Granted, it's not fair to compare one "based on true events" series with another in that all our lives are different. But the storytelling of those lives involve creative choices made by the writers and director. I really enjoyed the fast-moving two seasons of "Narcos" and its sprawling tale of the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar. I was hoping to also like "El Chapo," but after two episodes, I'm out.
Narcos did a good job of establishing the "work" and home life and personality of Escobar as he made his way up the cartel ladder, created an empire and became a social and political force in Columbia, all the while dealing with domestic pressures at home (needy mistress, wife, kids, mom, cousin, clinging parasites, etc.) In El Chapo, the world seems quite small as seen through his eyes and we abruptly meet wife #1, who we never knew existed and then later his car rolls into another driveway and surprise it's wife#2, another stranger to us. Meanwhile, El Chapo just simply kills everyone he sees as being in his way like an unhinged psychopath.
Escobar and his henchmen had quite a body count as well, but the murders are seen as part of a larger, more sophisticated plan and are more interesting to watch. El Chapo seems determined to shoot his way to the top (literally)-- that's it, and it's dull to watch.
