Can Narcos without Escobar be a hit?

With 'Narcos’ second season ending in a very terminal way, I was quite surprised with the announcement of season 3. How can a show that put so much focus in a great performance of Wagner Moura as Pablo Escobar maintain the same quality, not to say grow better? Well, color me amazed. The 'Narcos' team did it. And they did with style. Topping their achievements in the most entertaining way, they proved to be sure hit-bringers for Netflix and true idols to their fans, there’s no denying that.

In Spanish, the term "narco" is an abbreviation of the word "narcotraficante" which means drug trafficker

Settling into new main characters of the show was a little weird at first. They weren’t unfamiliar, in fact, bosses and members of Cali Cartel were quite established, but seeing them in the exact spotlight this time felt a bit wrong. Those feelings didn’t last long, however. Thanks to the Hitchcockian 'earthquake in the beginning’ opening episode we’re dragged straight into new plots, double-crosses and battles of Colombian drug-trafficking world. And thanks to a brief but thorough recollection of previous events, those who didn’t manage to binge season 1&2 are brought up to speed.The stakes are high as always, gangsters are ruthless and this violent and complicated realm is beautifully captured by amazing cinematography under the direction of Mauricio Vidal.

The third season of "Narcos' produced and created by Chris Brancato, Carlo Bernard, and Doug Miro follows the story of Cali Cartel

The creator of the show, Chris Brancato reaps the benefits of the focus shift. He can explore a different kind of drug kingpin – one brought up in a fairly decent environment, looking to conceal his life and movements, not as attracted to the spotlights as Pablo Escobar was. The tone is still gritty, down-to-earth, but everything feels fresh, thanks to not being as tightly tied to the same characters and themes as previous seasons. For long-running shows, the exhaustion of the topics and characters is often the reason for a decline in quality. With Narcos, this is not an issue, not only because of having limited source material, but also thanks to brilliant filmmakers, not afraid of taking a chance to bring something new to the table.The performances of actors playing Gentlemen of Cali, especially Damián Alcázar as their leader, Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela, are mesmerizing and chilling, and Pedro Pascal’s Javier Peña continues to be complex and conflicted but still the reliable lead protagonist, if in these show’s gray moral palette allows for any. Everything just feels so well delivered, focused and developed.

The rules have changed in the aftermath of the bloody hunt for Escobar as the DEA turns its attention to his successors: the Cali Cartel

So taking all of this into account, there is no denying that season 3 of Narcos is bound to be a huge success, and already proves to be one – as of October 3, it still holds impressive 100% of positive reviews coming from 19 critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Holding that rate for so long means you’re doing something right, and with Narcos it could mean that it is one of the best shows currently available for streaming in the world. Now that’s what I’d call a big hit. One could argue that 3 seasons is not that much for a show, but usually by now in most cases, it all begins to feel worn, but Narcos reinvigorated its formula and is guaranteed to at least stay as good in coming the fourth season. And here’s to that.