Vera Lanz is First Police Chief Inspector of the Homicide division in Munich. After the mysterious death of her husband, a fellow inspector, Vera raises her daughter Zoe alone. Successful in her professional life, Vera struggles personally as she's having an affair with the married state's attorney. Her co-worker, Police Chief Inspector Paul Böhmer, is the former partner of her late husband, which provides tension between the investigators. In the first episode, Jan Trompeter completes Vera's team.
Characters
Main characters
First Police Chief Inspector Vera Lanz is working for the homicide division in Munich, having lost her husband in a mysterious death. She's a strong and respected woman in her professional life, while struggling in her personal life. Police Chief Inspector Paul Böhmer is the former partner of Vera's husband. Even though he seems very loyal and even protective of Vera, there existsa lot of tension between them. Police Inspector Jan Trompeter is the new colleague of Vera and Paul, who's very good as his job and seems to have caught the eye of his boss.
Recurring characters
Medical Examiner Heike Steinbeck works in the coroner's office; she is a friend of Vera. State Attorney Marc Berger is involved in Vera's professional and private life. Even though he's married, Marc has an affair with Vera. Zoe Lanz is Vera's teenage daughter, who's about to finish school and plans to move in together with her boyfriend. Georg Lanz is the father of Vera's late husband and is still investigating his son's mysterious death.
Filming for the first season, for which the ZDF network ordered four episodes, started on 31 May 2011 and wrapped up on 8 August 2011. Intentionally planned for Saturday nights, Die Chefin became part of the network's famous Friday night line-up, with many crime dramas like Der Alte or Ein Fall für zwei. Die Chefin is the first Friday night crime drama that revolves around a female investigator.
Reception
Die Chefin was positively received by critics. Der Spiegel wrote that Böhm could "believably show the balance between a successful inspector and a struggling woman". The online magazineQuotenmeter gave the show 80 out of 100 and wrote that "the opposing team of investigators can claim all sympathy".
