The Boss: A story replete with intrigue, enigma, and peculiar characters
Aug 28, 2024
Created by the Argentine director duo of Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat, the series, starring the iconic Guillermo Francella, hit screens in October 2022 and quickly became a resounding success. The series presents the story of Eliseo, a very peculiar and mysterious manager who works in a luxurious building in the capital of Buenos Aires. The third season premiered on July 19, bringing more adventures and answers about Eliseo's true motives. Before we dive into the new season, let's take a look back at the first two.
First season
Eliseo's story begins in the middle of a significant conflict that threatens to take away everything he has worked for almost his entire life. The president of the building owners’ association, Matias Zambrano, played by Gabriel Goity, believes that the role of the building manager is outdated and decides to propose a project to build a large pool on the terrace of the building where Eliseo, the manager, has a small apartment. Zambrano's main objective is to get rid of the manager as soon as possible to move forward with the project. However, he doesn't know that Eliseo is prepared to fight to keep his job. A fierce battle will unfold between the two, determining the future of the manager.
Eliseo is going to have to engage in a sort of cold war against Zambrano and anyone else who tries to remove him from the job he loves so much. As the story unfolds, Eliseo will have to build a network of alliances within the building to confront this formidable opponent, as the approval of the project depends on the vote of the owners’ association members, which includes all the tenants of the building.
The central conflict between Eliseo and Zambrano is the primary focus of the first part of this story. As we advance through the chapters, it becomes clear that the protagonist possesses the courage and intelligence needed to confront the lawyer's plans.
Eliseo is in his sixties and a widower. His beloved wife, "Clarita," died in an accident on the way to the mall or perhaps during a mountain vacation (this will be clarified later). He's been working in the building since 1992 and is a total workaholic, always striving for perfection. In the building, he has an old friend, "Beba," played by actress Esther "Pochi" Ducasse. Beba is probably the only person in the building that Eliseo can truly rely on and the only one with whom he can be himself.
The series aims to immerse us in a captivating and dramatic story that occasionally becomes bizarre and chilling as we get to see into the actions and intentions of this odd manager. It follows Eliseo's daily experiences at work as a manager, allowing us to learn about the lives and deepest secrets of the building's residents.The series is a perfect mix of drama, comedy, and just the right amount of suspense, keeping viewers eagerly anticipating more of the mysterious manager's disturbing actions.
Second season
In the second part of this story, Eliseo appeared to have achieved everything he set out to do. The pool project collapsed, his adversaries were left without the ability to act, and, most importantly, he secured the position of manager that he loves so much. But everything changes when a new tenant moves in. Lucila Morris, a public figure, famous businesswoman, and entrepreneur of the charity “Help-Ing”, arrives. Lucila, a widow with a sister who works with her at the foundation, dedicates a large part of her days to the activities of the organization.
Lucila soon questions the administration of the building and proposes to the tenants to create a homeowners’ association to more closely monitor costs and avoid cases of corruption within the building's administration. In one way or another, this woman will become Eliseo's new obstacle in the middle of a reorganization process of the owners’ association authorities.
In the second part, we find Eliseo already settled in his new apartment, 1B, which is a considerable 236 square meters. The owners’ association had to grant this apartment as compensation for the damages caused to Eliseo in the first season. In this season, we will see him more relaxed about his work situation, but the manager will surprise us with many more intrigues and fun feats as he quickly undertakes a new mission: to get rid of Lucila Morris at any cost.
The once-hostile relationship between Eliseo and lawyer Zambrano has undergone a complete change. Despite facing an existential crisis due to his separation from his wife, lawyer Zambrano is now willing to help Eliseo in his new mission. Both of them must now form an alliance based on their shared goal to remove Lucila from the building.
In short, the plot of this new season is mainly focused on Eliseo's desire to maintain not just his job, but his position of power within the building. This position is threatened by a woman who is determined to expose Eliseo and uncover a web of secrets and corruption he manages. Faced with this threat, Eliseo must once again employ his full range of strategies to navigate the situation and stay in the place he holds dear. In pursuit of his goals, Eliseo will confront unexpected challenges, including the sudden death of his best friend and the arrival of a distant relative who becomes a key player in a plan to remove Lucila from the building. This season promises plenty of intrigue and suspense as the manager pursues his personal ambitions and does whatever it takes to reach his goals.
Third season
In this new part of the story, the evil genius Eliseo returns to surprise us with his Machiavellian plans once again. The story of Eliseo now takes on a very political tone. The manager must now face a much more challenging and fearsome opponent: the Argentina's Superintendents’ Union.
Eliseo is set to embark on a more ambitious plan that will lead him into the realm of politics. He plans to establish a private Superintendents management company aiming to create a monopoly in the field, revolutionizing the labor ecosystem for building managers. Eliseo will prioritize convincing and gaining the majority of the workforce in this field using familiar strategies. This will put him at odds with the guilds, requiring him to employ his full arsenal of traps and deception to emerge victorious once more.
This season, Eliseo will be in a more comfortable position within the building because he can directly participate in the homeowner's meetings as both the owner and manager. It's important to remember that in the past season his dear friend "Beba" left him her apartment as a gift after her death. Eliseo will know how to make the most of this situation in the new season.
During this season, Eliseo will face his old friend and colleague "Gomez" as his main adversary. Eliseo's mission is to resist the rapid advance of his friend's new venture in the field of management. Additionally, Dr. Zambrano will once again be troubled by Eliseo's presence in his new life, which is not too far from the building that was his home during the first two seasons.
The appearance of Benjamin Vicuña is pleasant and necessary, although it feels a little forced. The character's role is to support the necessary appearance of the deceased "Beba's" apartment and Eliseo's questionable business dealings, which we have already seen throughout these three seasons and which rely solely on opportunism.
Although this season may not have been as captivating as previous ones, it introduced new elements, such as expanding common scenarios, which added a realistic feel to the story. The final episode was a fitting conclusion, leading Eliseo to the Congress of the Argentine Nation. It was one of the most thrilling parts of the season as Eliseo finally faced all his enemies. "The Manager" has a special essence in concluding the story with a dramatic and surprising ending, leaving viewers craving more of this unique man's adventures. This season was no exception.
As of now, the confirmation of a fourth season is on the table, although production has not yet started. Should the creators decide to further expand this compelling narrative, they will need to execute remarkable creative achievements to elevate the series to cult status, surpassing audience expectations. In the meantime, the general public fervently anticipates the possibility of such an outcome.
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