Povratak otpisanih

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1. ›Television Review: Most (Povratak otpisanih, S1X12, 1978)@drax76d

   

   Most (S01E12)

   Airdate: 19 March 1978

   Written by: Dragan Marković Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević

   Running Time: 55 minutes

   One of the most persistent and damning critiques levelled against the popular Yugoslav television sequel Povratak otpisanih (The Written-Off Return) is its profound disconnect from the gritty, documented reality of the Second World War in Belgrade. This stands in stark contrast to its predecessor, Otpisani (The Written-Off), which, particularly in its inaugural episodes, grounded its narratives in authentic historical events and resistance cell activities, lending it a palpable sense of verisimilitude. Povratak otpisanih, by contrast, largely sacrificed this historical fidelity on the altar of escapist, crowd-pleasing entertainment, transforming its charismatic protagonists into near-invincible action heroes in a series of increasingly improbable adventures. It is against this backdrop that the penultimate episode, Most (The Bridge), arrives as a fascinating anomaly. Here, the script momentarily re-engages with tangible history, reconstructing an extraordinary but documented event from October 1944. Yet, the episode ultimately fails to fully commit to this historical core, diluting its powerful true story within the series’ established formula of relentless action, gratuitous fan service, and baffling production compromises.

   The plot of Most is set on the eve of Belgrade’s liberation, 19 October 1944. The combined forces of the Yugoslav Partisans and the Red Army have shattered the last German defensive lines, and the city’s freedom is anticipated within hours. In a succinct scene establishing the German collapse, General von Friedrichs accepts defeat and orders a general retreat westward. His conversation with Gestapo Major Krieger underscores a classic ideological divide: the professional soldier yielding to military reality versus the fanatical National Socialist vowing to fight on, a motif that justifies the continued resistance faced by our heroes even in the war’s final moments.

   Meanwhile, amongst the resistance, news of the imminent liberation sparks elation. Prle, Tihi, Marija, and Mrki allow themselves a moment of hope, only to be summoned by their commander, Stana. True to the series’ ethos, their war is not over until the last possible second. They are assigned one final, near-suicidal mission: to prevent the Germans from destroying the strategically vital ‘Prince Eugene Bridge’, the last connection between Belgrade and Syrmia. The Germans, in a scorched-earth tactic, plan to detonate it despite potentially trapping their own stragglers. Tihi, ever the pragmatic leader, recruits Engineer Damjanović for his technical expertise and devises a perilous plan. Prle and his group, including his perpetually cowardly friend Cane Kurbla—who has, in a moment of character evolution, finally shed his fear—will launch a direct assault on the German checkpoints as a diversion. Under this cover of noise and chaos, Tihi and Damjanović will infiltrate the bridge itself to disarm the charges.

   Unbeknownst to the seasoned resistance fighters, a parallel narrative unfolds. Zaharije S. Jovanović (Nikola Milić), a middle-aged, unassuming Belgrade resident, watches the German retreat with mixed feelings. A veteran sapper of the Serbian Army in the Balkan and Great Wars, he is elated by the enemy’s departure but frustrated by his own inability to contribute meaningfully to the liberation. Chance, however, provides an opportunity. Living in proximity to the bridge, he has meticulously observed German engineering activities and discovers the demolition fuses running through his neighbourhood. Applying his antiquated but still-serviceable military knowledge, he single-handedly disconnects them. Deducing the location of the main charges, he borrows a friend’s boat and, against the fervent protests of his wife Milka (Ljubica Ković), sets out into the night. His mission is one of quiet, determined patriotism, devoid of gunfire or grandstanding. This narrative strand converges with that of the protagonists on the bridge. Prle’s diversionary attack proceeds with the expected high cost in partisan lives. When Tihi and Damjanović finally reach their objective, they find the wires already cut. The bridge is saved, not by the series’ iconic action heroes, but by an anonymous civilian. The Red Army subsequently secures the intact structure. Zaharije returns home to his wife, a humble, unsung victor. The episode, however, refuses a purely triumphant ending. In a moment of characteristic bleakness, Prle discovers that Cane Kurbla, having finally found his courage, has been mortally wounded in the firefight—a tragically high price for his personal redemption.

   What elevates Most from mere formulaic adventure is the astonishing historical truth at its heart. The central storyline—a solitary civilian saving a critical bridge from destruction—is not wild fiction but documented fact. The character of Zaharije S. Jovanović is a direct fictionalisation of Miladin Zarić (1889–1976), a schoolteacher and former Serbian Army sapper. On that fateful October night, Zarić, acting entirely on his own initiative and using his First World War expertise, located and defused the German explosives on the ‘Prince Eugene’ (later known as Old Sava) Bridge. He was later decorated for this act, though historical accounts suggest he faced subsequent difficulties with the post-war Communist authorities, a nuanced fate the episode wisely avoids. This is a compelling, cinematic story in its own right, ripe for dramatisation. Herein lies the episode’s central creative tension and its fundamental flaw. Instead of allowing Zarić’s remarkable feat to stand alone as the episode’s focus, the script awkwardly grafts it onto the rigid narrative chassis of Povratak otpisanih. The real-life hero’s actions are reduced to a parallel plotline, competing for screen time with the series’ mandatory ingredients: Tihi’s elaborate military planning, Prle’s large-scale firefight, a high body count among supporting characters, and the ritualistic tragic death of a beloved sidekick like Cane Kurbla. The authentic, quietly powerful tale of individual initiative is thus subsumed by the louder, more conventional mechanics of partisan action drama.

   This narrative crowding is exacerbated by the inclusion of a largely superfluous subplot. While Tihi’s group tackles the bridge, Španac and Pavle are separately tasked with preventing the destruction of the city’s main post office. This strand feels like filler, offering little dramatic tension as the duo simply exploits the German retreat to inspect and disarm a found device. Its primary function appears to be maintaining the episode’s sprawling scope and ensuring all major protagonists have something to do, further diluting the narrative focus.

   Alongside this, Most is replete with moments of transparent fan service. A poignant but overly symbolic scene sees Joca, the postman-turned-partisan, finally reunited with his wife Lenče (first introduced in the Otpisani episode Poštar). He arrives at their old home still wearing the postman’s uniform from his departure three years prior, a heavy-handed visual metaphor for a return to normality that the series’ own logic suggests is impossible.

   More notoriously, the episode continues the series’ sporadic use of nudity with a scene featuring Anđela, General von Friedrichs’ mistress. Even on the eve of frantic evacuation, she is again depicted taking a bath, in a sequence more explicitly revealing than previous instances in episodes like Vodovod. While indicative of the relative permissiveness of 1970s Yugoslav television, it serves no narrative purpose beyond gratuitous titillation, a blatant concession to audience expectation.

   Perhaps the most jarring flaw, however, is a staggering historical inaccuracy that undermines the episode’s pretence to historical engagement. In depicting the Red Army’s final advance, the production used American-made M47 Patton tanks, a post-war design, to stand in for the Soviet T-34s that actually liberated Belgrade. This was not due to a lack of available period vehicles; T-34s remained in the inventory of the Yugoslav People’s Army and were even contemporaneously loaned to the production of Sam Peckinpah’s Cross of Iron. The decision to use anachronistic Pattons—visually unmistakable to any militarily aware viewer—shatters the visual authenticity of the liberation scenes. It is a baffling production failure that speaks to either carelessness, budgetary constraint, or a fundamental disregard for the very historical texture the episode’s core story tries to evoke.

   In conclusion, Most is a solid yet frustratingly incoherent piece of television. It possesses the raw material for a standout episode: a genuinely inspiring, historically verified story of civilian courage at the pivotal moment of liberation. Nikola Milić’s understated performance as Zaharije provides a welcome dose of human-scale dignity. Yet, the episode seems unwilling or unable to break free from the successful but restrictive formula of its parent series. It insists on coating this fascinating real-life nucleus with excessive layers of conventional partisan action, formulaic tragic sacrifice, irrelevant subplots, and crowd-pleasing fan service. The result is a narrative at war with itself—one strand reaching for historical resonance, the others clinging to escapist entertainment. Coupled with the immersion-breaking blunder of the Patton tanks, ‘Most’ ultimately exemplifies the very critique it momentarily seeks to defy: Povratak otpisanih’s enduring preference for thrilling fiction over complicated fact, even when the truth is, as here, demonstrably more compelling.

   RATING: 6/10 (++)

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2. ›Television Review: Elektrana (Povratak otpisanih, S1X11, 1978)@drax81d

   

   Elektrana (S01E11)

   Airdate: 12 March 1978

   Written by: Dragan Marković Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević

   Running Time: 55 minutes

   In our modern world, where the flick of a switch brings light and the turn of a tap delivers clean water, we are rarely confronted with the fragility of the civilian infrastructure that underpins our civilisation. The most recent conflicts have brutally reminded us that the destruction of power grids, water supplies, and communication networks could result in a societal catastrophe, capable of reducing urban life to a desperate, primitive struggle for survival. Roughly half a century ago, this unpleasant truth served as the urgent backdrop for the latter episodes of the cult Yugoslav television series Povratak otpisanih (The Written-Off Return), where the protagonists' missions shifted from direct sabotage to a desperate race to preserve Belgrade's vital organs from a retreating, vengeful enemy. Following Vodovod, an episode dedicated to saving the city's water supply, the instalment titled Elektrana ("The Power Plant") deals with a similar, equally critical action. While it delivers the series' trademark suspense and spectacular action, a closer examination reveals an episode that, for all its technical competence, feels strangely like a celebratory diversion—a well-produced piece of fan service that softens the war's grim edges at the precise moment they should be sharpest.

