TV Show Review - Narcos (Season 1)

Season: 1
Genre: Thriller/ Drama/ Crime
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2015
Starring: Wagner Moura, Pedro Pasal, Boyd Holbrook, Alberto Ammann, Paulina Gaitan, Joanna Christie

Description: A chronicled look at the criminal exploits of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, as well as the many other drug kingpins who plagued the country through the years.  

Review: ‘Plato o plomo’, or ‘silver or lead’ is the choice you had when you encountered Pablo Escobar. In seasn 1 of “Narcos”, viewers can see what happened if you chose one of the two options. In ten episodes we are introduced to one of the greatest drug traffickers to have ever existed.
The series revolved around three characters. The first is Pablo Escobar, played by Wagner Moura. Moura does a great job of portraying the character of Escobar. One moment you admire him and the next you are disgusted by him. Escobar is one of the most interesting drug lords to ever exist. He went from being a poor street kid from a disadvantaged neighborhood in Colombia to a cocaine dealer who made a million dollars a day in his heyday.
The others are DEA agents Steve Murphy and Javier Peña. Murphy is a young American agent whose personal goal is to put Escobar behind bars. It is also Murphy who takes us into the story and provides the narrative. Which is a bold choice, since the series is about Escobar. Peña is the cop more known in the district of Colombia and is familiar with how things work there. Together they try to bring down Escobar. Boyd Holbrook and Pedro Pascal are both really solid in their roles, though I did wish Pascal had more screen time then Holbrook.
In the first season, we learn how Escobar allows his drug cartel to become one of the largest in the world. Escobar knows that he wants and thinks he can make anything happen. Anyone who works against him is given a choice: plato o plomo. In other words, you either allow yourself to be bribed or you will be shot. Agents Murphy and Peña do everything to stop the regime of Escobar.
The story is structured in such a way that at first you can still admire Escobar, but eventually you become more against him. He is a smart businessman and shares his wealth with the less fortunate. As the power of his cartel grows, so does his ego. And Escobar slowly loses himself in the madness that his wealth has created.
In addition to the story of the struggle between the police and the drug traffickers, as a viewer you also learn a lot about the political history of Colombia and the struggle between America and communism. For example, we follow the story of President César Gaviria, who regularly faces difficult decisions that could potentially cost him his life. It is interesting to see how two warring factions both tried, in their own way, to fight for the Colombian people.
The strength of the series is its authenticity. The story is supported by real footage from the time, so that as a viewer you are sometimes reminded with amazement that all the violence and bizarre events in the series really happened. The creators’ choice to have Escobar and his associates speak Spanish also contributes well to this, because often movies and shows do everything in English to make it more accessible for viewers.
“Narcos” is a fantastic show, I don’t know why I didn’t watch it sooner.