El Chapo (2017–2018) User Reviews

The show is too real (I guess that is good for a TV show)

[marco_afm · 9/10 · 29 December 2017]

Viewers need to understand that the things they are watching are mostly real. The ''Emes'' are the Zetas. The Bernal Leyda brothers are the Beltrán Leyva. The Amendaños are the Arellano Félix. And so on. Even Conrado Sol seems to be Genaro García Luna.

The murder of a cardinal in Guadalajara was real. The massacres by the Zetas on innocent people are real. The whole war under president Calderón is real. Basically, every major character and event. Bear that in mind all the time.

Paz para México.

The best show univision has produced thus far!

[leonardmajere · 8/10 · 7 August 2017]

8/10...seems pretty high, doesn't it? For a show that has countless similarities to Narcos, is based on an already told take, and on a platform that isn't new. Well, I'll tell you why, it is because this IS new, for all of Latin America THIS is totally new!

Prior to this Univision has been known for absolutely terrible, terrible programming and this skyrockets them into a whole new nexus of quality programming. As far as the Latin America television options, this is an absolute home run! I couldn't have been more surprised and happy with what they have put out. Several reasons.

So, the show is MUCH better if you know your history surrounding the person, the country, and the drug trade. They changed basically everyone's name except for El Chapo, I am sure to protect themselves from the very real violence they might suffer if they offended the wrong people with their depictions of certain characters.

I.E. The families of "Benjamin and Ramon Arellano Félix" might not like them being depicted as the murderous bastards that they were, so they make their debut as the "Avendaño Brothers" instead. In that respect that have done an incredible job re-naming the characters but still keeping the authenticity of who they are/were.

Also, something that really hasn't been said in anyone's review. They have done an UNBELIEVABLE job with the character design, makeup, wardrobe(especially), and period appropriate set design. The outfits you see these characters wearing are pulled from actual outfits the real people wore, it is incredibly authentic, shockingly so! GOOGLE Ramon Arellano Félix and go to images, you will see pictures of him wearing the shirt they put him in when Do Chapo first goes to their club at the beginning of the series. Just amazing that they payed that kind of attention to detail.

I don't think the people that are bashing the show quite understand the level of history and authenticity that this show has, in that respect, it is 1 and 1 with Narcos. It follows a historical timeline perfectly and for those that are complaining about the bad quality English dubbing.....ALL DUBBING IS BAD QUALITY, OF COURSE THE MOUTHS DON'T MATCH THE WORDS.....HAHAHA WHAT?!?! (Sorry, I was shocked someone actually said that.)

Anyways, watch the show in Spanish. Take the time to read the subtitles and simply enjoy an incredibly authentic depiction of the most notorious criminals on the planet.

Complete 3 season 35 episodes review !!!

[madhukar30 · 7/10 · 10 November 2020]

If one compares "El Chapo" head on along with big budget and runaway hits like the Narcos and Narcos: Mexico, El Chapo despite its lower budget and an all Mexican production does very well to hold on its own on several fronts and is in fact is better than Narcos and Narcos: Mexico on certain segments. The biggest strength of El Chapo lies is its solid writing, a screenplay that never deviates even one bit from its storyline whatsoever.

The first season is rock solid and remains totally focused on the raise of Joaquin Guzman. The second season focuses on his taking control of as "The Boss" and the turf wars plaguing within and among the other cartels. The third mainly focuses on a hide and seek game with the government forces and his ultimate arrest. All three seasons also enlightens and gives us great insights on the political system and the corruption that had engulfed Mexico over the decades. Yes, there are several cheesy scenes in second and third seasons on several occasions but the show comes back strongly soon enough and erases the silly effect in our heads with some brilliant follow up scenes every time.

Cinematography is very good right throughout the series and excels in stunt sequences, in fact stunt sequences are a mixed bag owing to a low budget but the DOP covers much of budget concerns with his excellent craft. As said earlier the strongest suit of El Chapo is its screenplay that never deviates from the original storyline, though there are several characters in the series, excellent screenplay makes it very easy to remember them. Editing is excellent as there are almost zero scenes that is not required for the storyline, unlike Narcos or Narcos: Mexico especially. Costumes are in tune with what the cartel members and bosses wear if one googles them, The military costumes were great, though all looked brand new. Production design and casting were par. Makeup is little overdone for the main characters in the 2nd and 3rd seasons. Music is 80% excellent and 20% goofy, the title song is terrific, I never skipped it once in all 35 episodes.