   The episode opens on 13 October 1944, with what is arguably the most expensive and ambitious shot of the entire series. A large column of Partisans, accompanied by Soviet Ttanks, advances along a road towards the capital. The scale is impressive for a television production of its time, effectively conveying the weight of the approaching liberation army. A voice-over reads official communiqués about the front-line situation, grounding the personal drama in the larger historical narrative. This grand prologue, however, creates a tonal dissonance that lingers. The war feels already won, the outcome assured, which inadvertently undermines the tension of the central mission. If the Red Army and Partisan forces are at the gates, how critical can a single power plant be? The script attempts to answer this by having Prle and Tihi receive orders to prevent the Germans from demolishing the city's main electrical source. Tihi astutely notes the increased difficulty, observing that Major Krieger and the Gestapo "won’t allow themselves to be caught off guard like they were during the raid on the waterworks." This line of dialogue promises a heightened game of cat-and-mouse, a promise that the episode ultimately fails to keep, as the Major Krieger is conspicuously absent, leaving the antagonists as a faceless garrison.

   The operational planning showcases the series' strengths in procedural detail. Tihi's reconnaissance confirms the plant is heavily fortified, with the only viable approach being from the river, demanding a silent, nocturnal infiltration. The mission's perceived difficulty is such that the Partisan commander Milan dispatches two of his best men—Španac (the "Spaniard," played with roguish charm by Ljubiša Samardžić) and Pavle (Mihajlo Kostić), both veterans of the Spanish Civil War—to cross the lines and reinforce the group. The plan hinges on two internal elements: expertise and weapons. The need for an explosives expert is solved by Mrki recruiting the engineer Damjanović (Toma Jovanović), who infiltrates the plant as a worker and not only identifies the demolition charges but smuggles out explosives to be used as improvised grenades. The need for arms is resolved through one of the episode's most poignant subplots, involving the German supply soldier Johann (a beautifully understated Slobodan Perović). Nicknamed "Johann the Cow" for his habit of delivering milk to local children, Johann is a portrait of war-weariness and simple humanity. Faced with the impending retreat and unable to bear leaving the community he has come to love, he decides to desert. In exchange for civilian clothes, he agrees to smuggle weapons into the plant for the resistance workers. This narrative strand is emotionally effective but veers into sentimentality, framing a German soldier's defection not as a political or moral awakening, but as a familial attachment, softening the harsh reality of collaboration and conflict.

   The execution of the raid is, without doubt, a well-crafted set-piece. The silent elimination of sentries, the tense infiltration, and the eventual eruption of combat are edited with a crisp pace. The workers' uprising adds a populist dimension, and the climax—where Španac and Pavle commandeer a locomotive to overrun the final German positions—is a genuinely spectacular and cinematic moment. The raising of the red flag over the secured plant provides the requisite ideological and emotional victory. Yet, herein lies the core criticism of Elektrana: it adheres too comfortably to a formulaic triumph. The episode possesses a strange "feel-good" aura, a celebratory vibe that at times makes it resemble a festive special more than a gritty wartime thriller. The stakes, while nominally high, never feel perilously personal, as the overarching narrative of imminent liberation acts as a safety net.

   This celebratory tone is amplified by deliberate, and somewhat distracting, fan service. The most obvious nod to the audience is the formal confirmation of the romantic relationship between the iconic characters Tihi and Marija. In a scene before the raid, Marija pointedly tells Prle to take particular care of Tihi. Later, Tihi meets with their commander Stana and requests that Marija be withdrawn from all activities, as her work will be over in days anyway. Stana's smiling response, "I'll be the maid of honour," is a direct, winking confirmation to the viewers, delighting the more romantically-inclined fans but feeling tonally disjointed from the life-or-death mission at hand.

   Further casting choices reinforce this sense of a series pausing to celebrate itself and its cultural context. The appearance of Ljubiša Samardžić, one of Yugoslav cinema's biggest stars, as the wisecracking Španac injects star power and easy camaraderie but little narrative necessity. Similarly, the cameo by Jovan Janićijević—immensely popular from the comedy series Muzikanti—as the grandfather of a little girl, serves primarily to anchor Johann's sentimental subplot. The scene where the girl persuades Johann to risk returning to his post to retrieve a cake for her is saccharine to the point of absurdity, ending on an "extremely happy and upbeat note" that belongs to a different genre. Even the reappearance of Žarko Radić, who played the doomed Boban in the prequel series Otpisani, here as the worker Paja who also dies, feels like a nostalgic callback rather than an organic plot point.

   The most tragically resonant piece of casting is Slobodan Perović as Johann. A renowned actor famous for roles like the unfortunate photographer in the classic film Three, Perović brings a profound depth of sadness and dignity to his deserter. The performance is moving in its own right, but knowledge of the actor's death just months after the episode's premiere casts a melancholy, unintended shadow over his scenes, elevating them above the surrounding levity.

   In the end, Elektrana is an entertaining, professionally executed episode of television. Its action sequences are thrilling, its production values high for its time, and it successfully advances the series' overarching liberation narrative. However, it ultimately functions as a narrative "filler." The absence of a compelling villain like Major Krieger leaves a vacuum filled by generic German soldiers and sentimental subplots. By leaning heavily into celebratory fan service, romantic confirmation, and star cameos, it chooses camaraderie and nostalgia over sustained tension and moral complexity. At the precise historical moment depicting the chaotic, brutal endgame of an occupation, Elektrana offers a surprisingly comforting, almost festive, interlude.

   RATING: 6/10 (++)

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3. ›Television Review: Vodovod (Povratak otpisanih, S1X10, 1978)@drax85d

   

   Vodovod (S01E10)

   Airdate: 5 March 1978

   Written by: Dragan Marković Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević

   Running Time: 57 minutes

   As the acclaimed Yugoslav television series Povratak otpisanih neared its conclusion, the narrative inevitably advanced towards the eve of Belgrade’s actual liberation in October 1944. This temporal shift precipitated a fundamental inversion in the protagonists’ missions. For the majority of both this series and its predecessor Otpisani, Prle, Tihi and their comrades were dedicated to acts of sabotage—blowing up infrastructure, disrupting communications, and generally hampering the German war effort. Now, with the Wehrmacht in retreat and preparing a scorched-earth departure, their objective flips: they must prevent the Germans from doing precisely what they themselves had excelled at. The destruction of Belgrade’s vital utilities would cripple the city for the incoming Partisan and Soviet forces, and thus the final act of the resistance becomes one of preservation. This narrative pattern defines a distinct trio of late-series episodes, beginning with the ninth instalment, Vodovod (“Waterworks”).

   The episode opens in the palpable tension of October 1944. The Serbian collaborationist government has fled, and German forces are methodically preparing their evacuation. Into this milieu returns an old school friend of Prle’s, Lale Pufna (Mladen Nedeljković). The son of a wealthy merchant who has sat out the war, Lale is inquisitive and, suspecting Prle’s partisan leanings, professes a desire to join the cause. His offer is not merely himself but crucial intelligence: he has observed a German female officer in his neighbourhood stockpiling vast quantities of water in her apartment. Lale correctly deduces that this signals a plan to demolish the city’s waterworks plant, an act that would deprive the entire population—Germans included—of running water. This premise efficiently establishes the stakes, grounding the impending action in a plausibly observed detail that was a hallmark of the series’ more grounded episodes.

   Before acting on this intelligence, however, Lale’s loyalty must be verified. In a scene that blends psychological tension with dark humour, Prle orchestrates a test. Visiting Lale, he indulges in glasses of Grand Marnier and Courvoisier—unimaginable luxuries in wartime Belgrade—and pointedly declares he does not work for the Partisans. He then chastises Lale for wanting to join the Communists, who would doubtless nationalise his family’s apartment and fortune. The reaction is volcanic: Lale assaults Prle in a burst of genuine, ideologically charged fury. The ensuing brawl forces Prle to use all his combat skill to subdue his friend, ultimately revealing the ruse. This sequence is vital for characterisation, serving a dual purpose. It proves Lale’s sincere commitment, born not of opportunism but of a belated patriotic fervour, and it reinforces Prle’s world-weary pragmatism, his understanding that the coming peace may be as complicated as the war.

   The intelligence is sound. The target is the waterworks plant in the Bele Vode neighbourhood, guarded by a mixed detachment of SS and Wehrmacht soldiers. The resistance’s inside man is Uncle Marko (Božidar Savićević), a plant worker and a reassuring link to the past, having previously appeared in Kanal, arguably the finest episode of Otpisani. Marko provides details on the garrison and a cache of hidden weapons for the workers. The plan, typical of the group’s earlier precision, involves Marko cutting the power to an electrified fence to allow infiltration. However, in a tense escalation, the plan unravels when Marko and his colleagues are detained by the Germans as they set their explosives. The subsequent conversation between the SS commander Fuchs (Tanasije Uzunović) and the Wehrmacht officer Bauer (Heinz Neubacher) is a succinct study in ideological fanaticism versus weary militarism. Fuchs dismisses Bauer’s concerns about a waterless city succumbing to epidemic with cold brutality, ordering the captives shot. This scene underscores the Nazi’s nihilistic endgame, providing a clear moral contrast for the coming assault.

