As a fan of all the Narcos series I was happy to see this turn up on my stream, hungry for more of the intrigue and shoot em up action. But I soon realized this take on Escobar was a far cry from those glamorous romanticized versions with their Sopranos-like anti-heros - the main character of this show is an unrepentant scumbag, with more revolting warts than endearing dimples.
The early episodes had me questioning the casting of the lead. The character was a dumpy schlub, too stupid and crass to emerge as a powerful leader. But as the series unfolded the actor proved a superb choice, evolving seamlessly into a canny take-charge capo and eventually a cold-blooded sociopathic tyrant. It's a brilliant performance, of a character with very little charm who nevertheless commands your attention.
While there's plenty of violence throughout, it's rarely the exciting give-and-take gun battles of the Narcos shows, but rather savage murders and bombings aimed at defenseless politicians and journalists and other declared enemies of the Medellin cartel. And there's no clever adversary playing cat and mouse games with Escobar - the personal thorn in his side is his wife, a strong-willed character every bit as conflicted as Carmella Soprano, torn between her conscience and her lifestyle.
At times the series dips a toe into telenovela territory, with maudlin montages as characters reflect on memories of their recently assassinated loved ones, but these are few and far between (and easily zipped through on fast forward, without losing any of the story.)
There is also real news footage, generally of the aftermaths of bombings or assassinations, which is noticeable but works well in the context of the show.
Another big difference from the Narcos shows is the depiction of the Colombian law enforcement and political establishments, with much less focus on the corrupt officials in Escobar's pocket and more on the heroic idealists who opposed him. (Understandable, since some of the producers had personal ties to those opponents.)
Overall, the production values, like the casting, is excellent. The settings and costumes are somewhat more realistic and down-to-earth than those of the Narcos shows, reflecting Escober's lower class tastes.
Warning though, if you get hooked: with several dozen episodes, this will keep you binging for weeks.