Acting is also a mixed bag in my opinion but very acceptable if one considers the budget and the fact that it was made for Mexican TV. About 6/10 actors were brilliant in their portrayal of their roles, with Humberto Busto delivering a top notch performance portraying Conrado Sol and Marco de la O a distant second playing the lead. On the other hand the actors who played the DEA agents were the worst.

Overall, El Chapo is a must see series for anyone who has seen Narcos and Narcos: Mexico. In fact it's a great follow up, as the series interlaces with the other two series at different time frames. Yes, sadly the making and treatment is not on the league of the other two but the screenplay and editing is definitely better in El Chapo. The series is definitely a gem on its own and will stay in our minds for a long time, if one travels the distance of 35 episodes. 8/10 for first season, 8/10 for second season and 7/10 for the third for an average of 7.3/10 overall.

Complex, fascinating, illuminating series about the drug trade in Mexico

[ochunmimadre · 10/10 · 12 December 2018]

I really loved this series. I thought it was much better than Narcos. If you know anything about Mexico during the past 20 years, El Chapo will be even more enjoyable because it does a great job of portraying the political, social and economic complexities of the country and it will all be familiar and very true to life. But, even if you don't know anything about Mexico, you can still enjoy it for the drama and excitement of this crime genre.

The casting was brilliant. Marco de la O did a great job as El Chapo. He captured the accent,the mannerisms and even resembled El Chapo so much that you could forget he was an actor playing a part. It felt like you were really seeing El Chapo. Even the clothing he wore was the same as what you see in photos and videos of El Chapo, so the attention to detail was amazing. Humberto Busto was also outstanding as the corrupt politician Conrado Sol. The actors who played former Presidents Salinas, Fox, Calderon, Peña Nieto and other recognizable politicians in Mexico were really good at creating their characters. Chapo's family, friends, and henchmen were also convincing in their roles. Overall, it was a believable cast and very well acted.. Almost everything that happens in the show happened in real life, so it's almost like watching a documentary.

The series comes down very heavy on the Mexican government and justice system, showing how corrupt everyone is. The message is clear; the drug cartels are run on a model very similar to Mexico's political parties, manipulating everything and everyone to achieve their goals. El Chapo is violent and ruthless, but so is almost everyone else in power, so there are really no "good guys" in the show, just different groups of people trying to advance their interests. It explains why the drug cartels came into existence in Mexico, why they got so out of hand, and why no one could stop them. With or without El Chapo, the drug trade continues today because it's not dependent on one man. It's a well-oiled machine that keeps running, and the leadership positions get filled by whoever is the most manipulative and ruthless, just like the political system. The most evil character in the show is Conrado Sol because he has no loyalty, no morals and no scruples, and yet he hypocritically pretends to be the savior of Mexico. As long as Mexico is in the hands of people like him, there's no solution to the problem of corruption and violence.

I appreciated that the show was from a Mexican point of view, and that the DEA characters had small roles. I'm not particularly interested in DEA agents, and am more interested in seeing how the drug trade impacts Mexican society. The violence engendered by the warring cartels and the Mexican government's war on drugs is of great importance to the Mexican people and has made life very difficult for them. While El Chapo is the recognizable name and face for the problem, the show made it clear that the problem is more widespread than that, and that the economic and social problems of Mexico created conditions in which drug trafficking became a viable way of making money. The show doesn't whitewash the violence of the narcos, but it does put it in a social context.

Overall I would highly recommend the show to anyone who likes this genre. It's violent but not overly graphic. It's definitely binge worthy.

Great series that will give you insight into Joaquin Guzman

[survivorcritic · 9/10 · 3 November 2017]

What has struck me the most about this well-acted series is the sense of impending doom under which "El Chapo" lived. He worked hard and ruthlessly as a prolific murderer to become a "Patron" only to find his position always at the edge of a precipice. He is constantly betrayed, undermined, falsely accused (of the Cardinal's murder)and pursued by assassins. His life would make one wonder why anybody would be stupid enough to want his job. There would be a ton of cash but no peace ever in site for such a man or his family. I know of his impoverished upbringing. And that growing and trafficking drugs was the only way to make money in his isolated community. Multiple generations of his family were in the trade as Marijuana and Opium growers. His cousins were in it. He was born into it. But you would think that there would enough examples of how this would not end well for an intelligent man to make the decision to get out. Apparently in El Chapo's position it doesn't matter how smart one is. And you wonder if the lucky ones are not the ones who get killed early in their careers. Instead of living life constantly on the run from everyone and under daily mental suffering. This is a tale of some one willingly allowing himself to be sucked into an abyss. He had to know that if they didn't take his life, they would still take everything else. And they did. What you might question is the mentality of some one who continues going down that road despite knowing what lies at the end. And I also must question the mentality of a popular sub-culture in Mexico that worships and admires these "Narcos." They write songs about them. Do they not have eyes to see what happens to these people? El Chapo's life was not a pleasant one.

