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''Narcos'' is an American
crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...
drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
television series created and produced by
Chris Brancato Chris Brancato (born July 24, 1962) is an American television and film writer and producer. Brancato grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey
, Carlo Bernard, and
Doug Miro Doug Miro (born January 20, 1972) is an American screenwriter based in Los Angeles. Miro studied screenwriting at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and graduated with a degree in English from Stanford University. Life and career Miro's screenp ...
. Set and filmed in
Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
, seasons 1 and 2 are about Colombian narcoterrorist and
drug lord A drug lord, drug baron, kingpin, or lord of drugs is a type of crime boss in charge of a drug trafficking network, organization, or enterprise. Crime barons may be difficult to bring to justice: usually, they do not possess illegal goods. Ra ...
Pablo Escobar Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria (; ; 1 December 19492 December 1993) was a Colombian drug lord, narcoterrorist, and politician who was the founder and leader of the Medellín Cartel. Dubbed the "King of Cocaine", Escobar was one of the wealthie ...
, leader of the
Medellín Cartel The Medellín Cartel () was a powerful and highly organized Colombian drug cartel and terrorist organization originating in the city of Medellín, Colombia, that was founded and led by Pablo Escobar. It is often considered to be the first major ...
and billionaire through
cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
production and distribution. The series also focuses on Escobar's interactions with drug lords,
Drug Enforcement Administration The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit Illegal drug trade, drug trafficking a ...
(DEA) agents, and various opposition entities. Season 3 picks up after the fall of Escobar and continues to follow the DEA as they try to shut down the rise of the infamous Cali Cartel. Season 1, comprising 10 episodes, originally aired on August 28, 2015, as a
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
exclusive. The series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on September 2, 2016, with 10 episodes. On September 6, 2016, Netflix renewed the series for its third and fourth seasons. Season 3 premiered on September 1, 2017, but on July 18, 2018, the directors announced that season 4 would instead reset as season 1 of a new Netflix original series, titled '' Narcos: Mexico''. The new series, released on November 16, 2018, is set in Mexico in the 1980s.


Plot


Season 1

Season 1 chronicles the life of
Pablo Escobar Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria (; ; 1 December 19492 December 1993) was a Colombian drug lord, narcoterrorist, and politician who was the founder and leader of the Medellín Cartel. Dubbed the "King of Cocaine", Escobar was one of the wealthie ...
from the late 1970s, when he first began manufacturing
cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
, to July 1992. The show is told from the perspective of Steve Murphy, an American
DEA The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domes ...
agent working in Colombia. The series depicts how Escobar first became involved in the cocaine trade in Colombia. He was an established
black market A black market is a Secrecy, clandestine Market (economics), market or series of transactions that has some aspect of illegality, or is not compliant with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the set of goods and services who ...
eer in
Medellín Medellín ( ; or ), officially the Special District of Science, Technology and Innovation of Medellín (), is the List of cities in Colombia, second-largest city in Colombia after Bogotá, and the capital of the department of Antioquia Departme ...
, moving trucks of illegal goods (alcohol, cigarettes, and household appliances) into Colombia during a time when this was strictly forbidden, when he was introduced to Mateo "Cockroach" Moreno, a
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
an exile and underground chemist, who pitched the idea that they go into business together, with Moreno producing and Escobar distributing a new, profitable drug—cocaine. They expand beyond Moreno's small cocaine processing lab by building additional, larger labs in the rainforest and, using the expertise of
Carlos Lehder Carlos Enrique Lehder Rivas (born 7 September 1949) is a Colombian and German former drug lord who was co-founder of the Medellín Cartel. Born to a German father and Colombian mother, he was the first high-level drug trafficker extradited t ...
, transport their product in bulk to Miami, where it gains notoriety amongst the rich and famous. Soon enough, Pablo develops larger labs and more extensive distribution routes into the United States to supply growing demand. With cocaine's growth into a drug of importance in the American market, one that accounts for a large flow of U.S. dollars to Colombia and escalating drug-related violence in the United States, the Americans send a task force from the
DEA The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domes ...
to Colombia to address the issue. Murphy is partnered with
Javier Peña Javier F. Peña (born 1958) is an American former Drug Enforcement Administration agent who investigated Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel. Peña worked as a consultant on the Netflix series '' Narcos''. Biography Peña was raised in H ...
. The purpose of Murphy's task force is to work with the Colombian authorities, led by Colonel Carrillo, to put an end to the flow of cocaine into the United States. The season ends with Escobar's escape from the prison.


