Narcos: Mexico season 2 review: The series has lost its touch

Narcos: Mexico season 2 is officially out–and it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

Narcos took the world by surprise when it first premiered nearly five years ago on Netflix. The whirlwind story of Pablo Escobar and his time as a drug lord is unlike anything we’ve ever heard of. But of course, that story was going to come to an end sooner or later for obvious reasons. And that is when Netflix decided to shift the focus to the drug cartels in Mexico.

When season 1 of this “new” Narcos show premiered, I was pre-emptively invested because of the previous seasons. Plus, we were getting Michael Peña and Diego Luna, so it was a win-win. While the first season managed to keep us on our toes, I regretfully cannot say the same about the second season that just dropped today.

It’s just not the same anymore, folks. I know, it hurts to think about it, but it’s true. After the events of Narcos: Mexico season 1, the second season picks up from where we left with Scoot McNairy’s Walt Breslin ready to exact revenge for the death of his fellow DEA agent, Kiki Camarena (Michael Peña).

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This is the epicenter of season 2, and it’s basically where most events branch from. Everything and anything is in pursuit of getting back at Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo (Diego Luna) and his cartel. This puts Gallardo in a predicament with his own family and cartel that is itching to do their own thing.

So, you might be saying, okay, the plot sounds exciting enough, so what’s the issue here? Well, remember the way Narcos episodes of the past would mix in the right balance of voiceover and astonishing facts to go with the episode? We barely got that in the second season, and I really feel like that adds to the allure of this series.

I think that is what caught our attention when this series first premiered, and it’s always been their M.O. Unfortunately, we got scarce moments of that, but in those few moments we did get it, the series felt alive and exciting once again. That rush of riveting insight as we learn about the real-life individuals these stories are based on in the series is something I love about the series.

But that’s not my only issue here. The season was lacking a coherent, sensible storyline that leaves viewers feeling underwhelmed. Now, the unexpected action sequences were thrilling and fun to watch, and I was always caught off guard by them. But spending an entire season seeking revenge for a character we only got to know over the course of one season sounds like a waste of time to me.

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Don’t get me wrong, I loved Kiki Camarena, but it just feels like overkill that the entire season was attached to the one story. And then the fact that sub-stories and plots were sprinkled throughout the season made things hard to follow. At times, I couldn’t understand what the issue at hand was or who was fighting who. It just felt like a messy cluster.

And can I just say that I love Diego Luna, but he’s not exactly the scary villain type. I wasn’t terrified of him the way I was with Wagner Moura’s Pablo Escobar. He’s just not the typical frightening drug cartel guy whatsoever. I love you Diego Luna, but sorry, this isn’t working for you.

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With all this said, Narcos: Mexicos season 2 has its moments, and those moments are a tiny reminder that this show does have something special about it. It may have lost its charm and shine, but you will find yourself over the course of the season feeling like there is still hope for the story to get better.

But, honestly, at the rate the series is going, I don’t see it going on for too much longer. Could we just bring Pablo Escobar back, please?

What did you think of Narcos: Mexico season 2? Let’s chat in the comments below!

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