Narcos season 2
| Company type | Television series season |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | September 2, 2016 |
| Founder | Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro |
| Products | Crime thriller television episodes |
Number of employees | Cast and crew |
| Website | www |
The second installment of Narcos, an American crime thriller series developed by Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, and Doug Miro, continues to depict the ascent and downfall of drug lord Pablo Escobar, who built a vast cocaine empire. This season focuses on Escobar's interactions with competing cartels, DEA operatives, and various adversaries.
Wagner Moura leads the cast as Escobar, the head of the Medellín Cartel, accompanied by Boyd Holbrook, Pedro Pascal, Paulina Gaitán, Cristina Umaña, Joanna Christie, Paulina García, Raúl Méndez, Manolo Cardona, Bruno Bichir, Eric Lange, Florencia Lozano, Damián Alcázar, Alberto Ammann, and Francisco Denis portraying significant historical figures.
Netflix released all 10 episodes simultaneously on September 2, 2016. This season garnered more favorable reviews than the first, especially praising Moura's portrayal. On September 6, 2016, Netflix announced the renewal of Narcos for both its third and fourth seasons.
Main
- Wagner Moura as Pablo Escobar – Colombian drug trafficker and leader of the Medellín Cartel
- Boyd Holbrook as Steve Murphy – DEA agent assigned to apprehend Escobar
- Pedro Pascal as Javier Peña – DEA agent working alongside Murphy
- Paulina Gaitán as Tata Escobar – Escobar’s spouse, inspired by María Henao
- Cristina Umaña as Judy Moncada – ex-Medellín Cartel leader who formed a splinter cartel allied with the Cali Cartel and Los Pepes after Escobar murdered her husband; character based on Dolly Moncada
- Joanna Christie as Connie Murphy – Steve Murphy’s wife and a nurse
- Paulina García as Hermilda Gaviria – Escobar’s mother and former educator
- Raúl Méndez as César Gaviria – Colombian economist, politician, and the nation’s 28th president
- Manolo Cardona as Eduardo Sandoval – Vice Minister of Justice under President Gaviria
- Bruno Bichir as Fernando Duque – Escobar’s legal counsel and government intermediary
- Eric Lange as Bill Stechner – CIA Station Chief operating in Colombia
- Florencia Lozano as Claudia Messina – DEA supervisor overseeing Murphy and Peña
- Damián Alcázar as Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela – Head of the rival Cali Cartel
- Alberto Ammann as Hélmer "Pacho" Herrera – Senior figure within the Cali Cartel
- Francisco Denis as Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela – Member of the Cali Cartel and younger brother to Gilberto
Recurring
- Diego Cataño as Juan Diego "La Quica" Díaz – Medellín cartel assassin based on Dandeny Muñoz Mosquera
- Leynar Gómez as Limón – taxi driver turned Escobar hitman, inspired by Alvaro de Jesús Agudelo ("El Limón")
- Martina García as Maritza – longtime acquaintance of Limón who unknowingly assists Escobar
- Brett Cullen as Ambassador Arthur Crosby – former Navy officer appointed US Ambassador to Colombia in 1992 by George H. W. Bush, succeeding Noonan
- Konstantin Melikhov as Edward Jacoby – U.S. intelligence operative affiliated with Centra Spike
- Stephanie Sigman as Valeria Vélez – Colombian journalist and Escobar’s lover, modeled after Virginia Vallejo
- Maurice Compte as Horacio Carrillo – Colombian police chief inspired by Colonel Hugo Martínez
- Julián Díaz as El Negro or "Blackie" (Nelson Hernández) – Medellín Cartel member frequently seen alongside Escobar
- Juan Sebastián Calero as Navegante – violent associate within the Cali Cartel serving as a top enforcer
- Jon-Michael Ecker as El León or "The Lion" – childhood friend of Escobar who managed his Miami smuggling operations
- Germán Jaramillo as Gustavo de Greiff, Colombia’s Attorney General critical of President Gaviria’s approach to drug enforcement
- Juan Pablo Shuk as Colonel Hugo Martínez – Carrillo’s successor leading the Search Bloc
- Alfredo Castro as Abel Escobar, Pablo’s father
- Carolina Acevedo as Gabriela, a prostitute who introduces Maritza to Agent Peña (Javier Peña)
Episodes
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Reception
The second installment of Narcos' garnered more positive critical acclaim compared to the inaugural season, with particular commendation directed at Wagner Moura's portrayal of Pablo Escobar. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 92% approval rating from 16 professional critiques, summarized as: "Narcos second season intensifies the narrative to a deeply impactful level, delivering an exceptional depiction of Pablo Escobar's life." Meanwhile, Metacritic assigns Season 2 a score of 76 out of 100, reflecting "generally favorable" feedback. IGN awarded it a 7.4/10, acknowledging that while the series "may indulge excessively in its fascination with Pablo Escobar," Moura’s acting and the emotional depth of the show were highly praised.
Media reviewers lauded the sophomore season for its compelling performances and storytelling quality. Joshua Alston from The A.V. Club emphasized Moura’s "astute and moving portrayal," which renders Escobar unexpectedly relatable. Mark A. Perigard of Boston Herald remarked that Moura "serves as the cornerstone of the series." Neil Genzlinger writing for New York Times described Moura as "enigmatically brilliant at the center of the narrative." Liz Shannon Miller from IndieWire highlighted the well-executed character interplay, particularly between Peña and Murphy. Robert Rorke of The New York Post labeled it "among the most audacious true crime dramas ever produced." Emily VanDerWerff at Vox regarded it as a significant advancement over its predecessor.
Jeff Jensen from Entertainment Weekly commended the tightly woven episodes that vividly depict Escobar’s final days, capturing fragile alliances and strategic maneuvers aimed at his capture. Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter underscored the intense depiction of Escobar’s downfall and Moura’s subtle representation of his inner turmoil. John Anderson at Wall Street Journal observed an increase in tension and stakes but noted that certain elements remained consistent with the previous season. In contrast, Chris Cabin from Collider felt that while the show presented powerful concepts, they were not fully realized, resulting in a series that was proficient but only intermittently gripping.