Season 2

Season 2 continues where season 1 ended. Soldiers see Escobar and his entourage right outside the perimeter of '
La Catedral La Catedral was a personal prison overlooking the city of Medellín, in Colombia. The prison was built to specifications ordered by Medellín Cartel leader Pablo Escobar, under a 1991 agreement with the Colombian government in which Escobar wo ...
' prison but are too petrified of Escobar to make an arrest. At the embassy, the United States sends a new ambassador who brings the CIA into play. In the beginning, little change occurs for Escobar, as he still has the loyalty of his cartel. This loyalty, however, starts to slip as Escobar needs more time and resources to hide from the government. Among the tricks he uses to avoid being seen are riding around town in the trunk of a taxi cab and using young lookouts to report police movements to him. Initially, Escobar easily adapts to his new life, giving money to the community while ruthlessly killing those who try to break away from his empire. The Colombian police and Escobar engage in massive battles, resulting in high tension and unrest in Colombia. Escobar's rivals in the Cali cartel form an unlikely alliance with ousted members of his own cartel, as well as with a CIA-backed anticommunist paramilitary group. Agent Peña secretly works with this group, who kill members of Pablo's organization and claim responsibility as "
Los Pepes Los Pepes, a name derived from the Spanish phrase Los Perseguidos por Pablo Escobar ( English: ), was a paramilitary group composed of enemies of Pablo Escobar. They waged a small-scale war against the Medellín Cartel in 1993, which ended the s ...
". After two of Escobar's top cartel members are caught and betray him, Escobar goes on the run. He and his bodyguard hide in a safehouse, where he celebrates his 44th birthday. When Pablo tries to make contact with his family, the
DEA The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domes ...
and military track him down via radio triangulation and corner him on the rooftops. Pablo is hit twice in the ensuing shootout, and although he might have survived his injuries, a Colombian policeman named Trujillo executes him, amidst shouts of "Viva Colombia!" Escobar's wife Tata goes to the Cali cartel for their help in leaving the country. Peña returns to the United States, in expectation of being reprimanded by the disciplinary committee for his associations with Los Pepes, but is surprised when asked to provide intelligence against the Cali cartel, implying his future involvement with the DEA.


Season 3

The story continues after Pablo Escobar's death and shows the
DEA The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domes ...
's fight against the Cali cartel. With Escobar out of the way, business for the cartel is booming, with new markets in the United States and elsewhere. To everyone's surprise, Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela, the leader of the Cali cartel, announces that within 6 months, the cartel will leave the cocaine business entirely to focus on legal business interests. The decision is met with mixed reactions within the cartel.


Episodes


Season 1 (2015)


Season 2 (2016)


Season 3 (2017)


