The Return

Gabriela Suárez returns to a town that used to belong to her family, but the life she once had is gone and the people who wronged her still hold power. She adopts a new identity, Verónica Dantés, and slowly maneuvers into positions where she can challenge those who exploited her and reclaim influence. The show follows her calculated moves, shifting alliances, and the price she pays for taking charge in a setting that has long tolerated male authority. The plot keeps the central conflict focused on power, revenge, and reputation without resolving every secret all at once.

The series, released in 2013, is a Spanish-language telenovela produced by Telemundo Studios in Miami in partnership with Mexican Argos Comunicación, and it’s a remake of the Venezuelan telenovela La Dueña by José Ignacio Cabrujas. Valentina Párraga and Julio César Mármol are also credited among the creators, and the cast includes Aracely Arámbula and Jorge Luis Pila.

There are no widely reported major international awards for the series, and it doesn’t appear on lists of major Emmys or Golden Globes winners. Any recognition tends to be regional or fan-driven rather than large industry prizes, so its profile rests more on audience response than trophy case achievements.

The title, translated as The Boss or La Patrona, resonated because it framed a woman in command within a traditionally male workplace. Viewers picked up on the series as part of a trend toward stronger, morally complex female leads in Spanish-language television, and the name "La Patrona" became shorthand among some audiences for a dominant female figure dealing with power struggles.

Critical and audience reception leaned positive, reflected in an average score near 7.7 from several hundred votes. Reviewers tended to highlight Aracely Arámbula’s intense lead performance and the melodramatic plotting that keeps conflict alive, while common themes noted by critics include social class, authority, vengeance, and the costs of asserting control in a hostile environment.