Hmm. The first two seasons were the best long-form TV I’ve ever seen. Best everything, from a screenplay that never got too clever or too dumb, performances that unfailingly hit the character bang in the middle of the note, Oscar-quality cinematography and editing (the newsreel clips added to, not distracted from, the realism – an amazing feat), and utterly convincing violence (the way I like my violence). So I’m hoping that S03 won’t harsh my mellow. But I’m guessing it probably will.
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Lodestone of Wrongness says
We watch a lot of TV, well a lot of box sets. Narcos is one of those series that lies in my offline folder “New Stuff”. Looks like it may have to move to “This Week’s Viewing”….
ps just how violent? Mrs W is a sensitive wee soul.
H.P. Saucecraft says
The violence is handled exactly right. Telling this story without it would be more than a lie, it would be ridiculous. These were violent men in a violent world. But the violence is never played up, or lingered on in any way. It’s shocking, which is as it should be, but it takes its place in the story, and shows the bad guys to be truly, truly despicable, and sickeningly human.
It’s a great binge watch – I envy you coming to it fresh. But it is in a true way “adult” viewing (not in the childish sense of the term), and it makes other great series like True Detective, Bloodline, and Fargo (at least the first series of each) look pretty thin in comparison.
Leedsboy says
Narcos is spectacularly good for all the reasons you list HP. It feels like a show shot in the 80’s but with a very modern stroytelling approach. The music is pretty good as well.
Is it the best? It’s close – certainly on a list with The Bridge, Borgen, Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones in the top 5.
H.P. Saucecraft says
I’ll tell you why I think it should be at the top of your list – the shows you mention (fine, brilliant, however you look at them) are all genre pieces. Narcos transcends genre – I know it’s a “drama based on real events and characters”, but, in comparison with the shows you list, there’s an air of absolute reality about it, like a heightened documentary, that’s absolutely compelling. The way the actors inhabit their characters has a lot to do with it. Utterly, horribly human.
Leedsboy says
You make a good argument H.P. I think those things are true of The Bridge as well so I’m going to have a joint number 1.
Twang says
Yes I’m really looking forward to it. And its gripping even though you know the outcome! I drifted into watching it in a bored moment then binged both seasons! Addicted, I then watched a load of You Tube documentaries about Pablo which complement it really well with the real versions of the characters coming to life (well, the ones who were real…one or two were made up or composite characters, but a remarkable number were actual people). But the best long form TV for me is The Sopranos and always will be.
Currently we’re watching “The Crown” which is good too, with lower body count.
H.P. Saucecraft says
I binge-watched every Sopranos season in tandem with Archie Valparaiso because he said it was going to be fantastic. And a lot of it was. But it’s a bit too much like The Italian Waltons to make my Top Five.
Leedsboy says
The Italian Waltons – TMFTL.
Twang says
I note there is a Tom Cruise vehicle called “American Made” which just came out, covering the same Pablo story which is on at my local flea pit so I shall have the check that out.
H.P. Saucecraft says
Does he run? I do hope he runs. Run, Tom, run! See Tom run!
Twang says
And grins, allegedly.
nickduvet says
On a recent flight I watched The Infiltrator, in which Bryan Cranston plays a CIA undercover agent who blew open Escobar’s operation. True story and the movie was reasonably diverting, even if the costumes and fake moustaches were straight out of American Hustle
Rob C says
Netflix? Narcos? Don’t know what you lot are on about.
H.P. Saucecraft says
Bless!
dai says
I gave up halfway through season 1. Very well made, but I found it very repetitive.
mutikonka says
Great stories, but call me old fashioned, I hated the cheap digital look of the 2nd series. I’ve become resigned to the domination of digital format, but I still prefer film.
RedLemon says
Series 3 – Looking forward to it.
As to violence, casual, there’s a lot of it. Often, not shown and rarely graphic.
Can’t say it’s not shocking though, as it’s based on real events.