Thoughts on Season 1 of "Narcos" (A Netflix Original Series)

"Narcos" is an original Netflix series that tells the story of the rise of Pablo Escobar (played by Wagner Moura), a cocaine-trafficking kingpin from Colombia in the 1980's and the efforts and attempts of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency to bring him down.  It is told with a voice-over narration by one of the DEA officers, Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook) in a style that reminds the viewer of Goodfellas and Blow, two other drug-centered movies that makes use of a loose, no-nonsense style of narration by their chief protagonists.

What sets this series apart from other docu-dramas and true-to-life television series, is its mixture of real newsreel footage of the period with the fictionalized drama.  This may sound inappropriate - that it would be jarring and disorienting because of the striking difference between the real, documentary footage and the dramatized reenactments.  However, it really flows together seamlessly, with a verisimilitude that engages the viewer on an even deeper level.  For example, a shot of the real-life Escobar will often be juxtaposed with a scene of Pablo in the fictionalized universe of the series.  This blending is highly original and adds character and depth to the show.

The sense of loyalty that Escobar's henchman adhere to is unparalleled and intense.  Never once do his right-hand men give in to the pressure of the constant push to betray Escobar and his illegal activities.  There is one moment when loyalties are thrown into question, and the ramifications of the ordeal prove to be horrible:  even though the betrayal is never proven or shown, the consequences can be deadly.

The way that Pablo Escobar is able to bend the law in his favor and his manipulations of the Colombian government are astounding.  When he is forced into imprisonment, he is able to sway the government to permit him to build his own luxurious prison ("The Cathedral") where he is allowed to serve his time on his own terms.

The show's style is flashy and the editing can be rapid-fire at times.  There are moments of anxious suspense and disoriented confusion.  It has elements of Scorsese's best gangster films infused throughout and it will highlight for the viewer a time in our history when corruption and evil at the highest levels of government were a reality.  "Narcos" serves as an incendiary commentary on our present-day situation that the events depicted have given birth to.