Television Review: Paja Bakšiš (Otpisani, S1X09, 1975)
Paja Bakšiš (S01E09)
Airdate: 16 February 1975
Written by: Dragan Marković & Siniša Pavić
Directed by: Aleksandar Đorđević
Running Time: 42 minutes
From its premiere, the acclaimed Yugoslav TV series Otpisani (The Written-Off Men) has danced on a precarious line between patriotic myth-making and historical drama. Critics have long noted its tendency to stray from the meticulous record of Belgrade’s brutal World War II occupation, opting instead for a stylised, action-oriented narrative where the charismatic resistance cell—led by the unflappable Tihi—seems to operate with near-superhuman efficacy. The show often indulges in the fantasy of the “Good Guys” winning every skirmish, dispatching entire squads of German soldiers with relative ease while their opponents exhibit the infamously poor marksmanship later sarcastically ascribed to Imperial Stormtroopers. Yet, beneath this Boy’s Own adventure veneer, the series never shied away from portraying a darker, grittier reality: the omnipresent threat of torture, mass executions, and the shadow of the Holocaust. It is as if the creators, perhaps hearing these very criticisms, decided to lean decisively into this grim authenticity for their later episodes. The ninth episode, Paja Bakšiš, stands as a stark testament to this shift, enforcing the ruthless rules of probability by delivering a devastating blow to the core ensemble. In doing so, it elevates the series from thrilling propaganda to genuinely poignant tragedy, centred on the fate of its title character.
Paja, nicknamed “Bakšiš” (The Tip), was introduced in the first episode as one of Tihi’s four original best friends. A wisecracking waiter, his value lay not in frontline combat but in his unique niche: a master of intelligence gathering with an indispensable network of black-market contacts capable of procuring German uniforms and equipment. By this penultimate stage, the group has already been whittled down by war’s attrition. Zriki and Mile have been killed, leaving only Prle relatively unscathed and Paja himself, who has miraculously survived being wounded in two previous episodes. His survival begins to feel less like luck and more like a narrative debt coming due, his cheerful resilience marking him for a cruel, sacrificial payoff.
The plot is a classic espionage set-up. Tihi is briefed by his superior, Stevan, about an audacious plan to steal German security plans. The source is the enigmatic Vladimir “Vlada Rus,” played with suave, James Bond-like coolness by Mihailo Janketić. As the son of a Russian émigré working for the Gestapo, Vlada has access to a high-society party at Colonel Müller’s villa. This party provides the perfect diversion for Tihi, Prle, and Paja—aided by safecracker Sirano (“Cyrano”)—to infiltrate the villa, crack Müller’s safe, and photograph the documents. The episode expertly builds tension during the waiting period in Sirano’s parents’ nearby villa. The mood is surprisingly light, filled with Metaxa liquor and camaraderie, heightened by Paja’s buoyant spirits as he celebrates his birthday. This poignant detail, a man celebrating life on the eve of his death, adds a layer of tragic irony that the series had previously reserved for its more anonymous victims. Paja’s competence is immediately shown as he dons a German uniform to efficiently silence a sentry, but this professional success only deepens the impending sense of loss.
Meanwhile, the party at the Müller villa introduces a compelling romantic and social rivalry. Müller’s beautiful daughter, Ruth (a radiant Neda Arnerić, her lines dubbed due to linguistic limitations), becomes the object of desire for both the smarmy Major Krieger and the more refined Vlada Rus. Krieger’s simmering jealousy is fuelled by racial disdain, as Ruth favours a “subhuman” Slav. This subplot adds necessary texture to the German antagonists, moving them beyond mere caricatures. Vlada Rus uses the occasion to momentarily kill the villa’s power, forcing an impromptu candlelit piano performance from Ruth. This elegant interlude is not merely decorative; it provides the acoustic cover for the infiltration, masterfully intertwining the social and suspense threads of the narrative.
The heist itself is executed with palpable tension. Tihi studies the documents with meticulous care, but the team overstays its welcome. Upon the power’s restoration, they are discovered. A chaotic escape ensues. Prle and Sirano find temporary refuge in Sirano’s house, where Sirano hides a bullet graze and, in a tense scene, outsmarts the suspicious Major Krieger during a search by concealing Prle in a wine cellar. Tihi and Paja, however, are forced onto the streets, pursued by soldiers and dogs. In the episode’s pivotal moment, recognising that Tihi—the sole bearer of the vital intelligence—must escape, Paja makes the conscious, heroic decision to sacrifice himself. “Run, Tihi! You’re the only one who knows the plans!” he shouts, turning to face the onslaught. Cornered in a ruined building, the wisecracking waiter, the man of contacts and clever schemes, meets his end in a brutal, unglamorous shootout. This death is arguably the most emotionally resonant moment in the entire series. It is also the surprisingly early exit of Miki Manojlović, an actor whose nuanced performance hinted at the major career that would follow in Serbian and European cinema.
Beyond its personal tragedy, Paja Bakšiš functions superbly as a bona fide spy thriller. The sequences of infiltration, the race against time at the safe, and the frantic chase are orchestrated with a precision that rivals any contemporary genre work. The melodramatic elements—the birthday, the sacrificial act—are earned by the episode’s airtight suspense mechanics.
Furthermore, the episode’s subversive historical commentary is potent. The brief respite in Sirano’s opulent villa allows Prle, a man from the working class, to remark with bitter humour on the luxuries around him, including the coveted Metaxa. He jokes that once the Communists win, all this will be nationalised and “enjoyed by the people.” This line, delivered lightly, carries a devastating weight for the 1970s Yugoslav audience. It was a darkly prophetic nod to the post-war expropriations and the deep-seated resentment they bred among Belgrade’s decimated middle and upper classes towards the very Partisan victors the series ostensibly celebrates. It is a moment of startling ideological complexity, acknowledging that the “liberation” came with its own cost and contradictions.
In conclusion, Paja Bakšiš represents Otpisani at its most mature and effective. It retains the series’ kinetic energy and patriotic core but tempers it with a newfound commitment to consequence. By sacrificing one of its most beloved original characters in a move dictated by narrative probability rather than heroic necessity, the episode shatters any remaining illusion of invulnerability. It complements this personal loss with sophisticated thriller plotting and daring, subtextual political commentary. The episode is elevated by strong performances, particularly Manojlović’s farewell turn and Janketić’s charismatic introduction—ironically prefiguring his next major role as the Krieger-like villain, Colonel Tomić of Ustasha secret police in Nepokoreni grad. Paja Bakšiš proves that the most powerful war stories are not those where the heroes always win, but those where their victories are inseparable from profound, personal loss. It is the episode where Otpisani truly grew up, trading mere adventure for authentic, enduring tragedy.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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