   With no signal from Marko, Prle and Tihi must improvise. What follows is the episode’s centrepiece: a spectacular, sustained action sequence. They neutralise a sentry, allowing Cane Kurbla to don his uniform. Prle, Tihi, Mrki, Lale, and other partisans then infiltrate the complex. The raid is executed with the series’ trademark efficiency—a brief, violent firefight results in Fuchs being killed, Bauer captured, and the workers liberated. Lale, in his first and only combat, saves Prle’s life, cementing his transformation from bystander to hero. The plant is secured, and the tone momentarily swells with triumph. This elation is deliberately, brutally undercut in the final moments. As Lale cheerfully returns to Cane’s lorry to fetch celebratory food and drink, he is ambushed and killed by a single, escaping German officer, played by legendary stuntman Bata Kameni. The episode closes not on victory, but on Prle’s devastated contemplation of his friend, who had, in his words, “proven himself.” This poignant ending is a masterstroke, a grim reminder that even in the final hours of occupation, death remains arbitrary and personal.

   Critically, Vodovod is a very strong episode, successfully balancing suspense, character moments, and a rousing action finale. Director Aleksandar Đorđević expertly captures the city’s shifting atmosphere. The distant artillery grows louder, and the sense of impending change permeates even the social scenes. A semi-humorous, brilliantly cynical commentary is provided by a singer and her friend Bela at one of the last gatherings for German officers, attended by Marija and the still-infatuated Major Krieger. They wryly note they may soon be entertaining Russians, a moment that perfectly encapsulates the precarious, transactional nature of survival in occupied Belgrade.

   However, the episode is not without its derivative or problematic elements. The motif of Prle moving in wealthy, pre-war social circles—and his teasing warnings about communist confiscation—was already utilised effectively in the Otpisani episode Paja Bakšiš. Its repetition here, while functional, feels somewhat unoriginal, a retreat to familiar character territory. The continuity with the earlier series is bolstered by Savićević’s reprisal of Uncle Marko, a welcome nod for dedicated viewers. Yet continuity is simultaneously undermined by the recasting of Mladen Nedeljković, who previously played the young resistance activist Uroš in Otpisani’s Banjički logor. Here, as Lale, he delivers an excellent performance, sharing a compelling, fraternal chemistry with Boris Nikolić’s Prle. His character’s abrupt death is the episode’s emotional core, but the actor’s prior role creates a minor but noticeable dissonance for attentive audiences.

   Finally, the subplot involving General von Friedrichs and Major Krieger borders on fan service. The frustrated general, finding the waterworks mining was ordered by Krieger’s Gestapo rather than his own command, takes Krieger to his own bathroom—a scene culminating in the bath-taking Anđela. While it adds another layer to the portrayal of German institutional dysfunction and provides a comeuppance for the increasingly pathetic Krieger, it feels somewhat contrived, a narrative indulgence separate from the main thrust of the plot.

   In the end, Vodovod is a robust and emotionally resonant entry in the series’ final act. It successfully executes the challenging narrative pivot from sabotage to protection, delivering a taut, action-driven story while taking time for atmospheric depth and character development. Its flaws—a recycled motif and minor continuity hiccups—are outweighed by its strengths: a compelling new character in Lale, a brilliantly executed raid, and a devastatingly effective final beat that reminds viewers of the human cost woven into the fabric of liberation. It set a high standard for the two episodes that would complete the series’ journey to Belgrade’s freedom.

   RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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4. ›Television Review: Bekstvo (Povratak otpisanih, S1X09, 1978)@drax90d

   

   Bekstvo (S01E09)

   Airdate: 26 February 1978

   Written by: Dragan Marković Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević

   Running Time: 55 minutes

   The times of transition, when the old world is crumbling and the new one has yet to be established, possess an enormous dramatic potential; the uncertainty, the moral quandaries, and the raw human stakes of such moments are the very stuff of compelling narrative. Yet, it appears that someone forgot to convey this to the creators of Povratak otpisanih (The Return of the Written-Off), for the period it depicts – the actual eve of Belgrade’s liberation in the autumn of 1944 – has resulted in some of the weakest episodes of the celebrated Yugoslav series. The ninth instalment, Bekstvo (Escape), stands as a prime example of this squandered potential. While competently crafted on a technical level, it is an episode hamstrung by a lack of narrative focus, a frustrating vignette structure, and a failure to capitalise on the inherent tension of its historical setting.

   Bekstvo directly follows the events of Zlato, which dealt with the German evacuation of gold and other valuables. Here, the focus shifts to the evacuation of the Serbian collaborationist administration itself. The narrative thread that follows involves the leadership and staff of the Special Police, with its head, Krsta Mišić, ordering the evacuation of its archive – a prize the Partisans are desperate to obtain. The key to accessing this information remains Marija, still embedded as secretary to the collaborationist city administrator Bešević. Bešević has noted Major Krieger’s infatuation with Marija, evidenced by his gift of jewels confiscated from Jewish citizens. Bešević, himself infatuated, attempts to outdo his rival by offering her something more valuable: a pass and ticket on a train to Vienna. Marija plays along but promptly hands the pass to her comrades. They use it to place Visoki (played by Stevan Štukelja), a Partisan intelligence officer, on the train, tasked with monitoring the collaborationists in exile. Concurrently, a lorry transporting the archive to the station is intercepted and commandeered by Prle with assistance from Cane Kurbla. Prle later delivers the contents to his comrades and ends the episode walking into the night, a typically laconic denouement.

   On the surface, Bekstvo is a well-acted and well-directed episode. The performances, particularly from the established cast, retain their credibility, and the direction by Aleksandar Đorđević is professionally assured. However, the episode suffers acutely from a lack of dramatic focus. The central action set-piece – the hijacking of the archive lorry – should be the narrative highlight, providing a burst of tension and excitement. Instead, it feels like a perfunctory afterthought, a rather banal and darkly humorous affair. Prle and his comrades encounter minimal resistance, easily convincing the Special Police agent Ilija and a single gendarme to surrender. The scene lacks the grit, ingenuity, or suspense that characterised earlier operations in the series, resolving itself with an ease that undermines the supposed value of the prize.

   The material preceding this anticlimax possesses some genuine potential, but the script is crippled by a vignette-like structure that leaves multiple storylines dangling, their dramatic potential unfulfilled. A prime example is the subplot involving Bešević being stood up at the central railway station by Marija, with another individual using the precious pass. The elements – a valuable travel document, a jilted man at a transport hub, wartime desperation – are hardcore cinephiles would instantly recognise as inspired by Casablanca. Yet, director Đorđević fails to harness the romantic despair or cynical grandeur of that classic. The moment passes without the required emotional or thematic weight, becoming merely a plot beat rather than a poignant commentary on loss and betrayal in a collapsing world.

   The episode also introduces Ana, played by Milka Gazikalović, Marija’s older sister. Ana is deeply ashamed by what she perceives as her sister’s collaboration and offers her a path to redemption by arranging her defection to the Partisans, unaware that Marija is already a deep-cover agent. This setup is ripe for melodrama – the conflict between familial love, perceived shame, and secret loyalty. However, the script deliberately diffuses this tension through humour, primarily via the interactions of Joca, who poses as Marija’s handyman, and Prle, who impersonates a Special Police colleague. Prle takes his role so seriously he begins to flirt with Ana, requiring a reminder that she is a married mother. While these moments provide levity, they also sidestep the more profound emotional confrontation the situation promises, opting for sitcom-like banter over substantive character development.

   Aware, perhaps, that the episode requires more conventional action, Đorđević introduces an additional storyline concerning the closure of the Banjica concentration camp. The matter is discussed in a scene between Bešević and Major Krieger; prisoners are divided into three groups: those to be executed, those to be deported to Germany, and those to be released – the latter group being targeted by Chetnik death squads. Party leader Stana instructs Tihi to save as many from this third group as possible. This leads to an encounter where Prle, posing as a target, turns the tables on his would-be executioners. The confrontation between Prle and the cynical killer Boško (Ranko Gučevac) is a triumph of the series’ signature dark humour, with Boško’s sarcastic exchanges providing a grim chuckle. Yet, this storyline’s potential is wasted through unoriginality. It essentially recycles the plot of the very first episode, Povratak, wherein resistance activists were hunted. Furthermore, the depiction stretches credulity: the death squad operates in broad daylight wearing full Chetnik uniforms and insignia, a conspicuous lack of discretion for what should be a covert, deniable operation. This undermines the historical texture the series often strives for.

   Where Bekstvo functions more effectively is as exposition, setting the stage for the series’ finale. It serves as an episode of departures and lingering farewells. Regular and semi-regular characters begin their exit: Krsta Mišić is notably baffled by the prospect of German defeat, a small character beat that speaks to the insulated worldview of the regime’s enforcers. In a telling scene, Colonel Müller informs General von Friedrichs that Major Krieger will not leave Belgrade, citing “honour” – a nod to the doomed, anachronistic ethos that still motivates some characters even as their world disintegrates.

