WARNING THIS ARTICLE WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS:
While most shows tend to fall off in their sophomore seasons, Netflix’s Narcos succeeds in bringing just as much heat to their second season as the previous one. This achievement is accomplished in Narcos: Mexico Season Two. From start to finish, there was only one goal in play. The season never strayed away. As the episodes progressed, the stakes were raised higher. Eventually, everything exploded and it was marvelous watching the fallout.
What is Season Two About?
Kiki Camarena was killed in season one. This did not sit right with a lot of people. Not America, those who knew Kiki, and even other plaza bosses in Felix Gallardo’s Federation. One person who it especially did not sit well with was DEA Agent Walt Breslin. Scoot McNairy stepped out of the narrator’s role, from season one; and jumped in front of the screen – helming Operation Leyenda. Unlike previous seasons, where the narrators and main characters were based on real people, Walt Breslin never existed. Instead, he was a composite character – representative of the mission at hand aka revenge for Kiki. With the decision to make a new character, the series had the freedom of a blank slate.
There are a Lot More Characters Than in Season One
I’ve read, in other reviews; viewers saying that the season starts off a little slow. I would disagree. While the huge events don’t happen until episode six through ten, a lot is happening in Narcos: Mexico right away. Think about this. Felix brought all of the plaza bosses together. That’s a lot of players on the chessboard that need to be accounted for. There’s so many storylines within this season. So many well-known narco drug dealers that had their own fair share of wild stories. This isn’t like Narcos where everything was centered around Pablo Escobar. Not everything is centered around Felix Gallardo; in fact, he’s simply a footnote in the grander scheme of everything.
The Composite Character
Walt Breslin, though; is a bit of a one-dimensional character for the first two episodes. His only driving force is justice/revenge for Kiki Camarena. As Walt even stated at the end of Narcos: Mexico season one – it didn’t matter that he had never met Kiki. To Walt, Kiki meant something and that dedication alone starts to show Walt’s budding personality. It’s something even spoken about in an interview with Scoot McNairy and Uproxx. We find out more about Walt as time goes on; what drives him. We fully find out about who this man is. Both McNairy and the writers did a wonderful job is pretty much pulling this character out of thin air.
There also is a great scene where what Walt is narrating is suddenly transitioned into a real-time conversation with Agent Ed Heath. We think to ourselves, who are these narrators talking to? We assumed the viewers. It was just something that made me chuckle.
It’s Lonely on Top
There are a few themes that play out throughout season two. One of the most obvious is that Felix Gallardo is alone. In season two of Narcos, Pablo Escobar died alone on a roof. He still had his wife and his family, though. Felix has pushed everyone away. Like Pablo in his prison, Felix can never be satisfied with things “just going well”. There always needs to be a bigger picture in play; another chance to show how truly powerful he really is. At this point, everyone knows he’s not to be trusted.
Never Forget Kiki
Kiki Camarena’s spirit really remains interlaced within the season for each episode. The show doesn’t want you to forget that everything that is being done, it’s for Kiki. It’s admirable that someone like Walt fights so hard to get justice for someone he doesn’t know; perhaps, because Walt knows a thing or two about losing someone. Kiki, I believe; would have admired his tenacity.
Political Corruption
Another theme, that’s especially played out later; is political corruption. At the hay-day of Felix’s operations, he was able to manipulate some truly powerful people. While Felix never stormed a political establishment as Pablo Escobar did, he didn’t need to. He had the government working for him by simply knowing how to work the system for his benefit.
The Characters Who Stood Out
Now, I’d like to talk about some real standouts in this show for me:
- Walt Breslin: As a McNairy fan, I not so patiently waited for McNairy to step out of the voice-over role and be the main character in season two. I was not disappointed. Walt’s story continued to peel back layer upon layer, until we, the audience; we’re able to fully see who this man is all about. With his truck driver chic wardrobe and his knack for chain-smoking, Walt is an honorable guy. Straight from Texas, if Walt says he’s going to do something. He’s doing it and he’s honoring whatever deal you have. He’s that kind of guy.
- Pablo Acosta: Pablo Acosta was barely someone on my radar in season one, but he certainly stepped out from the background and became a fully fleshed-out character in season two. Many episodes put a lot of dialogue and screen-time in Acosta’s story. We find out so much more about this drug trafficker. His relationship with the American Mimi was heartwarming and his roof-top conversation with Walt is one of my favorite scenes of the season. Acosta is old-school and believes in doing something himself; not getting his men to do it for him.
- Amado Carrillo Fuentes: I had a feeling I was going to love Amado in season two, but I didn’t realize how much. Unlike Narcos season three and Narcos: Mexico season one, where he was much more carefree and goofy, Amado is more focused in season two. He has his own plan that he’s devising and it is rather beautiful. His personality still shines, but season two is where he stops just being the plane guy and we see the wheels turning. Amado was one of the biggest names in real-life drug trafficking and season two really set it up that this is a guy you should know.
- Isabella Bautista: There was more of a focus on badass ladies in Narcos: Mexico season two than there ever has been in any Narcos season. It was really badass to watch these women work and we cannot talk about driven women without talking about Isabella Bautista. Felix Gallardo burned Isabella in season one, but she wasn’t going to let that stand in her way. Determined to make it in this business, Isabella stopped at nothing and for that, you need to admire her.
- El Chapo: In real life, El Chapo is one of the most notorious drug traffickers in history. The death toll that this man has caused is horrific. But, I couldn’t help, but like Chapo in the show? With more screen-time and breathing room to let his personality show, we see a determined albeit funny kind of guy. Religious and close with his family, El Chapo is loyal, but also wants to prove himself. He also likes to goof around, which may get him in trouble from time to time.
- Guero Palma: I don’t have a lot to say about Palma, except that I found myself liking him more as the episodes went on.
- Don Juan: With Acosta and Don Juan, I felt that the show was really trying to convey to Felix that he was in the wrong for so many things that he did. Don Juan was a family man. Loved by everyone in town, he cooked in his restaurant, gave money to children, and even had American friends. While Felix should have learned a lesson with Don Juan and Acosta, that it doesn’t pay to burn your friends; Felix learns the hard way.
There were so many characters that it is hard to try to even highlight all of them. Of course, Diego Luna did a fantastic job of Felix Gallardo. Felix isn’t an animated man. His face remains still and he delivers his lines in a low tone, not letting out his true emotions. This makes him frightening. And the times that Felix is not calm, well, Luna does such an amazing job in portraying the exact moments when you can tell Felix is panicking on the inside. Luna also wonderfully shows how intelligent this character is and no one, but the viewers know it. There’s such a fantastic end scene; it made me hungry for more.
Final Thoughts
Episode seven and eight had to have been two of my favorite episodes and nine and ten are heart pounding. One last thing I noticed, as a common theme in Narcos, is that there is a serious pecking order. Both the CIA and FBI regard DEA as the lowest in the barrel and Walt sees firsthand how frustrating this flexing of egos can be. While season two was about revenge for Kiki, it also showed how American interference only stoked the fire. At times, they used unnecessary force on civilians and it caused senseless deaths.
Rating: 4.5/5
Season Two introduced most of its characters in season one. Yes, there are some cameos from Narcos and you may expect to see Don Neto and Rafa for a moment. I would say season two certainly trumps season one for me, simply because the season had more fleshed out characters. It was also singularly focused and felt like one continuous ride. I don’t know what they would do for a third season, but the foundation is there. The stories are there. Should it focus on Amado? El Chapo? Either way, can Walt Breslin come back?
A girl with too many fandoms to count.