Cast and characters


Main

*
Wagner Moura Wagner Maniçoba de Moura (; born 27 June 1976) is a Brazilian actor, voice-actor and filmmaker. His accolades include the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''The Secret Agent'' (2025), as well as a Golden Globe n ...
as
Pablo Escobar Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria (; ; 1 December 19492 December 1993) was a Colombian drug lord, narcoterrorist, and politician who was the founder and leader of the Medellín Cartel. Dubbed the "King of Cocaine", Escobar was one of the wealthie ...
– a Colombian drug lord and the leader of the
Medellín Cartel The Medellín Cartel () was a powerful and highly organized Colombian drug cartel and terrorist organization originating in the city of Medellín, Colombia, that was founded and led by Pablo Escobar. It is often considered to be the first major ...
(seasons 1–2) *
Boyd Holbrook Robert Boyd Holbrook (born September 1, 1981) is an American actor. He has starred in the Netflix series ''Narcos'' (2015–2016) as DEA agent Steve Murphy and '' The Sandman'' (2022–) as the Corinthian, as well as in the History miniseries ...
as Steve Murphy – a
DEA The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domes ...
agent tasked with bringing down Escobar (seasons 1–2) *
Pedro Pascal José Pedro Balmaceda Pascal (; born April 2, 1975) is a Chilean and American actor. After nearly two decades of taking small roles on stage and television, Pascal had his breakthrough role, breakout role as Oberyn Martell in the Game of Thr ...
as
Javier Peña Javier F. Peña (born 1958) is an American former Drug Enforcement Administration agent who investigated Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel. Peña worked as a consultant on the Netflix series '' Narcos''. Biography Peña was raised in H ...
– a DEA agent given the task of bringing down Escobar and, in season 3, the Cali Cartel (seasons 1–3) *
Damián Alcázar Damián Alcázar (born January 8, 1953) is a Mexican actor and politician, who is best known outside of Mexico as Lord Sopespian in '' The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian'', Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela in the Netflix series ''Narcos'' and ...
as
Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela Gilberto José Rodríguez Orejuela (30 January 1939 – 31 May 2022) was a Colombian drug lord and one of the leaders of the Cali Cartel. Orejuela formed the cartel with his brother, Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela, José Santacruz Londoño ...
– the leader of the Cali cartel and one of Pablo Escobar's main rivals (seasons 2–3) * Joanna Christie as Connie Murphy – Steve's wife, a nurse who works in the local hospital (seasons 1–2) *
Maurice Compte Maurice Compte (; born in 1972) is an American actor known for his roles as Gaff in ''Breaking Bad'', Santiago "Big Evil" Flores in '' End of Watch'', and as Colonel Carrillo in '' Narcos''. Early life Born and raised in New Orleans, Compte ...
as Colonel Horacio Carrillo – a Colombian police chief and commander of
Search Bloc The Search Bloc () is the name of three different ad hoc special operations units of the National Police of Colombia (Policía Nacional de Colombia). They were originally organized with a focus on capturing or killing highly dangerous individua ...
(season 1; recurring season 2) *
Alberto Ammann José Alberto Ammann Rey (born 1978) is an Argentine and Spanish actor. He has played various roles in films, television and theater. His feature film debut in '' Cell 211'' (2009) earned him a Goya Award for Best New Actor. Other film works i ...
as Hélmer "Pacho" Herrera – a Colombian drug lord and high-ranking member of the Cali cartel (seasons 2–3, recurring season 1) *
André Mattos André de Mello Tavares de Mattos (born 8 October 1961) is a Brazilian actor. Most known for his roles as Fininho on the sitcom ''Escolinha do Professor Raimundo'', John VI of Portugal on the minisseries ''O Quinto dos Infernos'', and Madruga o ...
as
Jorge Ochoa Jorge Luis Ochoa Vásquez (born 30 September 1950) is a Colombian former drug trafficker who was one of the founding members of the Medellín Cartel in the late 1970s. The cartel's key members were Pablo Escobar, Carlos Lehder, José Gonzalo Ro ...
– founding member and former leader of the Medellín cartel (season 1) * Roberto Urbina as Fabio Ochoa – a high-ranking member of the Medellín cartel (season 1) * Diego Cataño as Juan Diego "La Quica" Díaz – an assassin routinely hired by the Medellín, based on Dandeny Muñoz Mosquera (season 1; recurring season 2) * Jorge A. Jimenez as Roberto "Poison" Ramos – a
hitman Contract killing (also known as murder-for-hire) is a form of murder or assassination in which one party hires another party to kill a targeted person or people. It involves an illegal agreement which includes some form of compensation, moneta ...
hired by the Medellín cartel, based on John Jairo Arias Tascón (season 1; guest season 2) *
Paulina Gaitán Paulina Gaitán Ruiz (born July 23, 1991) is a Mexican actress. She is best known throughout Mexican television and movies. She is more recently known for her role in the popular Netflix series, ''Narcos'', as the devoted young wife of Colombia ...
as Tata Escobar – Escobar's wife, full name Maria Victoria Henao (seasons 1–2) *
Paulina García Paulina García Alfonso (born 27 November 1960), better known as Pali García, is a Chilean actress, stage director, and playwright. García debuted on television with a small role in the telenovela '' Los títeres'' (1984), but she was soon ...
as Hermilda Gaviria – Escobar's mother, a former Colombian schoolteacher (seasons 1–2) *
Stephanie Sigman Stephanie Sigman Conde (born February 28, 1987) is a Mexican and American actress. Her breakthrough role was in the 2011 Mexican crime drama film '' Miss Bala''. She has gone on to appear in ''Pioneer'' (2013), ''Spectre'' (2015), '' Going Under ...
as Valeria Vélez – a Colombian journalist who also serves as Pablo Escobar's mistress, based on
Virginia Vallejo Virginia Vallejo García (born 26 August 1949) is a Colombian author, journalist, television and radio director, anchorwoman, model, columnist, socialite, and political asylee in the United States of America. She is one of the most relevant m ...
(season 1; recurring season 2) *
Bruno Bichir Bruno Bichir Nájera (born 6 October 1967) is a Mexican actor. Biography Bichir was born in Mexico City. He started his acting career at the age of five in several theater, film and television series. He made his film debut in a minor role fo ...