   Perhaps the most historically resonant moment comes in the scene depicting the final session of the collaborationist cabinet. The scene features Janez Vrhovec reprising his role as the transportation minister from Pečurke, an episode of the predecessor series Otpisani, a nice piece of continuity for dedicated viewers. More intriguing is the character of Minister Rakić, played with oleaginous conviction by Mavid Popović. Unlike his despondent colleagues, Rakić believes their flight will be temporary, positing that the alliance between the Western Allies and the Soviets will inevitably fracture, allowing them to return. This scene does crucial work, anchoring Povratak otpisanih in its precise historical moment while simultaneously serving as a darkly cynical prophecy. Following the collapse of Communist Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Serbia, like much of Eastern Europe, underwent a profound and often painful re-evaluation of its history. The Second World War, once presented through the monolithic lens of Partisan victory, became contested ground. In a grim fulfilment of Rakić’s fictional hope, there have been concerted efforts in certain quarters to rehabilitate and justify the losing side, with figures from Milan Nedić’s collaborationist government being recast by some as misunderstood patriots or national saviours. The episode, perhaps unintentionally, captures the embryonic form of this future historical revisionism, adding a layer of tragic irony for contemporary audiences aware of the post-Yugoslav debates.

   In the end, Bekstvo is an episode caught between functions. It is neither a satisfying, self-contained adventure nor a purely efficient narrative bridge. Its strengths – capable performances, moments of effective humour, and interesting historical detail – are offset by a scattered plot, unresolved vignettes, and action sequences that lack punch. It exemplifies how the rich dramatic soil of October 1944 Belgrade yielded, in this case, a curiously underwhelming harvest. The episode manages to set the table for the concluding acts but does so with less skill and focus than one might expect from a series of such pedigree.

   RATING: 6/10 (++)

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5. ›Television Review: Zlato (Povratak otpisanih, S1X08, 1978)@drax93d

   

   Zlato (S01E08)

   Airdate: 19 February 1978

   Written by: Dragan Marković Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević

   Running Time: 53 minutes

   Povratak otpisanih remains a monumental achievement in the canon of Yugoslav television history, celebrated for its sharp writing, complex characters, and gritty depiction of the Second World War resistance in Belgrade. For the most part, the series maintained a consistently high quality throughout its run. However, even the most illustrious of television sagas are not immune to the inevitable dips in quality that accompany long production runs. While the majority of the series maintained a consistently high standard, the eighth episode, Zlato, stands out as a somewhat uninspired effort that looks distinctly like contractual season filler rather than a genuine contribution to the saga.

   The episode is inherently transitional in nature, which is at least partially reflected in its technical presentation. The opening title sequence, which had remained consistent throughout the previous seven episodes, is altered to feature a montage of scenes from the last six instalments. This change visually signals a shift in narrative momentum, perhaps suggesting that the production team was preparing the audience for a thematic pivot. The overarching theme of the second part of the series is the imminent liberation of Belgrade, a fact that hangs over the narrative like a storm cloud. The title "Zlato" (Gold) serves as a thematic anchor point, providing a double entendre that refers both to the literal gold being moved by the occupying forces and the metaphorical value of the human lives caught in the crossfire.

   The narrative kicks off with a cold open that immediately establishes the high stakes of the resistance effort. The scene is set in the city's main bank, where a vast amount of gold, alongside jewellery and other valuables, has been secured. The Germans, fully aware that they cannot hold the city indefinitely, have decided to evacuate the treasury to Germany. This operation is being meticulously supervised by Gestapo major Krieger. In contrast to the ranks of the Communist resistance, Stana, the leader of the group, provides a realistic assessment of the situation. She informs Prle and Tihi that the shipment is too well-guarded and that any attempt to stop the transport would have been suicidal and ultimately pointless.

   This prudence, however, does not sit well with Prle, who is aghast with this kind of reasoning. In a series where Prle is usually portrayed as the more daring of the duo, this episode sees him succumbing to a level of impulsiveness that feels out of character. He decides to act on his own, disregarding the strategic counsel of his superiors. He recruits his network of street contacts, which includes an old acquaintance and possibly former girlfriend (Jelica Teslić). It is revealed that her father, Nikola Tršić (Mlađa Veselinović), is the bank manager. The old man is understandably unhappy with the situation and agrees to let Prle use his pass to impersonate him. Prle ventures into the bank to conduct a reconnaissance mission, only to see for himself that the security is impenetrable. Even someone with his considerable skill would fail.

   Demoralised by this failed reconnaissance and later chastised by Tihi for his insubordination, Prle is forced to pivot to a different kind of operation. This shift coincides with Marija’s promotion from a Special Police clerk to the personal secretary of Bešević, the administrator of Belgrade. In her new role, she becomes privy to the collaborationist government’s codenamed "Operation Čarnojević." Named after a 17th-century patriarch, the plan involves selecting twenty-five of Serbia’s top artists, scientists, and intellectuals and relocating them, voluntarily or otherwise, to Germany.

   Unlike the gold shipment, where the resistance leadership felt they couldn't intervene, the Communist Party leadership is keen to prevent this operation, viewing these individuals as the intellectual backbone of the nation. Prle, initially unhappy about having to use his street contacts to rescue what he views as "eggheads" and ivory tower intellectuals, reluctantly does his work well. Through his network, he manages to get most of the names on the list to go underground.

   Bešević, however, proves to be an intelligent adversary. He quickly deduces that the resistance learned about the operation from within the regime's ranks, leading to the disappearance of the majority of his targets. Rather than focusing on finding the mole, he instructs his Special Police to set up ambushes, hoping that the resistance will attempt to spring the last seven names from the list. When these ambushes are spotted, Tihi is ordered to end the operation.

   Yet, the personal stakes are raised when Joca learns that Doctor Lukić, a prominent surgeon played by Slavko Simić, is one of the names on the list. The doctor had previously saved the life of Joca’s wife, Lenče, creating a personal bond that supersedes protocol. Joca decides to act on his own again. He leaves Marija’s apartment ostensibly to "make a stroll," but in reality, he organises a complex escape evacuation for the surgeon with the help of a car mechanic named Žile. Meanwhile, Special Police agents led by Isa have the doctor’s apartment under surveillance and are about to arrest Joca. The timing is perilous, as this happens shortly before Joca’s regular radio transmission, leaving everyone in the apartment concerned. In a twist of fate, Prle realises what Joca is attempting just in the last minute. He rushes to Dr. Lukić’s apartment and helps his friend escape. Joca returns to the apartment just in time to make the transmission, and Prle covers for him, lying that the middle-aged radio operator succumbed to the need for female companionship.

   On paper, Zlato was a solid premise with a strong, almost didactic point about the relative value of material wealth versus human life. The conflict between the Germans' focus on gold and the Partisans' focus on people serves as a compelling metaphor for the broader war. However, the execution is hampered by a significant issue regarding the character of Prle. While Prle has always been more daring than Tihi and has occasionally acted on his own, he is usually portrayed as a street-savvy veteran who knows when to strike. In this episode, he displays incredible levels of stupidity and almost hubristic greed, something quite unexpected from his established persona. It feels jarring to see a seasoned operator make such tactical errors, essentially gambling with lives without proper preparation.

   The only redeeming aspect of the episode is Prle’s eventual redemption. He does see the errors of his ways and helps his friend, even to the point of lying to his superiors to protect him. This character arc saves the episode from being a total disaster, but it cannot fully mask the clumsiness that precedes it. Furthermore, the episode suffers from inconsistent direction by Aleksandar Đorđević, who usually delivers a polished product. Here, he seems to be experimenting with handheld cameras, a technique that often adds a sense of realism but in this context feels amateurish and disjointed. The end of the episode features a shootout with Special Police agents, again serving as "redshirt" characters who die just to demonstrate the danger, but the mechanics of it do not make sense. It does not show how Joca, a middle-aged man in not the best of physical shape, managed to run from trouble so effortlessly.

   While the episode is generally watchable due to the chemistry of the cast and a few semi-humorous lines of dialogue, Zlato represents arguably the worst episode of the series. It lacks the tight pacing and coherent character logic that defined the show's peak moments, serving instead as a transitional bridge that fails to inspire.

   RATING: 5/10 (++)

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6. ›Television Review: Vili (Povratak otpisanih, S1X07, 1978)@drax97d

   

   Vili (S01E07)

   Airdate: 12 February 1978

   Written by: Dragan Marković Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević

   Running Time: 53 minutes

   The television series Povratak otpisanih has frequently faced criticism from historians and critics alike for its tendency to stray from the historical truth when depicting the Second World War in Nazi-occupied Belgrade. This deviation is particularly stark when compared with its predecessor, Otpisani, which was grounded in many episodes based on real events and personalities. While the latter series attempted to deal with this turbulent period of history through the lens of action, suspense, and the characteristic comedy of the Partisan genre, it did not shy away from depicting some darker and more tragic aspects of the war. One such poignant example can be found in the episode titled Vili, which depicts a fictional event but one that is easy to imagine actually happening. Perhaps not in that particular time and place, but almost certainly somewhere and to someone during that chaotic period of history, the episode serves as a reminder of the human cost of conflict.

