Narcos depicts the true stories of the Drug Lords leading the Medellín and Cali cartels of Colombia. The notorious drug cartels operated in the 1980s and 1990s in South America.
Thus, it is about the rise and fall of Colombian Drug Lord Pablo Escobar and his Medellín cartel. In addition, it also chronicles the real-life tale of the Cali cartel of Southern Colombia. The series focuses on the infamous drug cartels’ criminal operations in South American nations for a period of more than a couple of decades before the advent of the 21st century.
Narcos (Seasons 1, 2, & 3) Series
Spoiler-Free Series Review in Brief of the Narcos Series
The Synopsis
It chronicles the rise of the cocaine trade in Colombia and the gripping real-life stories of drug kingpins of the late '80s in this raw, gritty original series. Also detailed are the actions taken by law enforcement as they battle in the war on drugs, targeting notorious and powerful figures, including drug lord Pablo Escobar. As efforts are made to control cocaine, one of the world's most valuable commodities, the many entities involved -- legal, political, police, military and civilian -- find themselves in conflict.
Short Note
In the Spanish language, the term “narco” is an abbreviation of the word “narcotraficante” which means drug trafficker. So, this inspired the name of this series about the drug kings. This is the first Netflix original series from Colombia, South America.
Although we had watched this series in the past, recently, we rewatched it again for the sake of our readers. And our thoughts on this high-quality crime thriller have not wavered. We loved it then. And we love it now. The biographical story of the audacious drug lord Pablo Escobar is addictive, in the cinematic sense. Also, it depicts the true tales of the drug empire. That was built by both the Medellín cartel and the Cali cartel. For its truthful stories and good acting, it is worth watching the series. Now, let’s revisit the historical world of drug lords of South American nations in detail.
The stories (of Seasons 1 & 2) take place between 1979 & 1993, and they are about the Medellín Cartel.
So, the show traces the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar. And the demise of the Medellín cartel in Colombia, South America, is shown in season two.
“Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria (born December 1, 1949, Rionegro, Colombia—died December 2, 1993, Medellín) was a Colombian criminal. He was the head of the Medellín cartel. And he was arguably the world’s most powerful drug trafficker in the 1980s and early 1990s. According to some reports, he was worth approximately $25 billion in those days. A larger-than-life figure, Escobar inspired numerous books, movies, and TV projects in the decades after his death.”
Encyclopedia Britannica
Key Details
| Genre | Crime, Drama, Thriller |
| Creators | Carlo Bernard, Chris Brancato, Doug Miro |
| Original languages | Spanish (& English) |
| Age-restrictions | A (18+) |
| Seasons | Three – S1 (2015), S2 (2016) & S3 (2017) |
| Episodes | First Season = Ten / 10 Episodes (Season 1) Second Season = Ten / 10 Episodes (Season 2) Third Season = Ten / 10 Episodes (Season 3 ) Total Episodes = Thirty |
| Cast (S1 & S2) | Wagner Moura (Pablo Escobar), Boyd Holbrook (Steve Murphy), Pedro Pascal (Javier Peña), Alberto Ammann (Pacho Herrera), Paulina Gaitan (Tata Escobar), Juan Murcia (Juan Pablo Escobar), Jorge Monterrosa (Trujillo), Raúl Méndez (César Gaviria), Juan Sebastián Calero (Navegante), Paulina García (Hermilda Gaviria), Diego Cataño (La Quica), etc. |
| Cast (S3) | Pedro Pascal (Javier Peña), Arturo Castro (David Rodriguez), Kerry Bishé (Christina), Michael Stahl-David (Chris Feistl), Matt Whelan (Daniel Van Ness), Damián Alcázar (Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela), Francisco Denis (Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela), Alberto Ammann (Pacho Herrera), Pêpê Rapazote (Chepe Santacruz Londono), Matias Varela (Jorge Salcedo), Miguel Ángel Silvestre (Franklin Jurado), etc. |
| Taglines | There’s no business like blow business. |
| Network | Netflix |
Narcos (Season 1/2015) Series
The Poster
As drug lord Pablo Escobar rises, Colombian and U.S. law enforcement find themselves battling an enemy who will do anything to keep his empire.