as Fernando Duque – a Colombian lawyer who represents Pablo Escobar, acting as his liaison with the Colombian government (seasons 1–2) *
Raúl Méndez Raúl Méndez Martínez (born 11 April 1975 in Laguna, Torreón, Mexico) is a Mexican actor of film, theater and television. Biography He studied acting at the Center for Arts Education Monterrey and La Casa del Teatro with Luis de Tavira ...
as
César Gaviria César Augusto Gaviria Trujillo ( ; born 31 March 1947) is a Colombian economist and politician who served as the President of Colombia from 1990 to 1994, Secretary General of the Organization of American States from 1994 to 2004 and National D ...
– a Colombian economist and politician and the 28th President of Colombia (seasons 1–2) *
Manolo Cardona Manuel "Manolo" Julián Cardona Molano (born April 25, 1977) is a Colombian actor. Personal life Cardona was born in Popayán, Cauca, Colombia on April 25, 1977. At the age of seven, Cardona's family nicknamed him "Manolo," which later beca ...
as Eduardo Sandoval – the Vice Minister of Justice in President Gaviria's administration, based on Eduardo Mendoza (seasons 1–2) *
Cristina Umaña Cristina Umaña (born December 24, 1974) is a Colombian actress. She studied drama from 1993 to 1995 in the Centro de Educación Artística of Televisa. In Colombia she had the leading role of telenovelas, ''Yo amo a Paquita Gallego'' and '' La ...
as Judy Moncada – a former leader in the Medellín cartel, who, after Escobar murdered her husband, led a concurrenting cartel; she is based on the real-life Dolly Moncada (season 2; guest season 1) *
Eric Lange Eric Lange (born February 19, 1973) is an American actor. He is known for his extensive work on television, where he has appeared in a wide variety of both supporting and leading roles. Lange played the recurring roles of Stuart Radzinsky on th ...
as Bill Stechner – the CIA station chief in Colombia, based on William Wagner (seasons 2–3) *
Florencia Lozano Florencia Lozano (born December 16, 1969) is an American actress. She starred as Téa Delgado on the daytime series ''One Life to Live''. Lozano has guest-starred in several primetime television shows, as well as films. Early life Florencia Lo ...
as Claudia Messina - DEA agent and Murphy and Peña's supervisor (season 2) *
Francisco Denis Francisco Denis (born 1961) is a Venezuelan actor and director. Denis runs his own theater company in Venezuela, and has acted in about 20 films there. Selected filmography *Takari de Chivo (TBA) Also director and writer *Benigno Cruz (TBA) *Sho ...
as
Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Orejuela (born August 15, 1943) is a convicted Colombian drug lord, formerly one of the leaders of the Cali Cartel, based in the city of Cali. He is the younger brother of Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela. He married Miss ...
– a high-ranking member of the Cali cartel and Gilberto's younger brother (seasons 2–3) * Pêpê Rapazote as
José Santacruz Londoño José Santacruz Londoño (also known as Chepe Santacruz; 1 October 1943 – 5 March 1996) was a Colombian drug lord. Along with Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela, Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela, and Hélmer Herrera Buitrago, Londoño was a lead ...
– a high-ranking member of the Cali cartel who oversees the group's operations in New York City (season 3) *
Matias Varela Louis Matias Karl Padin Varela (born 23 June 1980) is a Swedish actor. Early life Varela was born and grew up in Södermalm on the south side of Stockholm. Both of his parents are from Cambados, Galicia and he did not learn Swedish until he ...
as Jorge Salcedo Cabrera – the Cali cartel's head of security (season 3) *
Javier Cámara Javier Cámara Rodríguez (born 19 January 1967) is a Spanish actor. He became known for two television roles as a priest in '' ¡Ay, señor, señor!'' and ''Éste es mi barrio''. He has since featured in films such as '' Torrente, the Dumb Arm ...
as Guillermo Pallomari – the chief accountant of the Cali cartel (season 3) * Arturo Castro as David Rodríguez – Miguel's son (season 3) *
Andrea Londo Andrea Londo is an American actress. She is known for portraying Maria Salazar in ''Narcos (season 3), Narcos'' Season 3. Filmography References External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Londo, Andrea Living people 1992 births American act ...
as María Salazar – wife of a Colombian drug lord affiliated with the
Norte del Valle Cartel The Norte del Valle Cartel (), or North Valley Cartel, was a drug cartel that operated principally in the north of the Valle del Cauca department of Colombia, most notably the coastal city of Buenaventura. It rose to prominence during the 1990 ...
(season 3) *
Kerry Bishé Kerry Bishé is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Donna Clark in the AMC period drama series '' Halt and Catch Fire'' (2014–2017) and Lucy Bennett, the lead/narrator in the final season of the ABC medical sitcom '' Scrubs'' ...
as Christina Jurado – the American wife of a banker affiliated with the Cali cartel (season 3) *
Michael Stahl-David Michael Stahl-David (born October 28, 1982) is an American actor, known for his role as Sean Donnelly on the NBC drama series ''The Black Donnellys'' and his lead role as Robert "Rob" Hawkins in the J. J. Abrams-produced film ''Cloverfield''. Ea ...
as Chris Feistl – DEA agent working under Peña (season 3) *
Matt Whelan Matt Whelan (born 1985) is a New Zealand actor and comedian. Whelan is known for his roles as Brad Caulfield in the New Zealand television comedy-drama programme ''Go Girls''. He has also played Playboy founder Hugh Hefner in the Amazon Orig ...
as Daniel Van Ness – DEA agent partnered with Feistl (season 3) *
José María Yazpik José María Yazpik (born November 13, 1970) is a Mexican actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Amado Carrillo Fuentes in the third season of ''Narcos'' (2017) and in its three-season follow-up series '' Narcos: Mexico'' (2018–2021). ...
as
Amado Carrillo Fuentes Amado Carrillo Fuentes (; December 17, 1954 – July 5, 1997) was a Mexican drug lord. He seized control of the Juárez Cartel after assassinating his boss Rafael Aguilar Guajardo. Amado Carrillo became known as "''El Señor de Los Cielos''" ( ...
- a Mexican drug trafficker allied with Pacho and the Cali cartel, known as "The Lord of the Skies" (season 3)


