'The Wave' Afterschool Special from 1981 still holds up with its lessons about fascism

'The Wave' Afterschool Special from 1981 still holds up with its lessons about fascism

"What are you watching?" my 13-year-old son asked. "An old Afterschool Special," I responded. "What's an 'Afterschool Special'?" he asked. Hoo boy. Kids these days have no idea how different television was for those of us who grew up in the '80s or how many core memories we have wrapped up in the ABC Afterschool Special. I briefly explained and then he sat down to watch with me. A discussion about fascism on X (formerly Twitter) had led me to lo…

What seduces people into fascist ideas? This question is addressed in the novel "Die Welle", whose stage version can now be seen in Karlsruhe.