   The plot begins with a cold open that immediately establishes the tension of the occupation. A young boy named Badža, played by Ljev Radčenko, is seen carrying a basket to Vita, a local greengrocer played by Zoran Panić. The shop is visited by a German NCO named Willy, portrayed by Irfan Mensur. He points out to Vita that the basket, ostensibly containing cabbage, actually holds pistols. In a twist that signals his defection, Willy volunteers to add his own pistol to the basket and expresses his desire to defect to the Partisans. This opening sequence sets the tone for the narrative, balancing the mundane with the life-threatening stakes of the occupation.

   Prle and Tihi are informed of this development. After consulting with the headquarters, they agree to help him, though they first require Willy’s aid in their own mission. Willy happens to be in the signal corps, and as such, he possesses access to Belgrade’s main telephone switchboard. The Germans have mined this switchboard before the upcoming battle for the city. Willy is tasked with bringing Joca, a former postman who is also trained in signal work, to disable the explosives. The mission ultimately succeeds. However, the success of the mission is overshadowed by the personal tragedy that follows.

   There is a very personal reason why Willy decided to join the Partisans, and it is also the source of his doom. During his service in Belgrade, Willy has met and fallen in love with Ana, a local Serbian girl played by Dara Džokić. He decides to defect not only in order to remain close to her but also to prevent her from suffering reprisals over fraternising with the enemy. This situation was a source of great embarrassment to her father, Toza, played by Ratko Sarić, a proud WW1 veteran.

   After learning that the pair would join the Partisans, Willy visits Toza’s home and tells him the news. Toza is initially delighted, but he becomes extremely careless. In a cafe, he is accosted by his drunk friend Rista, played by Milan Srdoć, who criticises him over allowing his daughter to go out with the enemy. Toza retorts that Willy is actually braver than anyone he knows and that he would join the Partisans. This conversation is overheard by Isa, a Special Police agent who reports to his boss Krsta Mišić. He, after consulting with his boss Bešević, informs Major Krieger, his rival from Gestapo, and is delighted that one of the “Ubermensch” has defected to the enemy. Krieger sends his men to ambush the lovers. Marija learns about the ambush and warns Prle, but he arrives too late to get in touch with Willy. Ana sees the Gestapo and, instead of fleeing as her father has told her, runs to warn Willy and gets shot. Willy gets shot, and the last image of the episode is of the two lovers dying in each other’s arms.

   Vili is one of the more memorable episodes of Povratak otpisanih, although two iconic protagonists – Prle and Tihi – barely appear, and the plot revolves around side characters and their tragic story. That story, which later gave way for all kinds of apocryphal stories and urban legends about being based on true events about a Wehrmacht soldier falling in love with a local girl, has happened plenty of times during WW2. The defections of German soldiers, especially in the latter stages of the war when its outcome was certain, were not unheard of. The episode uses this as a basis of the plot, as some kind of tragic “Romeo and Juliet” story, and, as such, its tragedy comes from bad luck and carelessness.

   The episode is also notable for the arrival of Peter Carsten, a German actor who was one of the more iconic figures of Yugoslav Partisan films, specialising in roles of suave and professional Wehrmacht soldiers. Here, he plays General von Friedrichs, a notable Wehrmacht commander sent from Berlin to organise the defence of Belgrade before the Red Army and Partisans assault the city. Von Friedrichs’ character serves the purposes of exposition, when explaining his plans to Colonel Schroeder, and Willy arrives in his office to set up phone links. He is also depicted in the company of a young mistress, Anđela, played by Mirjana Nikolić, star of the 1973 cult TV horror film Leptirica. Her presence adds a layer of decadence to the occupying forces’ perspective.

   The episode would have been very good, if not for one rather unfortunate creative choice. The melodramatic and violent epilogue is accompanied by Lale Andersen’s “Es geht alles vorüber es geht alles vorbei”, a song that seems out of place in this particular moment. This track has been much better used in the earlier episode Agent, and its reuse here looks unnecessary and “artsy” for this series. The juxtaposition of the somber tone with the upbeat, albeit melancholic, song distracts from the raw emotional impact of the characters’ deaths. It feels like a directorial flourish that prioritises style over substance in the final moments.

   Ultimately, Vili is a testament to the complexity of the occupation. It moves beyond the typical binary of good versus evil, exploring the grey areas where soldiers find themselves in impossible situations. While the historical accuracy may be debated, the emotional resonance of the story remains intact. The performances of the supporting cast, particularly Irfan Mensur, bring a humanity to the characters that often eludes war dramas. The episode serves as a reminder that the cost of war is paid not just by soldiers, but by civilians and those caught in the crossfire of ideological conflicts. It is a sombre addition to the series, balancing the action and comedy with a moment of genuine pathos that lingers with the viewer long after the credits roll.

   RATING: 6/10 (++)

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7. ›Television Review: Moljac (Povratak otpisanih, S1X06, 1978)@drax101d

   

   Moljac (S01E06)

   Airdate: 5 February 1978

   Written by: Dragan Marković Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević

   Running Time: 53 minutes

   Povratak otpisanih, often regarded by critics and audiences alike as a lighter, more accessible companion to its formidable predecessor, Otpisani, operates within a distinct tonal framework. While the original series was deeply constrained by the grim realities of the World War Two Communist resistance in Belgrade, Povratak benefits from the shifting timeline. Set in 1944, with the war’s end in sight and the liberation of the city approaching, the narrative burden of inevitable martyrdom is significantly alleviated. The survival of iconic protagonists Prle and Tihi is now a certainty rather than a tragic question, allowing the writers to prioritise comedy, suspense, and character dynamics over the relentless celebration of sacrifice. Yet, this shift towards a more relaxed approach does not render the series immune to tragedy. On the contrary, the series retains the power to deliver moments of pure devastation, none of which strikes with the force of the sixth episode, Moljac.

   The episode’s title, which translates as “Moth”, serves as a poignant metaphor for fragility and inevitable destruction, a theme woven into the narrative fabric from the outset. The story introduces Stana (Svetlana Bojković), a high-ranking Communist Party official who arrives covertly in Belgrade to prepare the terrain for the upcoming liberation battle. She issues Prle a specific directive: to utilise his extensive network to establish an underground hospital for Partisans and their sympathisers. This mission brings Prle into contact with the titular “Moljac” (Nenad Nenadović). Far from a hardened revolutionary, Moljac is revealed to be a young boy, the leader of a gang of street urchins who have previously served Prle in various tasks that often skirted the line between resistance and black marketeering.

   When the boy and his friends are first seen in action, they demonstrate a remarkable resourcefulness and efficiency. A scene depicting them stealing food supplies from a German military train establishes their utility, yet their motivations remain grounded in survival rather than ideology. Moljac is primarily driven by the desperate need to feed his mother (Sonja Jauković), and his four siblings. It is only after Prle reveals that Moljac’s father was a Communist activist who died for his beliefs that the boy shifts his allegiance. This transition from opportunism to ideological commitment is handled with nuance, grounding the war drama in human necessity.

   With Moljac’s help, Prle successfully organises the delivery of beds, blankets, and medical supplies to an abandoned building. The operation is bolstered by the hiring of Cane Kurbla (Ivan Bekjarev), a car mechanic who agrees to provide a lorry for transport. Kurbla’s role goes beyond mere transport; he poses as an Organisation Todt officer to allay suspicions from the SS. The mission appears to conclude successfully, with Moljac awaiting further instructions, yet his youthful impatience leads to his undoing. Prle, perhaps out of a desire to give the boy a sense of purpose, assigns him to a guard duty that he believes to be routine and harmless.

   Cruel fate intervenes in the form of two Special Agents, Isa (Stole Aranđelović), and his partner Ilija Miljković (Zoran Miljković=. These officers have just pickjed an attractive singer (Mirjana Peić), and her friend Bela (Melita Bihali), and having failed to secure rooms for some quality time in the city, they decide to inspect the recently abandoned buildings where the hospital is located. When Moljac attempts to fend them off using a simple sling, the confrontation turns catastrophic. After being hit, an enraged Isa chases the boy and fires, resulting in his death. The episode concludes with his partner, horrified by the brutality, stating the devastating line, “You killed a child, Isa”.

   While Otpisani and Povratak otpisanih have seen popular and innocent characters meet tragic ends previously, the death of a child brings the World War Two tragedy depicted in the series to a new level of brutality. For a 1978 audience, this was one of the most traumatic moments in the series, particularly for young viewers who were of the same age as Moljac and had become invested in his adventures. The impact is amplified by the exceptional writing, which renders the character of Moljac vividly real, and by the conviction of Nenad Nenadović. His portrayal is so authentic that it blurs the line between the actor and the role. This intensity was not without precedent; in 1978, Nenadović would play a slightly similar character of a child turned soldier in Branko Bauer’s Partisan film Boško Buha, further cementing the cultural significance of this archetype in Yugoslav cinema.