Recurring

*
Luis Guzmán Luis Guzmán (born August 28, 1956) is a Puerto Rican actor. His career spans over 40 years and includes a number of films and television series. He has appeared in Paul Thomas Anderson's films ''Boogie Nights'' (1997), ''Magnolia (film), Magn ...
as
Gonzalo Rodríguez Gacha Gonzalo may refer to: * Gonzalo (name) * Gonzalo, Dominican Republic, a small town * Isla Gonzalo, a subantarctic island operated by the Chilean Navy * Hurricane Gonzalo, 2014 See also * Gonzalez (disambiguation) * Gonzales (disambiguation) * ...
– founding member and former leader of the Medellín cartel (season 1) *
Juan Pablo Raba Juan Pablo Raba Vidal (born 14 January 1977) is a Colombian film, TV and telenovela actor, best known internationally for his role as Gustavo Gaviria in the 2015 Netflix series ''Narcos''. Early life Raba was born in Bogotá, Colombia where ...
as
Gustavo Gaviria Gustavo de Jesús Gaviria Rivero (25 December 1946 – 11 August 1990) was a Colombian drug trafficker. As Pablo Escobar's cousin and right-hand man, Gaviria controlled the Medellín cartel's finances and trade routes. He and Escobar had ...
– Escobar's cousin and one of the founding members of the Medellin Cartel (seasons 1–2) *
Juan Riedinger Juan Riedinger is a Canadian actor. He is known for portraying Rufus in the CBC television series ''The Romeo Section'' (2015–2016), and Carlos Lehder in the Netflix series '' Narcos'' (2015–2017). His other TV roles include Dodger in The CW ...
as
Carlos Lehder Carlos Enrique Lehder Rivas (born 7 September 1949) is a Colombian and German former drug lord who was co-founder of the Medellín Cartel. Born to a German father and Colombian mother, he was the first high-level drug trafficker extradited t ...
– Lion's contact in the United States, give the task of distributing the cocaine (season 1) *
Richard T. Jones Richard Timothy Jones (born January 16, 1972) is an American actor. He has worked extensively in both film and television productions since the early 1990s. His television roles include ''Ally McBeal'' (1997), ''Judging Amy'' (1998–2005), ''CSI ...
– a CIA officer, also on Murphy's task force (recurring season 1; guest season 2) *
Jon-Michael Ecker Jon-Michael William Ecker (born March 16, 1983) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Aaron Morales in '' Popland!'', Pablo Peralta in the telenovela '' Corazón valiente'', Nicolás de la Vega in '' Gossip Girl: Acapulco'', Marlon B ...
as ''El León'' or "The Lion" – a childhood friend of Escobar's who becomes his first drug smuggler into Miami and subsequently runs Escobar's Miami operations, based on
George Jung George Jacob Jung (; August 6, 1942 – May 5, 2021), nicknamed Boston George and El Americano, was an American drug trafficker and smuggler. He was a major figure in the United States cocaine trade during the 1970s and early '80s. Jung and h ...
(guest seasons 1–2) *
Ana de la Reguera Anabell Gardoqui de la Reguera (; born 8 April 1977) is a Mexican actress. She has starred in telenovelas, films, the HBO television series ''Eastbound & Down'' and '' Capadocia'', the Amazon television series ''Goliath'', and the 2006 comedy '' ...
as Elisa Álvarez – the co-leader of the
M-19 M19, M.19, or M-19 most commonly refers to: * May 19th Communist Organization (M19), an American far-left female-led terrorist group active during the 1970s–1980s * 19th of April Movement (M-19), a former Colombian guerrilla movement and political ...
guerrilla faction (season 1) * Danielle Kennedy as Ambassador Noonan – a United States ambassador deployed to Colombia under
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
(season 1) * Patrick St. Esprit as Colonel Lou Wysession – a Marine officer fighting against communism (recurring season 1; guest season 2) * Gabriela de la Garza as Diana Turbay – a Colombian journalist who was kidnapped by the Medellín cartel (season 1). * Ariel Sierra as Sureshot – one of Escobar's ''sicarios'' (recurring season 1; guest season 2) * Julián Díaz as Nelson ("El Negrito" or "Blackie") Hernández – a member of the Medellín cartel, who is frequently seen by Escobar's side (in real life, Escobar had a close friend named Jorge "El Negro" Pabón) (seasons 1–2) * Carolina Gaitán as Marta Ochoa – the Ochoas' sister, who is kidnapped by M-19 (season 1) * Julián Beltrán as Alberto Suárez – an officer with the Colombian National Police (season 1). * Thaddeus Phillips as Agent Owen – a CIA agent on the Colombia task force (recurring season 1; guest season 2) * Laura Perico as Marina Ochoa – the Ochoas' sister, who has an affair with Escobar's cousin Gustavo (season 1) * Vera Mercado as Ana Milena Muñoz Gómez, Ana Gaviria – the wife of César Gaviria and the First Lady of Colombia (recurring season 1; guest season 2) * Juan Sebastián Calero as Navegante – a violent associate of the Cali cartel who works as their top henchman (seasons 1–3) * Leynar Gómez as Jhon "Limón" Burgos – a pimp and taxi driver from Medellín who becomes one of Escobar's ''sicarios'', based on Pablo Escobar#Death, Alvaro de Jesús "El Limón" Agudelo (season 2) * Martina García as Maritza – an old friend of Limón's roped into unwittingly helping Escobar (season 2) * Brett Cullen as Ambassador Arthur Crosby – a former Navy officer sent as US Ambassador to Colombia by George H. W. Bush in 1992, replacing Noonan (seasons 2–3) * Konstantin Melikhov as Edward Jacoby - A U.S. intelligence officer involved with Intelligence Support Activity, Centra Spike (season 2) * Germán Jaramillo as Gustavo de Greiff, Office of the Attorney General of Colombia, Colombia's attorney general and vehement critic of President Gaviria's drug policy (season 2) * Mauricio Cujar as Diego Murillo Bejarano, Diego "Don Berna" Murillo Bejarano (recurring season 2; guest season 3) * Mauricio Mejía as Carlos Castaño Gil (recurring season 2; guest season 3) * Gustavo Angarita Jr. as Fidel Castaño (recurring season 2; guest season 3) * Juan Pablo Shuk as Colonel Hugo Martínez (police officer), Hugo Martínez – Carrillo's successor as the commander of Search Bloc (seasons 2–3) * Raymond Ablack as Agent Neil Stoddard (season 3) * Miguel Ángel Silvestre as Franklin Jurado (season 3) * Carlos Camacho (actor), Carlos Camacho as Claudio Salazar (season 3) * Taliana Vargas as Paola Salcedo (season 3) * Andrés Crespo (actor), Andrés Crespo as Carlos Córdova (season 3) * Julian Arango as Orlando Henao Montoya - a high-ranking member of the Norte del Valle Cartel, North Valley cartel (season 3) * Gaston Velandia as Rosso José Serrano – General of the Colombian National Police (season 3)


