Television Review: Kanal (Otpisani, S1X06, 1975)

Kanal (S01E06)

Airdate: 26 January 1975

Written by: Dragan Marković & Siniša Pavić
Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević

Running Time: 48 minutes

The enduring quality of the Yugoslav television series Otpisani (The Written Offs) is such that even an episode which, on its surface, appears to be a deliberate rehash of a previous premise can, through sheer creative grit and execution, be transformed into something radically distinct and superior. This is exemplified by the sixth episode, Kanal (“The Sewer”). What begins as a seeming revisit of the second episode Garaža'’s sewer-based escape evolves into a masterclass in tension and moral complexity, resulting in one of the most suspenseful and arguably finest pieces of television produced in 1970s Yugoslavia.Kanal leverages its familiar setting as a foundation for a more psychologically harrowing and technically audacious narrative, proving the series’ capacity for depth within its popular war drama format.

The structural echo is clear: in Garaža, the protagonists used Belgrade’s sewer network to escape after sabotaging German vehicles. In Kanal, the sewers are again the crucial conduit, but this time for an offensive operation—infiltrating and destroying a heavily guarded German explosives warehouse. This shift from escape route to assault corridor fundamentally changes the episode’s DNA, trading a chase’s adrenaline for an incursion’s agonising suspense. The objective is more spectacular, but the stakes, both physical and emotional, are exponentially higher.

The plot meticulously constructs its obstacles. The need for explosives leads the pragmatic Tihi (Vojislav Brajović) and the impulsive Prle (Dragan Nikolić) on a reconnaissance, while Paja is tasked with sourcing them through the black market. This thread introduces a moment of darkly comic misfortune typical of the series’ tone: Paja’s contact betrays him, and the Gestapo, acting on the tip, arrest not Paja but his innocuous cafe-owner boss Spira (an excellent Bata Paskaljević). The explosives are ultimately secured through a more ingenious, character-driven avenue. The civil engineer Babić (Miodrag Milovanov), who has ingratiated himself with German officers at the Kalemegdan Fortress with tales of his Herzegovinian heritage, is tasked by the resistance into stealing explosives. His tense retrieval and the subsequent meet-up in a warehouse—briefly interrupted by a farcical scene where a German NCO fails to seduce a local woman—showcase the series’ deft blend of suspense and social observation.

The recruitment of three young, inexperienced volunteers adds a layer of poignant vulnerability. Tihi’s sober offer for anyone to withdraw, met with silent resolve, is a powerful moment that underlines the voluntary, personal nature of their sacrifice. Their descent into the dark, smelly and claustrophobic sewers marks the point of no return. The claustrophobia is palpable, culminating in young Bane’s (Ivan Šebalj) panic attack, a raw human moment amidst the war machinery. The infiltration, with Prle in German uniform subduing a sentry, is executed with clean, tense precision. However, the success of the spectacular explosion is immediately undermined by discovery, triggering a frantic retreat.

Here, the episode introduces its brilliant central complication: the concurrent, routine flooding of the sewers by the water authorities. This natural, bureaucratic threat is as formidable as the German soldiers in brutal pursuit. It creates a relentless, dual-pressure environment where the resistance group and their pursuers are equally victim to the rising water. Uncle Marko (Božidar Savićević), the sympathetic water engineer, embodies this desperate race against institutional inevitability. The flooding elevates the chase from a martial contest to a primal struggle for survival against a neutral, indifferent force. The death of the wounded Bane is a direct, tragic consequence, raising the human cost. Tihi’s decision to sacrifice himself by splitting the group and drawing fire is the episode’s moral zenith, a moment where his famed level-headedness translates into heartbreaking nobility. His survival, wounded and awaiting death only to be spared by the retreating waters and rescued by Čibi and Marko, is one of the series’ most emotionally resonant moments. The final shot of him being carried towards the light, scored by Milivoje Marković’s harmonica-led theme, is unforgettable.

Kanal is often rightly considered the pinnacle of Otpisani. Its power derives from a simple, focused plot that services profound character examination. For the first time, the unflappable Tihi’s fate is genuinely in doubt, investing the entire proceedings with a deeper gravity. Furthermore, the episode brilliantly uses its runtime for tonal texture. The scenes of Babić entertaining German officers with folkloric bravado and Spira’s hapless arrest provide necessary levity and social satire, while the warehouse vignette offers a subtly humorous critique of occupation dynamics.

Much of the episode’s visceral authenticity stems from director Aleksandar Đorđević’s commitment to shooting in real sewage tunnels. This was not an aesthetic choice but a gruelling necessity, and the cast and crew’s documented hardship directly translates to screen. The environment’s oppressive dampness, grime, and palpable danger are not simulated; they are real, lending the actors’ performances a grounded desperation that sets could never replicate. Judging by the final product, this sacrifice was utterly justified.

RATING: 8/10 (+++)

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