Narcos

The first episode has immediately sucked me in with how informative and documentary-like Pablo Escobar’s story felt. The documentary style of editing gets slower and slower with following episodes, but I didn’t even mind. You’ll be watching every minute and wait for the writers to hit you with another fun fact that will once again assure you that you aren’t watching fiction. Quite the contrary, you’re watching an incredibly cruel reality of Columbia at the time. At times, it’s even hard to believe that all of this could happen. However, exactly this incredulity is the core of the premise that is so strong that not even 5 stars feel enough. It was an absolute blast. Netflix really outdid themselves. (2018.05.15)

I guess, you will not find out what the problem (or more precisely the unpleasant snag) of this series is… It has two central lines. Drug dealers "South American" Spanish-speaking lines that is focused on the late career of the patron of the Medellin cartel Pablo Escobar (fantastic, respectful and, Mour that does not overplay at all), which is full of intrigue, tension, well built and adhering to genre specifics, without however, deviating significantly from reality (after all, there is no reason for that, because even the reality was sometimes hard to believe). The second DEA "North American" English-speaking story line is way too much procedural, addressing the details of the investigation (both agents were actively involved in the development of the series) and the hunt for the drug lord, who was one of the richest/most dangerous people of his time. You already know what the snag is, right? Yes, each story line is completely (but really completely) different. It cannot be said that one is better or worse than the other one, because their style, atmosphere and concept are so different that they are simply incompatible in many respects. In addition, there is a third component in the form of very frequent documentary sequences that are like a radio broadcast and are accompanied by archival then footage. Although each of the components works great independently and there is nothing to complain about (perhaps it just looks like each agency is represented only by one person), they do not fit together and do not form a coherent whole. Which, given their qualities, is rather a letdown. And it is even a bigger letdown since it has already been shown that these seemingly incompatible approaches to this topic can still be successfully combined (I mean Don Winslow). In other words, it is a disappointment, but it is certainly not something that would change the indisputable fact that Narcos has become one of the top shows in contemporary quality TV. (2015.08.28)

In the field of organized crime, there were many important players, but only one was the king. A man who declared war on his own country, but also the only private individual who ever challenged the United States of America to a duel. A man who, at the height of his fame, earned 5 billion dollars a year, and owned a private army including an air force and navy. A man who created a state within a state and paid a significant portion of state institutions. Pablo Escobar became a legend even during his lifetime. I remember that even behind the Iron Curtain in the 80s, fragmentary information about his exploits reached us. And although we lived with different problems on a different continent, Escobar was simply an unmistakable figure on a global scale. The most significant drug producer and dealer, a man who aspired to become the Colombian president, a megalomaniac, and a completely ruthless brutal murderer. Narcos is an exceptionally interesting work primarily because of the material it deals with. The life stories of Pablo Escobar and other members of the Medellín Cartel would be enough for several seasons of a TV series, and there would still be plenty to tell. This is actually the biggest problem with the series. It is too concise, and the majority of the characters remain at the level of figures. For me, the best series about organized crime remains Boardwalk Empire (although I haven't seen The Wire yet). Wagner Moura enjoys playing the role of Pablo Escobar, and José Padilha's direction is reliable and he feels right at home in the genre. The series has a significance for Latin America that we fully cannot realize in Europe. Pablo Escobar was loved and admired by the masses regardless of the number of dead bodies he left behind. He simply had the reputation of a man of the people and a bandit who distributed his wealth to the poor. The series ruthlessly breaks this perception and portrays Pablo Escobar as a destroyer of his country and society, which he systematically undermined with his activities. It is quite telling that his attacks, which targeted the general public, remained without a response, and the reaction of the political elite only came when he attacked high society. The poorer classes suffered the most from his terror. At the same time, the series also shows that Escobar was able to build his empire at a time when the United States was preoccupied with the Cold War. Once the rivalry with the Soviet Union ceased, the cartel began to decline rapidly, because the potential that was previously tied to the fight against communism could now be directed elsewhere. Overall impression: 90%. (2015.12.13)

An amazingly gripping introduction. Pablo’s rise is compelling and Miami in the 80s always brings back memories of Scarface and the days I used to cruise around Vice City. The semi-documentary style and the narrator’s idiosyncratic style perfectly illustrate the atmosphere of success and horrific destruction that the white snow brought to Florida with it, but the money... Season 2: the first half is unbelievably high-speed. Carillo’s return and farewell are some of the high points of the series. Moura is excellent the whole time. Even though the second half (of the second half) is slower overall, it’s that much more methodical... conspiratorial. Introspective. Hard to say if it was a good idea to prolong the series with two more seasons. Of course, it has potential, but I hope that it won’t be a mere dilution and that the creators will continue to keep their feet firmly on the ground. Coma Mierda. (2015.10.05)