   Despite the heavy melodrama of the climax, the episode provides necessary breathing room with scenes that expand the narrative scope. There are moments that place the main plot in a broader context, such as Colonel Müller informing fellow Gestapo officers of the necessity to evacuate Belgrade, indicating the crumbling front. Conversely, there are subplots that appear unrelated to the main hospital plot, serving instead to build tension. One particularly effective scene involves Marija, who uses the carelessness of her boss, Krsta Mišić, to photograph top-secret documents from his safe. She nearly gets caught when accidentally locked inside the office, a sequence that serves as an excellent example of the suspense the series is capable of generating outside of combat situations.

   The production also retains the continuity practices that have characterised the series, though at times this can be slightly confusing for the casual viewer. Casting decisions continue to blur the lines of character identity, with actors reappearing in new roles. Svetlana Bojković, for instance, arrives here under the name Stana, yet in the Otpisani episode Štamparija, she played an almost identical character named Olivera. Whether Stana and Olivera are two different characters using different codenames, or simply the same individual adapting to the new series setting, is left to the viewer’s interpretation. This ambiguity adds a layer of complexity to the show’s lore, suggesting a continuity that respects the original while forging a new path.

   In the end, “Moljac” shows the series' ability to balance entertainment with the heavy historical weight of war, proving that sometimes the most powerful stories are those that focus on the most vulnerable.

   RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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8. ›Television Review: Atentat (Povratak otpisanih, S1X05, 1978)@drax105d

   

   Atentat (S01E05)

   Airdate: 29 January 1978

   Written by: Dragan Marković Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević

   Running Time: 54 minutes

   The popular conception of World War Two has long been dominated by narratives that simplify the conflict into a binary struggle between Good Guys and Bad Guys. It is a view often favoured by propaganda where participants are motivated by clear patriotism and correct ideologies, while the opposition lacks any moral compass whatsoever. This simplistic dichotomy was the hallmark of many earlier war dramas, yet the Yugoslav Partisan genre began to shift during the 1970s. With the cultural thaw and slightly increased creative freedom compared to the stiffer periods of Communist Yugoslavia, filmmakers found more opportunity for nuance. The series Povratak otpisanih was a Partisan genre classic that initially appeared to follow the traditional template, yet the fifth episode, titled Atentat („Assassination”), represents a pivot towards complex human motives. It posits that individuals could take sides or participate in the war for deeply personal reasons rather than abstract ideology. While the episode achieves a level of darkness and psychological depth rare for its time, it ultimately fails to live up to its full potential, stumbling over narrative cohesion in its final acts.

   As the title suggests, the plot of Atentat deals with an assassination, or more accurately, an attempted assassination of a high-ranking target. It is carried out by a group of young resistance activists who are supervised by Prle, a seasoned commander. The target is German General Meissner (Hanjo Hasse). In one night, while General Meissner is being driven to a ball in Belgrade attended by Gestapo top brass led by Colonel Müller and Major Krieger, the situation becomes tense. The activists ambush the car on the street, managing to cause casualties among the vehicle's escorts. However, the General’s life is saved by the prompt and disciplined reaction of his aide, Major Hesler (Klaus-Peter Thiele). Despite the danger, the General manages to arrive at the ball, but the trauma leaves him in such a bad mood that everyone begins to worry about his mental state.

   The leadership within the Partisan ranks is tested by this failure. Prle is understandably unhappy because of his proteges failing to achieve their task, but the political reality forces higher-ups to intervene. To Prle's relief, they allow the youths to take a second chance. However, the operation is hamstrung by a severe lack of logistics and equipment. This is where the subplot involving Caki (Srđan Dedić), becomes critical. Caki appears to find a solution in the form of his neighbour Sreta (Živojin Milenković), who is a sergeant in the collaborationist militia and is in charge of an ordnance depot. Caki offers a huge stash of brandy in exchange for five hand grenades. He lies about his intention, claiming he needs the explosives to catch fish in the river. Sreta appears to agree to the transaction, but later changes his mind and informs on his neighbour to the Special Police. Caki is arrested and heavily beaten, but he stands firm. He continues to claim that he needed the explosives for fishing, a lie that seems absurd yet necessary for survival. When brought to Krsta Mišić, he feigns a lack of knowledge on how grenades actually work and does so in such a convincing way that Mišić lets him go.

   That doesn't mean that the General’s life isn't in danger, albeit from some very different direction. The assassination attempt he had survived makes him order a reprisal in the form of a penal expedition that would wipe out the village of Vrbove. This is where the narrative takes a sharp turn into unprecedentedly dark territory for the series. One of the survivors of this massacre is Ljubiša, played by Adem Ćejvan, a peasant whose entire family was massacred. He goes to Belgrade to settle the score with General Meissner by killing him himself. He proves to be very resourceful and sets up an ideal ambush position in a ruined building near German headquarters.

   In the meantime, General Meissner has become so paranoid that he even orders Müller and Krieger to be disarmed whenever they visit his headquarters. Major Hesler, who apparently does not like the Gestapo and considers their officers arrogant, wants to humiliate them by organising his own investigation in resistance activities. He becomes convinced that the resistance has a mole either in the Special Police or the Gestapo. He has narrowed possible suspects down to a single name, but decides to keep the name as a special surprise for his superior. Before he can give that name, events conspire to get him involved in a violent confrontation.

   It turns out that Ljubiša actually has a brother in Belgrade, and that brother is none other than Mikula ( Dragomir "Gidra" Bojanić), a drink-loving Special Police agent. Ljubiša visits Mikula and makes his intentions towards the General clear, leaving his brother with a choice of whether to help him or not. Mikula is aghast, but determined to save the life of his last remaining relatives. He confides in his friend and colleague Isa, played by Stole Aranđelović, who promises that he would simply prevent the assassination. Yet, instead, he tells Krsta Mišić, who is delighted with the rare opportunity to humiliate his rival Major Krieger. Mišić informs on the General directly against the Gestapo. When Special Police agents and Wehrmacht soldiers under Major Hesler come to arrest Ljubiša, it leads to a final showdown. Tragically, Mikula, who came to save his brother, is killed by German soldiers, and Major Hesler dies when trying to catch Ljubiša, who also dies.

   Later, Marija informs her friends that the assassination is pointless, because General Meissner suffered a nervous breakdown after the loss of his aide and is being recalled to Germany. The action is formally called off, but Prle nevertheless takes Caki and two of his comrades to use hand grenades. They throw them at the train station at exact moments the General departs. They manage to kill a couple of soldiers and slightly wound the General, after which Prle and his comrades disperse.

   While Povratak otpisanih was, in its first episodes, much lighter in terms of mood than its predecessor, Otpisani, in this episode it goes into unprecedentedly dark territory. It is the first episode to show Germans committing horrible atrocities against Serbian civilians in the countryside—events that actually occurred in 1941 following the Communist-led uprising. These scenes are depicted in a very graphic and unpleasant way for a 1970s audience, grounding the war fiction in a historical reality that was often sanitised in earlier episodes.

   The character of Ljubiša, who had his entire family taken out, reacts by trying to kill General Meissner, and does so for very personal reasons in a very personal way. The episode, on the other hand, shows that some other characters took a different course of action for very personal reasons. Sreta first agrees to be bribed, only to have a change of heart because of fear, while Mikula, who had joined the Special Police for the sake of material wealth and prestige, tries to save his brother. The tragic death of a character who was originally introduced as a buffoonish villain's sidekick underlines the dark overtones of the episode. This complexity in character motivation is what separates the episode from generic partisan films, even if it is not perfectly executed.

   The episode provides some great acting, especially in the scene of the encounter between the two brothers, Ljubiša and Mikula. Adem Ćejvan and Dragomir "Gidra" Bojanić deliver stellar performances that ground the melodramatic elements in reality. Mikula was introduced in the beginning of the series as a bufoonish villain's sidekick, almost a comic relief, , yet here he is portrayed as tragic figure.

   The episode is also notable for the casting of East German actor Hanjo Hasse in the role of General Meissner. Hasse is best known for playing main villains in Partisan film classics like The Bridge and Walter Defends Sarajevo, but his charisma is wasted in one-note role of madman.

   The episode also features some of the actors who had played different roles in Otpisani. Ivo Jakšić, who played Nina's stepfather in the episode Izdajnik, here appears as a German military doctor, while Eugen Verber, who played the Volksdeutsche clockmaker Schmidt in Banjički logor, is here introduced as Schroeder, one of Krieger's subordinates.

   While some elements of the episode are strong, it fails as a whole when viewed critically. The story of Ljubiša and Mikula feels emotionally disconnected from the general plot dealing with the regular protagonists. There was an opportunity in the character of Major Hesler to hint at the Germans being on the way to discover a mole, which the audience now knows to be Marija, but it was never used in an explicit or unambiguous way. This thread is wasted when Hesler leads a cowboy-style raid on Ljubiša's hiding place and gets killed for his efforts.

   Another issue is the actual ending which is brought only to artificially give some sort of happy ending to otherwise grim story. The train station attack risks lives for something pointless and ends with Prle clowning after a successful escape, which is an unnecessary tonal shift that undermines the tragedy that preceded it.

   Ultimately, Atentat is a flawed pice of otherwise great series, offering a glimpse into the human cost of war that was radical for its time, but unable to fully reconcile its thematic ambitions with its narrative structure.