Notable guests

* Luis Gnecco as ''Cucaracha'' or "Cockroach" (né Mateo Moreno) – the Chilean chemist who first introduced Escobar to cocaine trafficking (season 1). * A.J. Buckley as Kevin Brady – a DEA agent and the partner of Steve Murphy (season 1). * Adria Arjona as Helena Sotomayor – a top-class prostitute from Bogotá, a spy for the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Search Bloc (season 1). * Rafael Cebrián as Alejandro Ayala – one of the leaders of
M-19 M19, M.19, or M-19 most commonly refers to: * May 19th Communist Organization (M19), an American far-left female-led terrorist group active during the 1970s–1980s * 19th of April Movement (M-19), a former Colombian guerrilla movement and political ...
in Colombia and the boyfriend of Elisa Álvarez, the co-leader of the group (season 1). * Adan Canto as Rodrigo Lara Bonilla – a Colombian lawyer and politician (season 1). * Dylan Bruno as Barry Seal – an American drug smuggler working for the Medellín cartel who uses the alias "McPickle" (season 1). * Juan Pablo Espinosa as Luis Carlos Galán – a Colombian journalist and politician (season 1). * Alfredo Castro (actor), Alfredo Castro as Abel Escobar, Pablo's father (season 2) * Tristán Ulloa as Ernesto Samper – Colombian president (season 3). * Gabriel Iglesias as Dominican gangster (season 3).


Production

The series was announced in April 2014, through a partnership deal struck between
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
and Gaumont International Television. The first season, consisting of 10 episodes, was estimated to cost about $25 million. The series was primarily written by Chris Brancato and directed by Brazilian filmmaker José Padilha, who also directed the critically and commercially successful ''Elite Squad'' (2007) and Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, its sequel in 2010, which became the highest-grossing film ever in Brazil. On September 15, 2017, one of the show's location scouts, Carlos Muñoz Portal, was reported as having been found murdered with multiple gunshot wounds, in his car on a dirt road in central Mexico, near the town of Temascalapa. A spokesman for the attorney general in Mexico state said there were no witnesses due to the remote location, and the authorities will continue to investigate. The possibility of narco gangs' being involved is being considered.


Opening theme and title sequence

''Narcos'' opens with a title card, from which the narrator reads: "Magical realism is defined as what happens when a highly detailed, realistic setting is invaded by something too strange to believe. There is a reason magical realism was born in Colombia". ''Narcos'' opening theme, "Tuyo (Rodrigo Amarante song), Tuyo", is a ''bolero'' written and composed for the show by Brazilian singer-songwriter Rodrigo Amarante. The theme scores the visual montage comprising the title sequence, created by DK Studios under artistic director Tom O'Neill. The 1980s-themed images address Colombian drug trafficking in general, the United States' attempt to control it, the era's glamour, footage from the mountainous regions of Bogota and surrounding underprivileged neighborhoods, shots of local residents, archival news coverage, and violence. The montage excludes some people who were unwilling to appear in the credits, but it does include some news clips and images "of Pablo Escobar and his entourage, like those at the zoo, [which] came directly from the drug baron's personal photographer, who goes by the name El Chino." According to O'Neill, "the production team took inspiration from James Mollison's photo book ''The Memory of Pablo Escobar''."


