Narcos Episodes 3-10 Reviews: Silver Or Lead?

I finally finished watching the rest of "Narcos". In it, we witness Pablo Escobar's rise to notoriety/fame as the "King of Cocaine" in the 1970s. By bribing, blackmailing and killing numerous soldiers, government officials and citizens, Escobar eventually corners some 80% of the global drug trade. He also becomes one of the world's wealthiest men.

"Narcos" does an excellent job of immersing the viewer in it's story. The extreme violence of the drug business is accurately depicted. Tension is always simmering just below the surface and could erupt at any time. Real news footage is sprinkled throughout to add street cred.

Ecobar is shown as both a caring family man (if you overlook his affairs) and a power hungry psychopath. We see the formation of the Medellin drug cartel and Pablo's alliances/disputes with other powerful families (such as the Ochoas and M-19). He goes into politics but that doesnt end well. The US gets involved (which changes the game considerably).

Pablo brings the country of Colombia to it's knees with levels of bloodshed never before seen. He is responsible for the bombing of an airline killing all 107 people aboard. He orders the killing of anyone in his path (including presidential candidates and Supreme Court justices). Escobar is believed responsible for at least 3000 deaths (if the word of one of his assassins can be trusted). Do we root for Pablo because he rose from extreme poverty and did what he had to in order to survive? Do we hate Pablo because of all the lives he destroyed? Either way, he's a fascinating character study.

The voice overs of American DEA agent named Steve Murphy (played by Boyd Holbrook) are our entry into this world. i know some have complained about this device but it didnt bother me that much.

The acting is top notch. Wagner Moura does an stellar job as Ecobar. Pedro Pascal as Javier Pena (Murphy's DEA partner) is compelling. The supporting characters are also believable.

My main complaint is the show's length. There are ten episodes total. I know "Narcos" was created as an original series for Netflix, but I think it would have been more effective as a mini series. No one asked me though and NetFlix just renewed it for a season 2.

Season 1 ends with Escobar fleeing from La Catedral (his self imposed prison) into the jungle as government forces surround him.

Grade: 4 Monsters (out of 5). "Narcos" does an effective job of depicting the brutality of the Colombian drug trade in the 1970s. Overall the story is compelling. The acting is top notch. However, the series is simply too long for my liking. The story would have been better served with a few condensed episodes.