Boss is an American political drama television series created by Farhad Safinia which follows Tom Kane, the Mayor of Chicago, who has recently been diagnosed with a degenerative neurological disorder yet is determined to remain in charge, concealing the disease from everyone around him except his own physician.
The series aired in the USA on Starz from 21 October, 2011 to 19 October, 2012. There are 18 hour-long episodes in two seasons.
Boss originally aired in South Africa on M-Net Series from 26 December, 2012 to 24 April, 2013. It later aired on M-Net Series Zone. See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Season 2 premiered on M-Net Series Zone on Sunday 28 July 2013, at 23h30. Thereafter new episodes broadcast in a triple bill weekly, at 21h30. There are 10 episodes in the second and final season.
Season 1
Mayor Tom Kane (Kelsey Grammer) sits like a spider at the centre of Chicago's web of power; a web built on a covenant with the people. They want to be led, they want disputes settled, jobs dispensed, and loyalties rewarded.
If he achieves through deception and troubling morality, so be it. As long as he gets the job done, they look the other way.
Yet despite being the most effective mayor in recent history, a degenerative brain disorder is ripping everything away from him. He can't trust his memory, his closest allies, or even himself.
Kane's wife Meredith (Connie Nielsen) knows nothing. Theirs is a marriage of convenience. Kitty O'Neil (Kathleen Robertson), Kane's advisor, has her suspicions but stays silent. And Kane's political advisor Ezra Stone (Martin Donovan), a Yale graduate with a rough edge, remains questionless.
Only Emma (Hannah Ware), Kane's estranged daughter, has a chance of learning his secret. This is going to be the toughest term yet for the Boss.
Season 2
After nearly losing his career, his family and his mind, Mayor Tom Kane's (Kelsey Grammer) grip on Chicago is as powerful as ever. With high doses of medication, he's able to beat back the physical symptoms of his debilitating brain disease, but it comes at a cost.
Kane is left with intense and uncontrollable neurological side effects.
Despite the delusions, Kane breaks ground on the O'Hare Airport expansion and looks toward his next endeavour – protecting and repairing his legacy.
With the astute counsel of new aides Mona Fredricks (Sanaa Lathan) and Ian Todd (Jonathan Groff), he plans to remove and rebuild a long forgotten housing project, now home to gang activity and rampant corruption.
Committed to his unorthodox agenda, Kane prepares to cut out the cancers within the political machine he helped build.
Fully aware of Kane's illness, his wife Meredith (Connie Nielsen) finds herself questioning who holds the key to preserving her position of power while their daughter, Emma (Hannah Ware), who is a product of their loveless, political marriage, battles her own destructive demons.
Without his longtime advisors Ezra Stone (Martin Donovan) and Kitty O'Neil (Kathleen Robertson), and his political protégé Ben Zajac (Jeff Hephner), the odds continue to stack against him.
As corrupt heads roll and his list of enemies grows, Kane's virtuous actions begin to erode the very foundation of power he's worked a lifetime to build.
In order to maintain it, Kane must govern as he always has — ruthlessly.
Seasons
Season 1 (8 episodes)
Channel: M-Net Series | Premiere: 26 Dec 2012 | Finale: 13 Feb 2013 | Wed, 21h30
Channel: M-Net Series Zone | Premiere: 14 Jul 2013 | Finale: 28 Jul 2013 | Sun, 21h30
Season 2 (10 episodes)
Channel: M-Net Series | Premiere: 20 Feb 2013 | Finale: 24 Apr 2013 | Wed, 21h30
Channel: M-Net Series Zone | Premiere: 28 Jul 2013 | Finale: 18 Aug 2013 | Sun, 21h30