   RATING: 6/10 (++)

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9. ›Television Review: Agent (Povratak otpisanih, S1X04, 1978)@drax108d

   

   Agent (S01E04)

   Airdate: 22 January 1978

   Written by: Dragan Marković Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević

   Running Time: 57 minutes

   Povratak otpisanih, the sequel series to the beloved Otpisani, represented a significant departure from its predecessor in multiple respects. The production values were noticeably enhanced, with colour cinematography replacing the stark black-and-white aesthetic of the original series, whilst the budget had clearly been increased to accommodate more ambitious set pieces and location work. Perhaps more subtly but no less importantly, the series adopted a somewhat less reverent attitude towards its historical setting, occasionally allowing itself moments of self-awareness that would have been unthinkable in the more earnest original. Nowhere is this contrast more strikingly illustrated than in Agent, the fourth episode of Povratak otpisanih, which contains a sequence that functions both as a dramatic set-piece and as a sort of meta-commentary on—or perhaps even a partial remake of—Garaža, the second episode of Otpisani.

   At the very beginning of Garaža, viewers witnessed the execution of Boban, one of the young resistance activists, by firing squad at the Banjica camp—a scene of unflinching brutality that established the stakes for the entire series. Agent opens in that very same location, with what appears to be an almost identical scenario: the execution of captured resistance activists. This is presented as a spectacle to which Gestapo Major Krieger and his superior Colonel Müller have invited Dr. Grote (Milan Puzić), a top Abwehr operative who has flown from Berlin to assist the German authorities in their efforts to hunt down the resistance. Two men are led out to face the firing squad: Jovan (Miloš Žutić), and Ivan Garić (Dušan Janićijević). The latter, in his final moments, speaks tenderly of his girlfriend Dana (Vesna Pećanac), whom he will never see again. The scene carries an undeniable emotional weight, and the viewer is led to believe they are witnessing another tragic sacrifice in the mould of Boban's death.

   The execution proceeds as expected, with both men falling after shouting the traditional Partisan slogan "Smrt fašizmu" ("Death to fascism"). Then, in a moment of genuinely shocking black comedy, Jovan rises from the ground, finishes the slogan with "Sloboda narodu" ("Freedom to the people"), and breaks into an enormous grin. Unlike the unfortunate Ivan, Jovan has been deliberately missed by the firing squad. Dr. Grote calmly explains that this "clown" is in fact a top agent tasked with infiltrating the Partisans, and that he has spent two months as a prisoner in order to deceive the resistance into accepting him as one of their own. The sequence is audacious in its subversion of audience expectations, transforming what appeared to be a straightforward dramatic scene into something far more morally ambiguous and tonally complex.

   Dr. Grote arranges for Hans—the agent's true identity—to escape from a truck near Dana's apartment. Acting on intelligence gleaned from Ivan's stories during their shared imprisonment, Hans takes refuge with Dana and her family. They contact Tihi and Mrki, who transport him to Marija's apartment. Hans spins a convincing tale of being a Partisan captured after his unit was ambushed by German and Bulgarian forces in April. Tihi and Mrki, taken in by his performance, establish a link that would extricate "Jovan" to Partisan-controlled territory. The infiltration is proceeding exactly as Dr. Grote has planned.

   Meanwhile, Dr. Grote informs Müller and the Gestapo leadership that he has successfully arranged for agents to infiltrate the Partisan headquarters, and that the intelligence gathered will assist them in defending Belgrade from both the Partisans and the advancing Red Army. Müller and Krieger, however, harbour deep suspicions about Grote and the Abwehr more broadly, viewing them as traitors who have turned against Hitler and his regime. These suspicions are not without foundation. Grote is indeed operating behind the Gestapo's back: he visits Simić (Miodrag Lazarević), a clockmaker, who serves as his contact with a courier (Nenad Ciganović) arriving via train from Istanbul to establish links with American intelligence services. Krieger has Grote followed, but after the clockmaker and courier both die resisting arrest, he lacks concrete evidence of Grote's treachery.

   Marija, meanwhile, has been complaining about the lack of intelligence from her superiors and colelagues within the Special Police. Tihi suggests that she might attempt to win the favour of the obviously amorous Major Krieger, thereby obtaining intelligence from the Gestapo instead. She agrees to this dangerous game, and Krieger takes her to a nightclub where she also attracts the attention of Dr. Grote, who invites both Krieger and Marija to his villa. Krieger subsequently reveals his true intentions: he wants Marija to assist him in an operation against Dr. Grote. She is to open a window in his study, allowing Krieger's men to discreetly obtain potentially compromising documents. Marija agrees and carries out the task, but not before examining some of the documents herself and learning that "Jovan" is in reality Hans. Lipke (Miodrag Krstović), Dr. Grote's associate, catches Marija in the act and attempts to strangle her. She survives only because Krieger's men stab Lipke to death. Marija leaves the villa, with Krieger deciding she is too useful to be silenced. When Krieger goes to confront Grote with proof of his treason, he finds him dead from cyanide poisoning. Marija informs Mrki and Tihi about "Jovan," and Joca is ordered to radio Partisan headquarters to arrange a "warm welcome" for the German agent.

   Agent is a particularly interesting episode because it situates its plot within the broader historical context of the Second World War, specifically the internal divisions within the Third Reich and its intelligence apparatus during 1944. By this stage, it had become increasingly obvious that Germany would lose the war, and some elements within the German establishment—most notably the Abwehr and its head, Admiral Canaris—were seeking separate peace negotiations with the Western Allies, in contrast to the more fanatical Gestapo and SS. This historical nuance adds a layer of sophistication to the episode's narrative, elevating it above simpler portrayals of monolithic German villainy.

   Nevertheless, the episode remains most memorable for its opening. The shooting scene, which is staged in a manner strikingly similar to Boban's execution in the previous series, transforms into something approaching macabre comedy, with Hans—excellently played by Miloš Žutić—emerging as a diabolical, almost Joker-like villain. Žutić's performance is a tour de force, capturing both the character's theatrical malevolence and the unsettling charisma that allows him to deceive the resistance.

   The rest of the cast also delivers strong performances. Milan Puzić, who had previously played the station master in Poštar, an episode of Otpisani, here portrays Dr. Grote with confidence and subtle menace as the Abwehr's top operative. Vesna Pećanac, who played the unfortunate maid in Pečurke, another episode of Otpisani, briefly appears in the much smaller role of a grief-devastated girlfriend.

   "Agent" also features a noteworthy musical interlude, in which Mirjana Peić performs her own rendition of "Es geht alles vorüber, es geht alles vorbei," a 1942 song originally performed by Lale Andersen that was immensely popular among the German military during the Second World War. This period detail provides an extra layer of authenticity to a series that occasionally struggled with historical accuracy in other regards.

   However, the finest scene in the episode is undoubtedly Marija's espionage mission in Dr. Grote's villa. This sequence represents one of the most accomplished examples of sustained suspense in the entire series, and it succeeds despite the complicated plotting required to set it up, with characters forming unexpected alliances and shifting loyalties in ways that might seem contrived in lesser hands.

   The episode concludes with a semi-humorous but not particularly well-thought-out confrontation between Prle and Joca in Marija's apartment. This ending feels somewhat perfunctory, as if the writers were uncertain how to follow the dramatic intensity of the villa sequence. Nevertheless, this minor misstep does little to diminish what is otherwise a compelling and historically sophisticated episode that showcases Povratak otpisanih at its ambitious best.

   RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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10. ›Television Review: Dvokrilac (Povratak otpisanih, S1X03, 1978)@drax113d

    

    Dvokrilac (S01E03)

    Airdate: 15 January 1978

    Written by: Dragan Marković Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević

    Running Time: 54 minutes

    The third episode of the sequel series Povratak otpisanih, titled "Dvokrilac" (Biplane), remains a focal point of debate amongst critics and historians alike. One of the most persistent criticisms levelled at the original series Otpisani and its sequel concerns the perceived disconnect between the on-screen narrative and the actual historical realities of Belgrade during the Nazi occupation. Detractors, particularly those within Serbian right-wing nationalist circles who champion the legacy of Draža Mihailović and the Chetnik movement, argue that the series functions largely as a continuation of Communist Yugoslav propaganda. They contend that the series sanitises the complexities of the resistance, presenting a simplistic narrative of inevitable Partisan victory that ignores the strategic realities of the era. In this context, Dvokrilac is frequently cited as a specific instance of historical falsification, where the series prioritises dramatic flair over factual accuracy to uphold its ideological agenda.

    The title of the episode refers to a collaborationist agent working for the Special Police who operates under the codename "Dvokrilac". His mission is to infiltrate the Communist resistance by posing as a contact for young, naive youths eager to join the fight against the occupiers. The agent, played by Ivan Jagodić, works at a power plant alongside two such youths—Mali, played by Predrag Ejdus, and Žule, portrayed by Bogdan Diklić. Ratko successfully manipulates Mali into believing he has a legitimate connection to the Partisans, promising him transport to the resistance-controlled territory. Žule, however, proves more cautious and contacts his Uncle Mile, a fisherman tasked with marking German river mines. Mile then informs the seasoned Partisans Prle, Tihi, and Mrki about the situation. Despite this intervention, the plan fails; Mali is arrested by the Special Police and executed by the Gestapo. Subsequently, Žule is trailed and killed during his resistance arrest, and Uncle Mile is killed by the crew of a German patrol boat. This sequence constitutes the first three-quarters of the episode, presenting a classic spy thriller narrative with the motif of an agent provocateur, a structure heavily influenced by the 1972 Partisan classic Walter Defends Sarajevo.

