a manner similar to Nazi SS troops, though none of them know it.

"Strength through discipline. Strength through community. Strength through action!" Ross convinces his students to adopt this as a motto for The Wave as they give a group salute. Ross' position of authority is solidified when he commands them to shout it, which they do.

Membership cards are issued to all members, with those as appointed monitors having a red X mark on the back of theirs. Those with the marked cards are encouraged to report "all members who don't obey our rules." Wave members fashion armbands with The Wave's logo on it, and begin dressing in similar fashion. Ross also institutes a policy of social behavioral guidelines, unquestionable loyalty to The Wave's "cause", and contempt for those who are not part of the movement or those who don't fall within the organization's guidelines.

The organization for the most part, brings students who are members of The Wave together, but the organization is seen by many as a legitimate excuse to bully others. The Wave puts a strain on Ross' marriage, as his wife Christy (Wesley Pfenning), a music teacher at the same school, informs her husband that half of her class has been skipping hers to go to his. She orders him to put a stop to it. He refuses, telling her that he's teaching his students the most important lesson of their lives.

The organization by now has gotten out of hand, and one student, Laurie Saunders (Lori Lethin), a writer for the school's newspaper, writes an article against The Wave, blaming it for the problems that are happening within the school. Others follow, which leads to the word "ENEMY!" being spray-painted in red on her locker door. Her boyfriend David (a member and by now fanatically-dedicated to The Wave) confronts her after school one day, telling her to keep her mouth shut. She refuses and the two get into an argument, resulting in David (John Putch) shoving her violently to the ground. David sees how The Wave has made him a more violent person, and he agrees to help Laurie stop it.

Laurie and David then go to Ross' home, where they tell him about the problems The Wave is causing and that it has to be stopped. Ross promises to take care of it the following morning, but that it has to be done his way.

In school the following day, they are both taken aback when Ross calls all Wave members to attend the auditorium. When Laurie and David protest, he exposes them as traitors and orders them removed from the classroom. They protest loudly as they're roughly dragged to the door by other members.That afternoon, all Wave members enter the auditorium. Ross stands on a stage, flanked by two dark television sets. Among the throng are Laurie and David, who have snuck in.

During the assembly, Ross tells the assembled members, all dressed alike and with their Wave armbands, that he has a televised message from The Wave's national leader to show them. Ross turns the TV sets on, but the students see only white noise. This continues for a period of about a full minute, until one student finally stands up.

"There is no national leader, is there?", the student shouts. At this point, the television screens finally come to life. The screens fill with newsreel footage of the infamous Nazi Germany´s absolute leader Adolf Hitler addressing a crowd of young people...all dressed alike and wearing swastika armbands. The crowd chants in German words that sound like "Strength through discipline, strength through community, strength through action!" "This," Ross proclaims, "is your national leader!"

The Wave assembly is aghast at the picture, realizing that they have been a victim of fascism and mind control. Students weep openly and embrace one another, making peace for the actions that have replaced friendships with suspicion and fanaticism. The Wave is dissolved by mutual consent by this time.

Tagline

"An experiment...that became a movement."

"It was like I was the second Hitler" -Ron Jones

Awards

The Wave won a 1982 Emmy for Outstanding Children's Program, and a 1981 Peabody Award. It also won a 1982 Young Artist Award for Best Television Special - Family Enjoyment.

Writer Johnny Dawkins was nominated for a 1982 Humanitas Prize in the 60 minute category, and a 1983 WGA Award for Best Children's Show.

External links

*imdb title|id=0083316|title=The Wave
* [http://www.thewave.tk Various incarnations of the original story]