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Here's Your First Look at Pedro Pascal in Neflix's Next Big Series, 'Narcos'

By Cindy Davis | Streaming | July 7, 2015 |

By Cindy Davis | Streaming | July 7, 2015 |


“There’s no business like blow business.” Catchy, huh? That’s the new tagline for Netflix’s Narcos, a ten-episode series centered on Mexican DEA Agent Javier Pena’s (Game of Thrones’ Pedro Pascal) mission to take down Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura [Elysium, Elite Squad]). Director José Padilha (Elite Squad, RoboCop) will produce the series penned by Chris Brancato (Hannibal), and filming has been ongoing in Bogota, but we haven’t seen or heard much other than a couple of photos Pascal posted to his Instagram a while back:

Pascal with Cristina Umaña, Manolo Cardona (Eduardo Mendoza), Wagner Moura (Pablo Escobar)

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Boyd Holbrook (DEA agent Steve Murphy)

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But finally, Neflix has given us a premiere date — August 28th — a couple of photos, and a quick teaser.

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Granted, it’s not a proper trailer, or more than a glimpse of what’s to come, but producer Eric Newman (who, 15 years ago, met with the real DEA agents who hunted Escobar) has provided a couple of tantalizing quotes:

“In terms of tone, Newman says the show feels like a South American version of The Wire - “that’s always been the model,” he emphasizes - with a hint of Goodfellas thrown in. But don’t expect to see any Tony Montana-style characterizations here.

The thing that it’s not, is Scarface. For many years there have been these Escobar movies that they’ve been trying to make, and they all sort of glorify the culture and the guy. And you really can’t. You could certainly discuss the reasons of what gives birth to a guy like that. But Pablo Escobar was a sociopath! Sure, he loved his family, and he loved his friends, and he loved to have a good time, but he also tortured people, and killed children with bombs.” (Toronto Sun)


Now, I loved Scarface for what it was, but this reassurance that we’re going serious rather than camp is just the news we want to hear. I’m also thrilled we’ll get to see Pascal in a completely different (and yes, less campy) role.

Narcos also stars the latest Bond Girl, Stephanie Sigman (Spectre, The Bridge) as journalist Valeria Velez — based on Virginia Vallejo, Joanna Christie, Mauricio Compte, Ana de la Reguera; it’ll be available on Netflix beginning August 28th.


Cindy Davis, (Twitter)