Space Patrol

Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion, also known as Raumpatrouille Orion, and Space Patrol Orion in English, was the first German science fiction television series. Its seven episodes were broadcast by ARD beginning September 17, 1966 six years before Star Trek first aired in West Germany. Being a huge success with several reruns audience ratings went up to 56%. Over the years, the series acquired a distinct cult status in Germany.

Space Patrol (1966) is a German national-television science fiction series created by Hans Gottschalk and Rolf Honold for Das Erste. This limited run of seven hour-long episodes was the first German science fiction series on television, broadcast six years before Star Trek reached West Germany. Major Cliff Allister McLane (Dietmar Schönherr) commands the starship Orion, a crew of officers including Leutnant Tamara Jagellovsk (Eva Pflug) and Leutnant Mario de Monti (Wolfgang Völz), who are demoted from exploration duty to routine patrols along a remote frontier. Each episode is built around a self-contained mission, from a silent border outpost to encounters with alien threats that ordinary weapons cannot stop, with the crew relying on teamwork and improvised problem solving. The series has a sincere, earnest, and slightly stagey register, with modest sets and rough effects giving it a handmade charm. Its atmosphere is that of an optimistic postwar European imagination of space, shaped by the cold war space race. Fans of Star Trek, Doctor Who and Lost in Space will find resonance in its episodic frontier adventures, retro production look, and ensemble crew dynamics, and the show has earned a lasting cult following in Germany.

• Star Trek (1966)early space exploration adventure, retro sci-fi tone, crew-based episodic missions
• Doctor Who (1963)retro sci-fi serial with low-budget charm and cult status
• Lost in Space (1965)campy 1960s space adventure serial with ensemble crew

Created by

Hans Gottschalk, Rolf Honold

Release Date

1966-09-17

Episode runtime

60 min

Rating

8.0 / 10 (35)

What is Space Patrol about?

A German space crew of the starship Orion battles mysterious alien threats on the frontier of the galaxy in the first German science fiction television series.

What is Space Patrol like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Space Patrol as measured, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is Space Patrol violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Space Patrol as mild.

Which shows are like Space Patrol?

Shows with a similar feel include Star Trek (1966), Doctor Who (1963), and Lost in Space (1965).

How long is Space Patrol?

Space Patrol: 1 season, 7 episodes.

Is Space Patrol still running?

No, Space Patrol has ended.