The Netflix series, "The Chair," illustrates a dramatic portrayal of the role of the chair. The reality of the department chair's role is complex and becoming more so. The inherent structure of the department chair is rife with paradoxes. Following a brief overview of the leadership literature and a quick summary of "The Chair" series, this article considers why the role of department chair is ill-defined, steeped in high expectations, endowed with little authority to get the job done, and indeed might even be considered "crazy."