Etymology

Narcotics is a late Middle English word derived from Old French ''narcotique'', in turn derived via medieval Latin from the Greek ''narkōtikos'', from ''narkoun'' ("make numb" or "produce stupor"). In Spanish, the term ''narco'' (or its plural, ''narcos'') is an abbreviation of the word ''wikt:narcotraficante, narcotraficante'' (drug trafficker). In the United States, the epithet "narc" (or "narco") refers to a specialist officer of a narcotics police force, such as a DEA agent.


Reception


Critical response


Season 1

Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, surveyed 45 reviews and judged 79% to be positive. The site reads, "''Narcos'' lacks sympathetic characters, but pulls in the viewer with solid acting and a story that's fast-paced enough to distract from its familiar outline." On Metacritic, season one holds a weighted average score of 77 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". IGN gave the first season a 7.8 out of 10 score, saying: "It's a true-to-life account, sometimes to a fault, of the rise of Pablo Escobar and the hunt that brought him down laced with stellar performances and tension-filled stand-offs. Its blend of archival footage reminds us that the horrors depicted really happened, but also manage to present an Escobar that is indefensible but frighteningly sympathetic." Writing for ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', Tirdad Derakhshani reviewed the season positively, calling it, "Intense, enlightening, brilliant, unnerving, and addictive, ''Narcos'' is high-concept drama at its finest." Television critic Tim Goodman of ''The Hollywood Reporter'' also reviewed the series positively, saying, "The series begins to find its pacing not long after, and we see the strength of Moura's acting, which to his credit never races, in the early going, toward over-the-top menace or the drug-lord cliches we're all used to at this point. Credit also the fact that Padilha brings a documentary feel to Narcos." Nancy deWolf Smith of ''The Wall Street Journal'' wrote, "The omniscient-narrator device works very well for a complex story spanning many years and varied sets of players." Critic Neil Genzlinger of ''The New York Times'' said, "It's built on sharp writing and equally sharp acting, as any good series needs to be." However, chief television critic Mary McNamara of ''Los Angeles Times'' wrote, "It's a grand if inconsistent experiment that, from the moment it opens with a definition of magic realism, wears its considerable ambitions on its sleeve." Writing for ''IndieWire'', Liz Shannon Miller said, "An unlikeable character, no matter the circumstances, remains unlikeable, but an unlikeable character trumps a bland blonde man whose position of authority appears to be his only really interesting character trait, no matter how much voice-over he utters." The show received criticism for the quality of the spoken Spanish. Dr. Alister Ramírez-Márquez, a member of the North American Academy of the Spanish Language, faulted the accents, pronunciation, intonation, and incorrect use of Paisa Region, Paisa colloquialisms. Speaking of the show's reception in Colombia, Sibylla Brodzinsky of ''The Guardian'' stated, "audiences have been bemused by the stars' ropey accents, irritated by its portrayal of the country's recent history, and – in some cases – simply bored by yet another narco-drama." The Brazilian accent of Wagner Moura was particularly criticized for being incongruent with Escobar's Paisa background. Gisela Orozco of the ''Chicago Tribune'' said the show would not engross Latinos due to the mishmash of accents and contrasted ''Narcos'' with ''Pablo Escobar: El Patrón del Mal''. In his review of the show, Colombian TV critic Omar Rincón wrote in ''El Tiempo (Colombia), El Tiempo'', "''Narcos'' is the Miami and US vision of NarColombia – something like Donald Trump, Trump's idea of us: the good guys are the gringos ... and the narcos are comically dysfunctional or primitives with bad taste ... ''Narcos'' may do well outside Colombia, but here it produces anger and laughter."


Season 2

Rotten Tomatoes gives the second season an approval rating of 92% based on 22 reviews and an average rating of 7.6/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "''Narcos sophomore season manages to elevate the stakes to a gut-wrenching degree in what continues to be a magnificent account of Pablo Escobar's life." On Metacritic, season two holds a score of 76 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". IGN gave the second season a score of 7.4 out of 10, calling it "Good" and wrote "It may go overboard with its love of Pablo Escobar, but I can't truly fault the show for taking advantage of its best performer and character – or for scrambling to find an emotional core on a show that can feel rather clinical." Joshua Alston of ''The A.V. Club'' lauded Moura's performance and said, "While the show never soft-pedals the havoc Escobar created, it makes him surprisingly sympathetic, thanks in part to Moura's shrewd, affecting performance." Critic Neil Genzlinger of ''The New York Times'' said, "Mr. Moura is inscrutably brilliant at the center of it all." ''Entertainment Weekly''s Jeff Jensen also reviewed the series positively, saying, "Where season 1 spanned 10 years, season 2 captures Escobar's last days on the loose. Each tightly packed episode moves quickly without sacrificing richness, chronicling the uneasy alliances and gross tactics employed to snare Escobar." Tim Goodman of ''The Hollywood Reporter'' said, "What works in the early going of season two is that the fall is almost always more thrilling, if not engaging, than the buildup. Escobar senses the loss of power and Moura does some of his best work as viewers read the worry and interior thinking on his face."


