Roy

I like a good documentary. Narcos is basically that but with action! And violence! And intrigue! And suspense! And Edward James Olmos! Am I sold? No. But I have my face pressed up against the window.

7/10

Matt

This is my step into the Narcos world and right of the bat I am intrigued. The show has the potential for the grand crime story that you would find in the Godfather films. But Narco’s stays fresh by taking an approach that I haven't seen before in a crime series and that’s the move of a crime organisation from illegal to legitimate. The potential problems that will arise from such a move will be the driving force of the series and I look forward to seeing what the writers will do with the convention. The use of narration for the episode is welcome and keeps the audience on track throughout. Pedro Pascal shines in this series and it’s great to see him onscreen again after liking him so much in Game of Thrones

7/10

Tommy

Narcos sets off on the right course. The first episode settles the audience back into the ongoing investigation into the Cali cartel -- The focus of the DEA now that Escobar is out of the picture. Though the start is a bit cliche in that the story involves a successful criminal organisation wanting to go legitimate and small factions within that organisation not wanting things to change. What makes Narcos compelling is that a lot of this stuff happened for real which adds a certain amount of weight to the proceedings and makes the cliche less impactful to the entertainment. We also get a quick look into the DEA side mostly focusing on the Pena character and how he is doing after the events of the first two seasons. It’s not as much of a note as the stuff surrounding the inner workings of the Cali cartel but it is nice to see how things have changed and how the people around him treat him this time around. Episode one starts things off well with a good amount of intrigue and even though you may know the outcome (or can look it up) it is still interesting to see how they get there and how the filmmakers show you the journey.

8/10

Episode Score

Roy

The first stones that start the avalanche have started to roll. It is good to have Pena starting to jump on the case. After some of the other shows we have been watching I almost expected it to take half a season so it is quite refreshing to watch something that isn’t wasting my time. The story unfolding in New York seems like it could be interesting but I am glad we get to see only snippets of it to keep my interest piqued.

8.1/10

Matt

Greed leads to stupidity, that seemed to be the theme of this week’s episode for me and it’s an intriguing theme to explore. Because it opens the door to so many opportunities for our characters. It forces Pena into the war, demonstrates the Cali Cartel’s ruthlessness and effects a strong pace to the proceedings. I had a few annoyances with the New York scenes but nothing the upset my overall enjoyment of the episode.

7/10

Tommy

Narcos continues to ramp up here with a few mistakes rearing their head for the Cali Cartel. What I love about this show is the little things that happen in real life that give you an insight into how these drug operations work. The fact that they use toxic chlorine gas canisters to ship drugs around the world is something i had never considered and is just a nice little detail to find out about. It of course leads to some problems and serves as the impetus for Javier Pena to jump start the investigation. The final scene with the head of the Cali cartel is used to beautifully show how callous these people are about the lives of others.

8.5/10

Episode Score

Roy

Narcos has a clear understanding of what it wants to make us feel for whom and it does a very good job of executing those feelings. This show just sweeps you up for the ride and I am not complaining. Suspense is worked masterfully and makes me root for characters who are working toward mutually exclusive goals. Narcos strikes a great balance between the action, the DEA investigation and the Cartel trying to cover its tracks. I am enjoying every minute of this show.

8/10

Matt

The introduction of new DEA agents to the mix was the highlight of this episode. These two guys are driven and intelligent. There interactions with a colombian policeman will have most audience members guessing as to what everyone’s true intentions are because of the calibre of acting on display Pena’s budding mission to take down the Cali Cartel is stoned wall in this episode which also gives us a look into the clandestine fuckery of the C.I.A. in the same vain as the film Sacario. As an avid true crime history buff these nods to the a more accurate past are very welcome.

7/10

Tommy

The focus of this episode is on the new DEA agents and how they are handling the case in Cali. They are of course proving much more competent than expected and are causing real problems for the cartel. This is done in a really well executed scene that is just constricting in its suspense. The rest of the story involves Pena being thrown into the knowledge of some clandestine operations of the CIA and these scenes were also quite intriguing. We end with a new lead and it sets up great anticipation for the DEA operation. We also get a bit more insight into the Cartel operation, specifically the money laundering process which although not that entertaining or pertinent yet is still interesting to find out about.

8/10

Episode Score

Roy

I have gotten the sense that, while it might not always speed up, Narcos doesn’t slow down. Not in the sense that an episode will feel slow. Pena stepping into his role as the lead operator against the Cartel is exciting and has come at a great time in the season. Narcos is coming across as a masterfully constructed series that somehow makes a relatively simple story seem complex. That it is based largely on true events somehow makes it more exciting despite that meaning I know how it turns out.

8/10

Matt

Pena taking the reigns in this episode is very welcome. I like the character, Pedro Pascal offers a believable and engaging performance. I also have to remark on the way that Narcos constructs such a compelling narrative. Which is a staple of crime drama. Narcos introduces you to this world in an intriguing way and then like a frog in a pot of boiling water it slowly turns up the heat compelling the viewer to watch the events spiral out of our characters controle

7/10

Tommy

Narcos continue to ramp and and show its quality. With Pena finally getting into the operations of Cali which is foreshadowed at the end of the last episode. Again we get scenes that are fantastically suspenseful. We get great scenes with unlikable characters being straight up dick heads and we also get characters that get deserved wins. With that though we also get true tragedy that makes you feel the injustice of the world and of those with power. It makes you truly appreciate all of the luck, skill, dedication and sacrifice involved in going up against the cartel.

9/10

Episode Score

Roy

Life is getting tense for poor Jorge. Narcos keeps things suspenseful so effortlessly you might even think it is not doing anything at all. It is delightful to watch the inner workings of the Cartel and Jorge try to dig his way out as their carefully laid plans begin to crumble around them. On the other side of the story, Pena is slowly chipping away at the cracks he made by his monumental arrest. I know how this ultimately turns out but it is still so exciting to watch.

8.1/10

Matt

We are really starting to get into the thick of things now. Little actions are going to have major consequences for our characters in later episodes. This is the point in the story where all of our characters will give into violence which will lead to chaos. Pena’s maneuvers are on show in this episode demonstrating a proficiency and deceptiveness that continue to paint an engaging character for the series.

7/10

Tommy

This episode of Narcos almost landed in the set-up for future things category. The last bunch of scenes though kick things into overdrive and it is satisfying as hell. It also serves to follow up on the ramifications of what happened last time with an undercurrent of potential violence in every scene involving the cartel. Pena also gets more development here and though what he is doing is not quite of note and follows what we would expect, it is the final scene that shows us that this Pena has grown and that things that happened to him during the end of the Pablo Escobar operation is influencing him. This little detail is what makes Narcos a top tier show as it shows they can mix the fact and the fiction in a compelling and meaningful way.

8.5/10

Episode Score