The drug trade has plenty of fascinating stories and most of them are covered quite extensively by Netflix’s two sister shows Narcos and Narcos: Mexico. You don’t need to grab a history book or watch a documentary narrated by a person with a deep ‘National Geographic’ voice to know who people like Amado Carillo Fuentes and Pacho Hererra were. Just sit down and watch.
Narcos tells the story of two major Colombian Cartels - the Medellin Cartel, which was led by the celebrity drug lord Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura) and the Cali Cartel which was led by the more reserved Orejuela brothers. Narcos: Mexico, on the other hand, tells the story of Miguel Felix Gallardo (Diego Luna), the head of the Guadalajara Cartel who rose to become the unifying boss of all the Mexican crime families. So, which of the two Netflix shows is more fascinating to watch? Here’s an argument for both.
Mexico: A More Intelligent Drug Kingpin
Mexico’s Miguel Felix Gallardo wasn’t nicknamed El Padrino (The Godfather) for no reason. A former cop, he quickly rose to be the most powerful drug lord in the country. This happened in the 80s while Pablo Escobar was also making his mark. Whereas Pablo kept bringing unnecessary attention to himself, Felix did things more stealthily. Like a self-made tycoon on the Forbes rich list, he always knew how to strike the perfect deals.
Despite being a young man in his thirties, he also managed to convince all the other trigger-happy cartel leaders (heads of different plazas) to work under him in what came to be known as the Plaza System. And if that’s not impressive enough, he made a deal with the temperamental Escobar and his rivals the Cali Cartel to help them transport their cocaine more efficiently.
Colombia: Better Performance By The Main Actor
A story is only as good as the medium used to tell it. And in film, a historical figure is only as good as the actor who portrays them. Brazilian actor Wagner Moura did a tremendous job of portraying Pablo Escobar in the first two seasons of Narcos. Some people have even argued that Moura even appears more intimidating as Escobar than the real Escobar.
Interestingly, Moura wasn’t even fluent in Spanish before he took the role. He had to learn it quickly before production began. He also gained plenty of weight for the role. You can never fault an actor who loses or gains weight for a role. In Dallas Buyers Club, Matthew McConaughey made us all realize how great an actor can be when they cut or add kilos.
Mexico: Depth Of Characters
The first season of Narcos: Mexico already introduced three people who went on to become major players in the Mexican drug trade. There’s Miguel Felix, there’s Amado Carillo Fuentes (the Lord Of The Skies) and finally, there’s El Chapo. There are also other fascinating characters like Rafa and Don Neto.
The Colombian version, on the other hand, is short of influential drug barons. It is pretty much the ‘Pablo Escobar Show.’ The third season that focussed on the Cali Cartel failed to create much buzz because viewers had come to regard Narcos as Pablo Escobar’s story.
Colombia: The DEA Agents
The Colombian story had smarter and more likable DEA agents. The duo of Javier Pena (Pedro Pascal) and Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook) were sly and patient. They didn’t mind working with some of the Colombian crooks and rebel forces in the jungle if it meant getting the job done.
Kiki Camerena (Michael Pena), Narcos: Mexico’s main DEA agent ends up getting killed because he is too emotional. He is too obsessed with taking down Felix. At one point he even tells his wife, “He has to know my name!” Kiki is also shown confronting Felix in the streets for no good reason. As a result, he brings too much heat on himself and ends up getting killed.
Mexico: The Transition
In Narcos: Mexico, marijuana was the major source of income at first. Felix planted thousands of acres of it the desert and used advanced irrigation technology to make sure it thrived. Later on, Felix moved into the business of transporting cocaine for the Colombians since he had already had better distribution channels to the United States than them.
El Chapo is also initially a driver but we know the man he’ll become. Pablo, on the other hand, was about cocaine and nothing else. From the very first episodes, he lays the foundation for the powder business. He was also a bandit from the start, so there’s no major transition from good to bad.
Colombia: Tarantino-esque Violence
Narcos is as bloody as Tarantino would like it. Drug dealers are known for their violence and we love watching them dish it out. Narcos clearly took blood and gore to a whole new level. Bombing a commercial plane full of passengers in order to kill one person? Assassinating a presidential candidate? All of it was done.
Pablo’s henchmen were always ready to kill for the slightest of reasons. Something that could be resolved via a sit-down ended up being a murder. Even though Narcos: Mexico has plenty of violence too, it doesn’t match what Colombia has to offer.
Mexico: Conspiracy
Narcos: Mexico shows us just why the drug trade can never end. It’s because there are many people involved, including people in government. Felix manages to get several people on his payroll including crooked cops, a member of the Mexican intelligence service and even a high ranking politician.
Even when the decision to kill DEA agent Kiki is made, it isn’t Felix’s decision alone. It’s the sum of decisions from powerful people. Whereas the Colombian Cartels were seen to be running the drug trade alone, the Mexican drug trade worked as a complex and extended network.
Colombia: Brutal Henchman
A villain is nothing without perfect henchman. There’s always something fascinating about a man who has loyal people under his wing, ready to execute his orders without questioning anything. Both Pablo and the Cali Cartel had some of the most memorable henchmen on TV.
Juan Matta Bastelleros, also known as Blackie did most of the dirty work for Pablo. There was also La Quica and Poison. The Cali Cartel’s most ruthless sicario was known as Navegante. He was often tasked with protecting the Orejuela brothers and was also instrumental in taking the Miami territory from Escobar.
Mexico: Better Handling of The Business Side Of Things.
Narcos: Mexico portrays the drug trade as a proper business, not just the violent criminal world that Pablo made it look like. There’s a financial reason backing every decision Felix makes. The man is also seen wearing a well-fitting suit at all times. He is rarely seen killing or ordering a hit.
Even though it’s riskier, he moves from selling marijuana to transporting cocaine because he wants to make billions, not millions. His ambition is clear. In his own words, he says: “I don’t see things for what they are. I see them for what they could become.”
Colombia: Greater Focus On Family
In as much as Pablo was a remorseless gangster, his love for his family could never be put to doubt. His adoration for his mother Hemilda was limitless and so was his love for his wife Tata. Seeing him moving around with his family while escaping the federal authorities showed us that even gangsters have weak spots. There’s a scene where he even burns bundles of cash to keep his family warm.
In the beginning, his cousin Gustavo is also his right-hand man. When Gustavo is killed, Pablo is overwhelmed by stress and this triggers his streak of bad decisions. Escobar’s main rivals are also two brothers from the Southern Colombian city of Cali. In Narcos: Mexico, there was very little regard for family. DEA agent Kiki is ready to die and leave his wife a widow despite the fact that she cares for him deeply. Felix also abuses his wife when she questions his most recent foray into the cocaine business.