Character-driven, elaborate, personal, authentic, raw. A spectacular drug saga charting the 1980s and 90s in countries that were drug havens. A brilliant mix of semi-documentary and fiction. A little loose at times, of course, due to the number of episodes, but still dwarfing most of the competition in terms of content. (2019.11.05)

For me, probably the fifth failure in the field of universally acclaimed drama series. One is almost inclined to wonder whether the fault really lies with the works themselves, but those who know me know that it simply couldn’t be any other way. At the very least, Narcos surprised me at how all ten episodes manage to consistently feel like the prologue to something that never comes. Time jumps, disconnected scenes, the constant introduction of new characters that more than once we meet and bit farewell to within ten minutes of a single episode, stingy one-take sequences, and a terrible, unbelievably awful voice over from one of the protagonists. The latter is itself part of what is clearly the most unbearable aspect of the series, namely the storyline involving the American police officers (whose real-life inspirations were actively involved in the making of the series – aha). This pair of hard-boiled cops with their ironic smirks, six fingers of American whiskey in coffee mugs, porn, and tough guy comments in comically badass American accents come across as the work of an eight-year-old Clint Eastwood fan and reliably bury any scene, especially when compared to Wagner Moura's focused and charismatic performance as their antagonist. Beyond that, I still couldn't get past the form, which most of all resembles a dramatized documentary; some scenes are downright sloppy (the urban exteriors often feel like the unacknowledged result of guerrilla filmmaking), and the series never comes close to a sequence as well-constructed as the opening bar shootout during the first season. If this is the 3rd highest rated series here, that takes a lot of wind out of my sails. (2018.05.18)

The series became an instant favorite of mine. What makes me like it so much is how different it is from the standard. The creators managed to create an excellent, powerful atmosphere right from the first episode. They also did an excellent job regarding action and suspense. If it hadn't been for four somewhat awkward episodes in the second half of the second season, I would have practically nothing to complain about. And I can't even say those episodes were bad, I just got too spoiled by the perfection that precedes them. I really enjoyed Agent Murphy's commentary and the use of real footage, which gave the whole series more depth. I really enjoyed this show. (2018.02.07)

A Spanish-language series, a South American production with no stars... not long ago, you would have laughed at the idea. Fortunately, miracles have been happening on TV in recent years, and Narcos is another one of them, and the boundary between film and series has been crossed even south of Hollywood. Just think of the best crime-drama series of recent years and enhance it with the fact that this time it’s not fiction but the ruthless Colombian history, and very objectively depicted at that. You won't see the glorification of the Americans or the Colombians who went for the narco-baron's throat. In short, José Padilha and co. have portrayed Escobar's life journey in a way that would make an expert on the ups and downs of great men – Martin Scorsese – proud. (2015.09.28)

The third season about the Cali Cartel is a bit weaker than the first and second, focusing on the life of Pablo Escobar and his capture. But as a whole, it works very well. The smooth interlacing of the plot with documentary footage contributes to the quality of the series. This gave me the feeling that the filmed story did not deviate too much from reality. This comprehensive work is of considerable value, especially in that the viewer unfamiliar with the conditions in Colombia learns what atrocities certain egotistical individuals committed in the interests of power, influence, and wealth. From all that the filmmakers served us on a golden platter, a rather frightening thought has taken root in my head about how easy it is to corrupt perhaps every political system... (2020.05.05)

“’There's a standing bounty of $350,000 US on any DEA down here, but you're safe... because of Kiki.’ The "Kiki" Peña was referring to was Kiki Camarena, a DEA agent who went after the Guadalajara cartel in Mexico. Kiki was captured and tortured. They skinned his legs, put a bullet in each limb, used an electric drill on his head until he died. What the fuck were they thinking? They could kill an American government agent and get away with it? Uncle Sam doesn't fuck around. The cocksuckers paid in blood. They went after them so hard, every single narco in the world got the message that the DEA is off-limits. Kiki was like Jesus Christ to us.” A great TV tribute, perhaps surrounded by too much hype, but other than that, there's little to criticize. The creators are not afraid to tell the story without sparing any of the details. Plus, they don’t forget to include great action (especially in the second half of the series). Clear evidence that Netflix currently rules the streaming industry. The best series of 2015. S01: 10/10. (2016.02.07)