    The narrative shifts in the final quarter as the focus turns to a more tactical conflict involving German technology. Major Krieger, expressing his displeasure at the loss of his agents, reveals his confidence in a signal-tracking device brought from Greece that can locate the Partisans' radio station. Overhearing this conversation, Marija alerts the resistance group, who use a clever telephone trick to force Krsta Mišić to reveal "Dvokrilac's" identity. The agent is then captured and brought to an abandoned slaughterhouse. In a desperate bid to save his life, Dvokrilac divulges presence of the German signal-tracking lorry. However, he attempts to flee and slips to his death. The Partisans, now aware of the threat, launch an ambush on the German lorry. The operation is successful; the German crew is wiped out, and the device is destroyed. In a moment of dark triumph, Prle radios Major Krieger and taunts him, taking several tin cans from the lorry as trophies. The episode concludes with a candlelit supper meant to celebrate their victory, but the mood is abruptly soured when Prle discovers that the contents of the tin cans are actually motor oil rather than food.

    While almost every episode of Povratak otpisanih has faced scrutiny for its historical liberties, Dvokrilac possesses one of the strongest elements of grounding in real events: the use of signal-tracking vans by the German military to locate resistance radio transmitters. However, the episode inverts the historical outcome. In reality, these operations, conducted in late 1942 and early 1943, were highly successful and targeted the Chetnik movement rather than the Partisans. By portraying a unsuccessful German operation against the Partisans, the episode arguably reinforces the communist narrative of Partisan superiority, a detail that staunch critics of the series find particularly galling.

    The characterisation of Prle and Tihi in this episode leans heavily into the action hero archetype. They function almost as Rambo-like killing machines, capable of wiping out not just the Special Police agents but also the German signal team with ease. This excessive lethality makes the adversaries appear somewhat disposable, particularly when Mikula, one of Mišić's agents played by the renowned Dragomir Bojanić Gidra (known for his role as Kondor in Walter Defends Sarajevo), tries to console himself with drink after the death of his partners. The direction by Aleksandar Đorđević is generally competent, though the sequences set on the river, including the death of Uncle Mile, feel somewhat clunky and out of sync with the gritty urban realism of the rest of the episode.

    Ultimately, the episode is rescued from being a purely derivative piece of propaganda by its ability to balance its grim subject matter with levity. Dvokrilac leverages the recurring theme of wartime privations, specifically Prle's frustration with eating "proja", a staple associated with poverty before the 1950s. The final scene, where the group is tricked into believing they will feast thanks to the German cans, serves as a poignant addition of levity. It provides a necessary breather from the tension, signalling to the audience that while the episode deals with serious themes, its content should not be taken too seriously and serves primarily as entertainment rather than a documentary.

    RATING: 8/10 (+++)

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11. ›Television Review: Padobranci (Povratak otpisanih, S1X02, 1978)@drax117d

    

    Padobranci (S01E02)

    Airdate: 8 January 1978

    Written by: Dragan Marković Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević

    Running Time: 57 minutes

    Few European capitals have endured as concentrated and catastrophic a history of aerial bombardment in the twentieth century as Belgrade. While the scars of the 1999 NATO campaign are more recent in memory, the city’s most devastating chapters were written during the Second World War. It was first shattered by the Luftwaffe’s Strafgericht (Operation Punishment) during the Axis invasion of April 1941. Three years later, under German occupation, it found itself in the crosshairs of its would-be liberators: the Allied air forces. This grim paradox—being pummelled by those whose victory one desperately hopes for—forms the essential, suffocating backdrop for Padobranci (“The Parachutists”), the second episode of the revered Yugoslav television series Povratak otpisanih (The Return of the Written-Off). The episode masterfully uses this context not for grand spectacle, but as a pressure cooker for human drama, exploring betrayal, survival, and the brittle codes of honour that persist amidst chaos.

    The plot is set in motion during one such Allied night raid, a communal leveller that drives German soldiers and Belgrade civilians alike into the same shelter. Here, Prle (D) is recognised by his pre-war mentor, petty criminal Dragi Kenta (Bora Todorović). Once a figure of rakish charm, Kenta is now a desperate man, crushed by gambling debts. This chance encounter sparks the episode’s central moral crisis. Kenta’s decision to betray Prle’s hiding place to the Serbian Special Police, led by the Krsta Mišić, for a pittance of money and food, is portrayed not as mustache-twirling villainy but as a pathetic, human failing. It is a transaction of despair, setting in motion a chain of events that exposes the complex social fabric of occupied Belgrade.

    The subsequent raid on the apartment building where Prle, Tihi and Joca (Milan Puzić) hide is a masterclass in suspense built on social nuance. Their hostess, Marija, is a member of a “respectable Serbian family” with an uncle in Nedić’s collaborationist government and, crucially, a secretarial job within the Special Police itself. When Mišić arrives with Gestapo Major Krieger (Stevo Žigon) in tow, Mihić’s script brilliantly exploits the occupiers’ own hierarchies and prejudices. Marija, the epitome of cool, aristocratic poise, serves drinks and offers her apartment for search with a weary, condescending elegance that immediately disarms Krieger. His infatuation, coupled with a reluctance to upset local collaborators, leads him to call off the search. The scene’s tension derives entirely from performance and subtext—the audience’s knowledge of the men hiding in the bathroom clashing with the polite, treacherous dance in the living room. It is a triumph of writing and acting, particularly from Petković.

    However, the raid yields an unexpected fruit for Mišić: Krieger’s obvious fascination with Marija becomes a potential asset. In casually revealing Kenta as the informant to Marija, Mišić unwittingly signs the man’s death warrant. Prle takes the betrayal personally. His confrontation with Kenta is the episode’s dramatic pinnacle and one of the most powerfully bleak moments in the entire series. Prle offers his former mentor a chilling courtesy—the chance to write a farewell letter—before announcing his death sentence. Todorović’s performance here is magnificent. He cycles through desperation, attempted bluff, and a final, futile grasp for his old, swindler’s dominance, trying to turn the tables with a hidden gun Prle had already disarmed. His death in the ensuing struggle is quick, unglamorous, and deeply tragic. It underscores the series’ core theme: in this world, the smallest moral compromise can have fatal, irreversible consequences.

    The episode’s B-plot introduces the “parachutists” of the title: two American airmen, Jim (Petar Banićević) and Bob (Dejan Čavić), who bail out from a downed bomber. Their rescue by the villagers, aided by the ever-reliable Mrki (Milan Erak) and the scene-stealing Uncle Žika (Mija Aleksić), provides a different tonal flavour. Aleksić, a beloved comedic actor, brings a warm, pragmatic gravity to the elderly WWI veteran turned makeshift medic. The sequence where Prle and Tihi don the airmen’s jackets to divert German patrols is a clever, tense piece of subterfuge that highlights their quick-thinking bravery. The brief moment of camaraderie, sharing Chesterfield cigarettes given by the grateful Americans, offers a rare glimpse of hope amidst the gloom.

    Padobranci stands out in the Povratak otpisanih canon for its restraint. As the user notes, it is an episode of considerable suspense but minimal on-screen violence, featuring only one fatality. Its tension is psychological and moral, rooted in betrayal and the constant, oppressive threat of discovery. This approach allows for richer character exploration, particularly in the doomed figure of Dragi Kenta.

    Production-wise, the episode marks a transition. It is the first to feature Milivoje Marković’s updated soundtrack for the series, including a new, melancholic end-title theme. However, the increased scale of Povratak otpisanih compared to its predecessor Otpisani was not without its limits. The most notable technical shortcoming is the use of stark, black-and-white archival footage to depict the bombing raids. Uts jarring juxtaposition with the lush colour cinematography of the rest of the episode momentarily shatters the narrative illusion, a stark reminder of budgetary constraints.

    The cast, as always, is superlative. Jovan Milićević makes a strong debut as the cynical city administrator Bešević and Mišić's superior. The Serbian actors Banićević and Čavić playing the American airmen are serviceable, though their English dialogue lacks authentic accent or cadence—a minor, forgivable flaw in an otherwise meticulously crafted production. The episode’s soul, however, belongs to Bora Todorović. In a single episode, he crafts a profoundly memorable tragic figure. His Dragi Kenta is not simply a traitor; he is a broken man, a symbol of how the war eroded personal loyalties and reduced life to a brutal calculus of survival. His performance elevates the episode from a simple adventure yarn to a poignant study of moral collapse.

    Writer Gordan Mihić ensures the pervasive grimness is leavened with the series’ signature, bone-dry humour. The constant bickering between Prle and Joca about the irony of being bombed by their “allies” provides a necessary, humanising relief. It voices the absurd, bitter reality of life under occupation for many Belgraders: death could come from any direction, friend or foe.

    Padobranci is a well-balanced episode that uses the vast historical canvas of the Belgrade bombings as an intimate theatre for human drama. It is a tale of a friendship betrayed, a life cheaply sold, and the relentless, quiet heroism required merely to persist.

    RATING: 8/10 (+++)

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