Raumpatrouille Orion S01E04: Deserteure (1966) in Color — Starring Dietmar Schönherr & Eva Pflug

Raumpatrouille Orion S01E04: Deserteure (1966) — Buy This Classic in Color

Raumpatrouille Orion S01E04: Deserteure is a 1966 German science-fiction television episode, originally titled Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion S01E04: Deserteure, directed by Michael Braun and starring Dietmar Schönherr, Eva Pflug, Wolfgang Völz and Charlotte Kerr. Dies ist die kolorierte Fassung in Farbe der Originalfolge. In this tense instalment, the crew of the Orion faces a crisis of loyalty when trusted officers vanish from their posts. This episode of Raumpatrouille Orion blends Cold War paranoia with sleek space-opera adventure. Own this classic movie in color as a DRM-free MP4 digital download for just €15.00.

Plot Summary

The episode opens aboard the Raumkreuzer Orion, where Commander Cliff Allister McLane (Dietmar Schönherr) and his crew are carrying out routine patrol duties. The mood is uneasy: several crew members have been behaving strangely, and there are rumours of unrest spreading through the fleet. McLane’s first officer, Lieutenant Tamara Jagellovsk (Eva Pflug), a security officer assigned to watch the crew, senses that something is being kept from her.

The tension sharpens when it becomes clear that certain officers have abandoned their posts without authorisation. These are not ordinary absences — the men have deliberately turned their backs on their duty and gone into hiding. The term “deserters” hangs over the Orion, and the crew must reckon with the possibility that colleagues they trusted have chosen to flee rather than serve.

McLane, never comfortable with authority, finds himself caught between his loyalty to his people and his obligations to the fleet command. He is determined to understand why trained officers would desert, and his investigation takes him into the shadowy corners of the station and the surrounding space. Alongside him, Jagellovsk pursues her own security mandate, and the two clash over how far they should go to uncover the truth.

As the search continues, the deserters’ motives begin to come into focus. Their decision appears to be driven by fear and disillusionment rather than simple cowardice, and the episode probes the human cost of service in a militarised future. Supporting performances from the wider cast — including Wolfgang Völz as Mario de Monti and Charlotte Kerr — add weight to the mounting unease.

The situation escalates as McLane and his crew close in on the fugitives, and the episode builds toward a confrontation that forces everyone aboard to question where their true loyalties lie. The deserters’ flight raises uncomfortable questions about duty, conscience and the price of obedience.

By the closing scenes, the crew must decide what justice means when the people who run are the people you know. The ending answers the question the whole episode has been circling: what really drove these officers to desert — and whether McLane can bring them back without destroying the trust that holds his crew together.

Cast & Crew

Director: Michael Braun
Stars: Dietmar Schönherr, Eva Pflug, Wolfgang Völz, Charlotte Kerr, Claus Holm

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

This professionally colourised restoration transforms a landmark of 1960s German television into something newly vivid. The original black-and-white broadcast was striking in its own right, but the colorized version lets you see the production design as its makers intended it to be imagined: the metallic sheen of the Orion’s control room, the muted greys and blues of the uniforms, and the carefully built sets that gave the series its distinctive retro-futurist look. The restoration reveals details that monochrome flattened — the textures of consoles, the contrast between interior lighting and the darkness of space, and the subtle colour coding of different crew roles. Crucially, the colour serves the performances rather than distracting from them: Dietmar Schönherr’s weary authority, Eva Pflug’s guarded intensity and Wolfgang Völz’s easy charm all read more clearly against a richer visual backdrop. For viewers who grew up with the series, and for newcomers discovering it, this is the most accessible way to experience the episode. Buy it now at €15.00 with instant DRM-free MP4 download.

Historical Significance

Raumpatrouille Orion holds a singular place in television history. First broadcast in 1966, it was West Germany’s ambitious answer to the wave of science-fiction series coming out of Britain and America, and it became a cult favourite that still commands a devoted following. Produced on a modest budget but with remarkable ingenuity, the series used everyday objects as props and built its futuristic world from whatever the production team could improvise — a resourcefulness that has become part of its enduring charm. Its seven episodes, of which “Deserteure” is the fourth, aired in the autumn of 1966 and left a mark on German popular culture that has never quite faded.

“Deserteure” first aired on 29 October 1966 and stands out within the run for its focus on loyalty, duty and dissent — themes that resonated strongly in a divided Germany during the Cold War. The episode benefits from the presence of guest performers alongside the series regulars, and from the direction of Michael Braun, who brought a controlled tension to the material. The regular cast — Dietmar Schönherr as McLane, Eva Pflug as Jagellovsk, Wolfgang Völz as de Monti and Charlotte Kerr among the supporting players — had by this point settled into their roles, giving the episode a confidence that rewards repeat viewing.

For audiences today, the episode is both a time capsule and a genuinely gripping piece of storytelling. Its concerns about obedience, conscience and the cost of service remain relevant, and its visual imagination still impresses. Colorization brings it to new audiences, opening up a classic of German television to viewers who might otherwise pass it by.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 / MKV digital download
• Resolution: Standard Definition
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: German original mono
• Runtime: 57 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00 (token, rendered by the site)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Was Raumpatrouille Orion S01E04: Deserteure originally broadcast in colour?
A: No. The episode was broadcast in black and white in 1966. This page offers a later professional colorized restoration, not a studio colour release.

Q: Who plays Commander McLane in this episode?
A: Dietmar Schönherr plays Commander Cliff Allister McLane, the headstrong captain of the Orion, and Eva Pflug plays Lieutenant Tamara Jagellovsk, the security officer assigned to his crew.

Q: What is the episode about?
A: “Deserteure” follows the Orion’s crew as they confront officers who have abandoned their posts, forcing McLane and Jagellovsk to investigate why trusted colleagues would desert and what their flight reveals about loyalty and duty.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as MP4 and MKV files that play on virtually any device.
Q: Is there DRM on the file?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free so you can watch it on any device without restrictions.
Q: How quickly can I watch after purchase?
A: Your download link is available instantly after payment, so you can start watching within minutes.

Related Colorized Classics

• The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936)
• Raumpatrouille Orion S01E07: Invasion (1966)
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• Two-Way Stretch (1960)
• Zouzou (1934)