Thirty Cases of Major Zeman
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| Thirty Cases of Major Zeman | |
|---|---|
 Vladimír Brabec as Major Jan Zeman | |
| Czech | Třicet případů majora Zemana |
| Created by | Jiří Sequens |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | Czechoslovak Socialist Republic |
| Original languages |
|
| No. of episodes | 30 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 45-90 min |
| Original release | |
| Network | Czechoslovak Television |
| Release | 1975 – 1980 |
Thirty Cases of Major Zeman (Třicet případů majora Zemana) is a Czechoslovak action-drama television show intended as a political propaganda to support the official attitude of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. The series were filmed in the 1970s.
Each episode encompasses one year, and investigations are stylized to that year. Most are inspired by real cases. The series follows the life of police investigator Jan Zeman during his career from 1945 to 1973.
Controversy
A re-broadcast of the series in the Czech Republic in 1999, caused controversy and public criticism about the series, which was accused of conveying communist propaganda and portraying those who think differently politically as criminals.[1]
Plot of the first episode
The first episode takes place in 1945. Young Jan Zeman is returning from a Nazi concentration camp. On the train he meets Václav Kalina, who tells him about his plan to join the police force. Jan returns to his home village and finds only his mother there. He discovers that his father has been murdered during the celebrations. The police are unable to find the murderer and close the case. Jan begins investigating on his own. He reveals a conspiracy and calls his friend Václav Kalina at Brno police headquarters; eventually, the murderers are captured. Kalina induces Jan to join the police and serve with him.
List of episodes
| Episode | Date | Title | Aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1945 | Smrt u jezera (Death at the Lake) | 1974 |
| 2 | 1946 | Vyznavači ohně (Fire Devotees) | 1974 |
| 3 | 1947 | Loupež sladkého I (The Robbery of the Sweet I) - About profiteering on deficiency of Insulin. | 1974 |
| 4 | 1947 | Rubínové kříže (Ruby Crosses) - inspired by Bandera's terrorist activities on the Czechoslovak territory. | 1975 |
| 5 | 1948 | Hon na lišku (Fox Hunt) - section about Victorious February | 1975 |
| 6 | 1949 | Bestie (The Beast) - about illegal crossing of the Czechoslovak state border, inspired by Hubert Pilčík | 1975 |
| 7 | 1950 | Mědirytina (The Copperplate) - about counterfeiting of Ration stamps used until 1953. | 1975 |
| 8 | 1951 | Strach (Fear) - inspired by Mašín's sons | 1975 |
| 9 | 1952 | Loď do Hamburku (The Riverboat to Hamburg) - one of the episodes about agent Pavel Bláha. | 1975 |
| 10 | 1953 | Vrah se skrývá v poli (The Murderer Hides in the Field) | 1975 |
| 11 | 1954 | Křížová cesta (Way of the Cross) - one of the episodes about agent Pavel Bláha. | 1976 |
| 12 | 1955 | Kleště (The Tongs) - one of the episodes about agent Pavel Bláha. | 1976 |
| 13 | 1956 | Romance o nenápadné paní (Romance of an Unobtrusive Lady) | 1976 |
| 14 | 1957 | Konec velké šance (The End of Great Chance) - one of the episodes about agent Pavel Bláha. | 1976 |
| 15 | 1958 | Kvadratura ženy (Woman Quadrature) - about dissected female body. | 1976 |
| 16 | 1959 | Dáma s erbem (The Lady with a Coat of Arms) | 1976 |
| 17 | 1960 | Prokleté dědictví (The Cursed Heritage) | 1976 |
| 18 | 1961 | Bílé linky (The White Lines) | 1976 |
| 19 | 1962 | Třetí housle (The Third Violin) | 1976 |
| 20 | 1963 | Modrá světla (Blue Lights) | 1976 |
| 21 | 1964 | Pán ze Salcburku (A Gentleman from Salzburg) | 1978 |
| 22 | 1965 | Tatranské pastorále (High Tatra Pastorale) | 1978 |
| 23 | 1966 | Šťastný a veselý (Happy New Year) | 1978 |
| 24 | 1967 | Klauni (Clowns) | 1978 |
| 25 | 1968 | Štvanice (The Hunt) - episode about end of political steps to the freedom. | 1978 |
| 26 | 1969 | Studna (The Well) - horror episode about apocalyptic deaths in a country house. | 1978 |
| 27 | 1970 | Rukojmí v Bella Vista (The Bella Vista Hostage)- episode about sabotage against Czech shipment for Chile. Spy story having allusion to political situation in Chile | 1978 |
| 28 | 1971 | Poselství z neznámé země (The Message from an Unknown Land) - continue of The Bella Vista Hostage | 1978 |
| 29 | 1972 | Mimikry (Mimicry) - episode about plane hijack, with allusion to the music band Plastic People and young long-haired sympathizers of rock music called máničky. | 1978 |
| 30 | 1973 | Růže pro Zemana (The Rose for Zeman) | 1979 |
See also
- Comrade Detective, a show that parodies propaganda series like Major Zeman
References
- ^ Peter S. Green (1999-10-01). "History or Propaganda?/ Communist-Era TV Show Stages a Controversial Return : 'Major Zeman' Leads Czechs to Question Their Past". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
External links
- Thirty cases of Major Zeman at IMDb
- (in Czech) CSFD Entry
- (in Czech) Fan site
| Authority control databases: National |
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- 1975 Czechoslovak television series debuts
- Czechoslovak television series
- Czech action television series
- Czech crime television series
- 1970s Czechoslovak television series
- Propaganda television broadcasts
- Czech-language Czechoslovak Television original programming
- Czech spy television series
- Czech police procedural television series