The Stranger is a 1973 science fiction television pilot directed by Lee H. Katzin,[1] and starring Glenn Corbett and Cameron Mitchell.

[2] While on a space mission, NASA astronaut Neil Stryker (Glenn Corbett) crashes and is hospitalized in quarantine for a long period of time.

It turns out that he is being closely observed by Dr. Revere (Tim O'Connor) and government agent Benedict (Cameron Mitchell), while being interrogated in his sleep after being given powerful drugs.

The enforcement of the order is facilitated by a hierarchy of officials who scrutinize their subordinates extremely closely, pervasive inspirational propaganda, and electronic monitoring through technology including telephones, televisions and car radios.

Culture has been heavily excised (no concerts in the park), religion outlawed, and alcoholic drinks are viewed as a future target to eliminate.

Benedict and his superiors are terrified that Stryker, being an extra-terrestrial and from a society that espouses freedom of thought, will influence people on Terra to rebel against the Perfect Order, and they have resolved to kill him before he can "infect" the population.

Stryker eventually encounters and befriends Dr. Bettina Cooke (Sharon Acker) and her colleague, Professir Dylan MacAuley (Lew Ayres).

Benedict sends a helicopter to kill Stryker, who has commandeered Bettina's car and is attempting to escape, but the chopper collides with a windmill and crashes.