FM Review
We learnt about the rise of drug king Escobar (amazingly played by actor Wagner Moura) in Colombia. He dominated the worlds of the illegal drug business as well as the legal and political arena. With a net worth exceeding billions of USD and political power, Escobar posed deadly threats to everyone who challenged him. Thus, the first season marks the start of the intriguing and unbelievable life of Escobar. He dominated the illegal drug business for more than a decade in the American continent. His meteoric rise and fall are worth feasting your eyes on.
This show has painstakingly and successfully recreated the bygone era of Pablo Escobar in this smart screenplay. Also, the ensemble cast played their roles perfectly in this captivating crime show.
The Rating
| FM Rating | 4.35/5 |
The Trailer
Narcos (Seasons 2/2016) Series
The Poster
The Escobars cope with the challenges of life on the run. Pablo's enemies team up against him. The Search Bloc's tactics become increasingly dubious.
FM Review
Pablo Escobar escapes from prison, runs away and hides from his enemies. Meanwhile, the Colombian police (Search Bloc), Los Pepes and Cali cartels wage a small-scale war against the Medellín cartel while searching for the elusive Escobar. The proverbial cat and mouse continue in South American nations. Meanwhile, the drug business continues to thrive. Led by Wagner Moura (Pablo Escobar) and Pedro Pascal (DEA agent), its ensemble cast continues to deliver engaging performances.
The Rating
| FM Rating | 4.40/5 |
The Trailer
Season two of this show is our favourite among its three seasons.
Awards Won
| Name of the Award | Details of the Awards Winners |
|---|---|
| Premios Fénix (Fenix Film Awards) – 2017 | Television: Best Ensemble – Winner Premio Fénix Television: Best Drama Series – Winner Premio Fénix |
Narcos (Season 3/2017) Series
Its stories take place in 1994, and it's about the Cali Cartel.
Thus, Season 3 of this show chronicles the rise and fall of the Cali cartel.
“The Cali cartel had a more subtle style and sophisticated approach than the Medellín cartel. The members of the Cali cartel quickly reinvested their drug profits into legitimate businesses. They deliberately undermined the Medellín cartel as it became increasingly unpopular and violent. The Cali cartel went so far as to help Colombian police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) track down Escobar.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica
The Poster
The rules changed in the aftermath of the bloody hunt for Escobar as the DEA turned its attention to his successors: the Cali Cartel.
FM Review
Although the Cali cartel did not get the limelight and publicity that the Medellín cartel, led by Pablo Escobar, received. Maybe it was because the Gentlemen of the Cali cartels did not wish to be seen as the enemy of the common people and the government of Colombia. Season three of this show explores the sly, quiet, intelligent and business-like approach of low-profile bosses of the Cali cartel. After eliminating Escobar, the government agencies of the USA and Colombia started focusing on wiping out Cali chiefs and their lucrative drug businesses. Alberto Ammann (a drug lord) and Pedro Pascal (a DEA agent) led the ensemble cast to tell another absorbing tale from South America.
The Rating
| FM Rating | 4.30/5 |
The Trailer
Awards Won
| Name of the Award | Details of the Award Winner |
|---|---|
| Spanish Actors Union – 2019 | Alberto Ammann – Winner Award of the Spanish Actors Union – Best Actor in an International Production (Mejor Actor en Producción Internacional) |
We must confess that this series was a fascinating and spellbinding journey for our team members at Focus magazine.
Theme Music & Spanish lyrics
The opening/theme song of this show is sung in Spanish by a Brazilian musician, Rodrigo Amarante. The lyrics of the theme song in the Spanish language and its English translation go like this.
We simply loved this Spanish language song and its mesmerising music, that refuses to leave our mind space.
YouTube Video Link | Narcos | Opening Credits [HD] | Netflix.
Also, read the review of the "Last of Us" series starring Pedro Pascal.
Featured & Other Images: Narcos | Netflix.