Narcos Episodes 1-2 Reviews: Im A Poor Man With Money (Series Premiere)

"Narcos" premiered on Netflix this week. It tells the story of Colombian Pablo Escobar and his rise to fame in the 1980s as head of the Medellin drug cartel. Pablo eventually amasses some $30 billion and becomes known as the "King of Cocaine". Along the way we meet a host of other characters on both sides of the law. There's DEA agent Steve Murphy and his Colombian partner Javier Pena (Oberyn Martell from "Game of Thrones").

With two episodes down (out of 10 total), I gotta say I'm really enjoying it. The show is gritty, violent and very addictive. Brazillian Wagner Moura is excellent in the lead role. He's not an over the top villain. He is quiet and calculating (which actually makes him more frightening). Escobar is beloved by the poor members of his community because of his good works. He is equally feared for his extreme violence by the police, business associates and several governments.

Some people have complained about the extensive use of voice overs by Agent Murphy (Boyd Holbrook). They didnt bother me but, on a related note, I dont find Murphy to be a very compelling character. I assume his purpose is the clarify for the audience what is going on (since "Narcos" spans a number of countries and several decades). Murphy is also the obligatory "white guy" who's out to save the world. Why we need one...I'm not sure.

Favorite Quote:

"I'm not a rich man. I'm a poor man with money."- Pablo Escobar

Grade: 4 Monsters (out of 5). If you like gritty crime stories, "Narco" is worth a look. I would suggest watching it in small dosages though (instead of binging it all at once). Also just a reminder, much of the show is in Spanish so be prepared to read lots of subtitles. How did you like "Narcos"? Please let me know in the comments below.