Season 3

On Rotten Tomatoes, the third season holds an approval rating of 96% based on 22 reviews and an average rating of 7.46/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "''Narcos'' continues to evolve in its third season, drawing on historical details to take viewers on a thoroughly gripping – and unsettlingly timely – journey into darkness." On Metacritic, season 3 holds a weighted average score of 78 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". IGN gave the third season a score of 8.0 out of 10, calling it "a flawed-but-thrilling improvement over its first two seasons". Critics praised the show for its ability to still be engaging after moving on from the Pablo Escobar storyline. Liz Shannon Miller of ''IndieWire'' said, "Outside of the overhanging threat of [Pablo] Escobar, 'Narcos' proves its ability to excel as an ongoing drama by not just introducing new members of these syndicates, but giving them real, fleshed-out lives beyond basic confrontations." Writing for ''Daily Telegraph, The Telegraph'', Ed Power called the show "A sweltering thrill ride you'll want to stay with all the way until the end." Critics praised Pedro Pascal's performance of DEA agent Javier Peña, who became the main protagonist after the departure of Boyd Holbrook, who played Steve Murphy. Kevin Yeoman of ''Screen Rant'' wrote, "The charismatic actor is finally offered a chance to lead the semi-anthological series." Writing for ''Collider (website), Collider'', Chris Cabin said, "Pascal carries the series admirably, expanding the scope of his character through Peña's relationship with his father." Despite the positive reviews, some critics said the show got off to a slow start in the first few episodes. Critic Scott Tobias of ''The New York Times'' wrote, "Setting aside the 'Goodfellas' narration, the earliest episodes of 'Narcos' were distinguished by a meat-and-potatoes approach to the crime genre that rebuffed the slickness that usually comes with the territory." Some critics acknowledged the expository flaws while praising the last sequence of episodes. Daniel Fienberg of ''The Hollywood Reporter'' wrote, "After a slow start to its third season, Netflix's cartel drama proves that it's able to be gripping TV even without Wagner Moura's Pablo Escobar." Writing for ''Entertainment Weekly'', James Hibberd said, "The narrative picks up its pace as the season progresses into a final run of episodes that feature the most suspenseful sequences Narcos has ever had."


Accolades


Spin-off

'' Narcos: Mexico'' was released on November 16, 2018. The story goes back to the 1980s, in Mexico, where it sets a shared world with the previous seasons of ''Narcos'' (which focus on Colombia), bringing back characters like Amado Carrillo Fuentes, Amado Carrillo (
José María Yazpik José María Yazpik (born November 13, 1970) is a Mexican actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Amado Carrillo Fuentes in the third season of ''Narcos'' (2017) and in its three-season follow-up series '' Narcos: Mexico'' (2018–2021). ...
) and
Pablo Escobar Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria (; ; 1 December 19492 December 1993) was a Colombian drug lord, narcoterrorist, and politician who was the founder and leader of the Medellín Cartel. Dubbed the "King of Cocaine", Escobar was one of the wealthie ...
(
Wagner Moura Wagner Maniçoba de Moura (; born 27 June 1976) is a Brazilian actor, voice-actor and filmmaker. His accolades include the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''The Secret Agent'' (2025), as well as a Golden Globe n ...
), for small roles, and introducing new ones like the famous DEA Agent Kiki Camarena (Michael Peña), the drug kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán (Alejandro Edda), and Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, Miguel Felix-Gallardo (Diego Luna), creator of the first Mexican drug cartel, depicting the clash between them and the eve of the catastrophic Mexican war on drugs.


Video game

A spinoff mobile game, ''Narcos: Cartel Wars Unlimited'', was released in January 2023 for Android (operating system), Android and iOS. It is available exclusively for Netflix subscribers, who can play it for free. Players control a drug kingpin and run their own cartel.


See also

* ''Escobar: Paradise Lost'' * ''Loving Pablo'' * ''Pablo Escobar, The Drug Lord''


References


External links

* * {{Netflix original ended series (2012–2018) Narcos, American English-language television shows Netflix television dramas Works about Pablo Escobar 2015 American television series debuts 2017 American television series endings 2010s American crime drama television series American biographical series Cali Cartel Juárez Cartel Medellín Cartel Norte del Valle Cartel Serial drama television series Television series by Gaumont International Television Television series about organized crime Television shows filmed in Colombia Television shows set in Colombia Cultural depictions of Pablo Escobar Drug Enforcement Administration in fiction Television series about illegal drug trade Works about Mexican drug cartels Works about Colombian drug cartels Spanish-language television shows Multilingual television series Spanish-language television programming in the United States Cocaine in the United States