A tv show review by: Lee Sonogan

(2015 ) 49mins/ Crime, drama, biography

Season 1 & 2

A show based around the drug lord Pablo Escobar and the rise and fall of power. During his peak, Pablo smuggled $70 million worth of cocaine every week amounting to about $20 billion in profits a year, making him one of the richest men in the world. It is said that he spent approximately $3000 in buying rubber bands for his money each week. Rats nibbled at 10 percent of his money amounting to a loss of $2 billion each year. In Spanish, the term narco is an abbreviation of the word ‘narcotraficante’ which means drug trafficker.

“Sometimes I feel like God…when I order someone killed – they die the same day.” ― Pablo Escobar

The actor Wagner Moura plays the role of Pablo Escobar, a Colombian drug lord. Wagner Moura is Brazilian and had to learn Spanish to take on the role. His mother language is Portuguese. Incidentally, the opening theme is also sung in Spanish by a Brazilian musician, Rodrigo Amarante.

Fun fact – Actor Adrien Brody has a cameo in season 2 Episode 5 where he passes the phone to someone. Timecode: 00:36:04

Most of the actors and characters in the show speak in Spanish. Each scene that is not spoken in English is shown in subtitles. You could see that as a bad thing, though I feel it only added realism to the overall story. The story is inspired by true events, but certain scenes, characters, names, businesses, locations, incidents and events have been fictionalized to be more dramatic.

The history that this show is based on teaches you a lot about this era in Columbian history. With real video/photo images giving depth to each scene the actors choices and decisions seem more real. Wagner Moura steals the show with his amazing and subtle acting skills. This show is so popular that it was renewed for a 3rd and 4th season as of September 6 2016. The ending of Pablo Escobar death is epic, epical after the 2 seasons telling his story. I recommend this show to people who like history or are interested in what Pablo Escobar did to a country and the world.

“There can only be one king.” ― Pablo Escobar

8.1/10