Anna Fuchs (The Fox) lives through a “Sturm und Drang” period in the first five episodes of this brilliantly-conceived and executed ex-spy turned detective who solves a myriad of cases. She uses her espionage skills to earn extra money in order to find her now-grown son, Florian, who was kidnapped as a child and raised in West Germany as punishment for her leaving the Stasi. Although her search is now over, the brutality suffered at the hands of her handler has never left her.

Episodes six and seven follow on her trail as she saves her son’s life after finding him. Frau Fuchs (Lina Wendel) is as shrewd and cunning as her name implies. Her pragmatic, heightened instincts have also kept her alive in order to avenge herself on the person responsible for her son’s abduction. She tells her partner, Youssef Kilali (Karim Cherif), “Ich dachte mein Leben ist schon auf zum Ende” (“I thought that my life was already over”) to which Youssef replies: “Du willst deine Schuld ab zu arbeiten” (“You want to expiate your guilt”). She further states, “Wir sind alle Schuldig geworden nur unterscheidlich bestrofft. Dann habe Ich Aufgabe und weiss warum Ich am Morgen aufstehen werde.” (We are all guilty with various degrees of guilt. I know the work that I must still do and that inspires me to get up every morning.”). Alleviating her guilt keeps her focused and determined. Frau Fuchs lives according to her own code – no excuses; no intruders; no margin for errors.

Each of the seven episodes has a denoument bringing Anna closer to her goal while illuminating a deeply-personal psychological portrait of maternal love set against a backdrop of a historically-penetrating analysis of East Germany’s repressive post-War past. To this day, the challenges facing prosecutors and investigators is to break the spatial and temporal bubble shielding Stasi agents and their Russian counterparts by permanently shattering the chains of crimes and impunity.

Lina Wendel and Karim Cherif lead a talented ensemble cast in front of the cameras; whereas, the writers/directors/producers/editors/DP et alii. lead a smooth-running, efficient team behind the cameras.

The Fox asks and answers the question: Is there anything stronger than the bond between a mother and child? The series utilizes various motifs–literary, historical, cinematic and artistic. Examples abound such as Toni Morrison’s “Beloved;” Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex;” “Mildred Pierce;” Cornelia [2^nd Century BC] who devoted her life to her children ‘the Gracchi’ after her husband’s death; and Hugues Merle’s painting, “Maternal Love” along with Raphael’s “Virgin and Child,” which evokes the spiritual bond between mother and child portrayed by the Madonna and Christ.

The Fox proves that a mother’s life-long sacrifices and a child’s life-long need for maternal love – in various forms – can surmount all trials and tribulations and survive time immemorial.

SIDE NOTE:
The old Soviet NKVD evolved into the ruthless East German Stasi, which after German Unification became the BND (Bundesnachrichtdienst) – the counterpart of the CIA (US), MI6 (UK) and DGSE (France).