Chiefs is a three-part 1983 CBS Mini Series adapted from the novel of the same name by Stuart Woods, directed by Jerry London and starring Charlton Heston, Keith Carradine, Wayne Rogers, Stephen Collins, Billy Dee Williams, Paul Sorvino, and Danny Glover.
Set in the small town of Delano, Georgia between 1924 and 1963, the series follows three generations of police chiefs. During this 40-year period, there is a series of murders of young boys that each police chief attempts to solve, against the backdrop of the deep racial tensions of that time.
Chiefs contains examples of the following tropes:
- Abusive Parents: In Part 1, Sonny Butts' father regularly got drunk and beat his mother. Plays a significant role in Part 2.
- Age Lift: In the book, Sonny is a baby the first time Chief Lee shows up to investigate a domestic violence case against Mr. Butts, while he's a Creepy Child in the show.
- Bigot with a Badge: Sonny Butts is a violent thug and Klansman who arrests and beats up an African-American prisoner for no reason before his deputy shoots the man. He does have a Freudian Excuse of sorts (an abusive home life and some bloody action in World War II) and is genuinely affected by the Serial Killer's murders (at least in the book), but he never changes his attitude toward African-Americans and never displays any remorse for his appalling actions toward them.
- Enlightened Self-Interest: Sonny Butts' interest capturing the pedophiliac Serial Killer who has plagued the county for decades peaks when he realizes that such a high-profile arrest might be enough to keep from being fired over the suspicious death of one of his prisoners.
- Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Sonny is a Bigot with a Badge who is a Villain Protagonist at best, but he does spend time with his mother and displays sadness at how she still loves the memory of her abusive husband.
- Expecting Someone Taller: The racist town council members hire Watts based on his prestigious resume without meeting him. When they find out that he's African-American, they are far from thrilled.
- The Klan: Plays a prominent role in the series. All of the villains seem to be members.
- Like a Duck Takes to Water: Will Lee is a simple farmer with no police experience, but once he's made police chief, he proves to be a good peacekeeper and investigator.
- Loners Are Freaks: Foxy does not get the job as police chief because he is a loner and nobody trusts him. It turns out, they were right not to trust him.
- Man of the City: Hugh Holmes dedicates his life to making Delano a good place to live in, seeking to hire industrious police chiefs and show Small Town Tyrants the door. In the book, though not the series, he has a heart attack due to depression over the horrific tragedy of the Serial Killer's crimes and how they will forever taint the town that he has done so much for.
- Market-Based Title: When this aired on ITV in the UK, it was called Once Upon A Murder.
- Mugging the Monster: In Part 3, a racist "cowboy cop" pulls over a black motorist and threatens and harasses him for no good reason. The victim of his harassment turned out to be the new Chief of Police.
- Not the First Victim: Chief Lee's episode mainly focuses on the investigation into the death of a boy who fell off a cliff while running away from someone who sexually abused him. Lee then discovers evidence that many boys of around the same age have disappeared under similar circumstances, and correctly suspects that they were killed after being raped.
- Oppressed Minority Veteran: Several of the black characters who are targets of harassment and lynchings are war heros.
- Permanent Elected Official: No matter how oppressive and corrupt is may be, Sheriff Skeeter Willis keeps getting re-elected over the decades. As does the benevolent Mayor Hugh Holmes.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: The villains are all racists, members of the KKK, and liberal users of the N-word.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Sheriff Willis delivers one to Chief Lee shortly after he is appointed.
- Small-Town Tyrant: Sheriff Skeeter Willis, Sonny Butts, and the various sheriffs of the neighboring county. Averted in the case of the Mayor Hugh Holmes.