Excellent!

[stellabystarlight-30410 · 19 June 2017]

This is sort of like the Mexican equivalent of Narcos, really enjoyed this series - - I thought the acting was great and and all in all was done very stylishly - well worth a watch.

I hope more series are to follow.. Don't be put off by the negative review/s try it and make up your own mind - so glad i watched it all!

Not as good as "Narcos", but it's not as bad as people are saying.

[bola_de_pu · 8/10 · 26 July 2017]

First of all, I have a lot of doubts when I'm starting to see a TV show and the show have a rating below 8.0 on IMDb. So, I take a chance with these one at 7.9. . . I have a lot of doubts because these show was produced by Univision in association with Netflix, and as Latin guy that love products of great quality, Univision is the last company I expect good productions or shows. They always do a bad job bringing a touch of reality and suspense in the 99% of shows they produce related with drug kingpins. . .I was expecting a lot of blood and a lot of violence in the gruesome way and I finish disappointed when I see the words "Univision", I knew in that moment that I have to change my view of what I will see in "El Chapo". So, if you read this, you need to change the mentality of expecting a lot of blood, violence, gunshots, abductions, etc; because these show is not that. It's more like a political thriller and the government corruption at all the levels. It's not as good as I expected because the story of "El Chapo" have a lot of moments that presented in the right way can make an understatement, but the producers decided to put these story in an ambiguous way. Still, is the best "El Chapo" TV show/movie to these date, but I think they could do a better job.

Starts Slow, Becomes Great

[mlynch5187 · 9/10 · 12 May 2021]

I love crime dramas (Narcos, Breaking Bad, etc.), And was initially disappointed to find that El Chapo starts (very) slow. I actually turned this off the first time I tried watching it . El Chapo looked cheap and cheesy.

Then after the second or third episode, it really picked up and became as good or better than Narcos:Mexico. When this show gets good, it really gets good. This show isn't as glamorous as Narcos. It's more realistic, and just as gripping. With El Chapo you get prison scenes, gang wars, and everything in between.

Watchable, but lacking something

[ivanderavert · 7/10 · 29 July 2018]

I'm just gonna cut to the chase here, many people have already said dozens of things about this series. El Chapo is ambitious, but it's imperfections become obvious very soon. Whether you'll like this one will depend of course on your expectations, and this series has things to offer and also a few things that are lacking.

What El Chapo offers is a compelling - and ongoing - story about one of the most wealthy drug lords in the world. The story is told with eye to detail, and sheds a light on all facets of the enormous drug problem that cripples Mexican society. Its tone is grim, a bit flat, which is somewhat fitting to this particular story.

But what El Chapo is missing so profoundly is a heart. Nowhere in the series are there any true compelling and sympathetic characters. Whilst watching Narcos, I had that odd feeling of rooting for Escobar, even though I knew what he was. But never ever did I really root for El Chapo. I am in the middle of season 3 now and honestly, I just want to see him get killed. To me he's just uneducated, uncharismatic, callous and empty. But the 'good guys' aren't really nice either. Even the DEA is portrayed as an organisation that's after their cut of the business more than they are about fighting crime. And I know this is probably very close to the truth - but a series or movie simply needs at least one relatable character.

In a country where good and bad are often indistinguishable from each other, it seems only fair to paint the picture as such. Yet while El Chapo shouldn't try to be another Narcos, it should have taken more notes.

If you just like to be amused by a good, watchable story about true crime, I'd say give it a try. But if you expect a new Breaking Bad, a new Narcos or The Wire, you will be sorely disappointed.

Underrated but surprisingly good!!

[borgolarici · 8/10 · 14 April 2019]

I watched it after Narcos, like most people apparently did, and i was caught by surprised by how actually good this show is!! The acting is good, the pacing is good, the plot is good. It's more realistical than Narcos (comparatively speaking), way more gritty and less glamour. The first 2 seasons are especially good ( El Cano is a very good villain). Don Sol's storyline gets a little trite in season 3 but i absolutely recommend this show!

Somewhat amateur-ish but the story itself keeps me watching

[Funkaairo · 7/10 · 25 June 2017]

It first throws you into the action with El Chapo battling the clock with an intense drug delivery, The story itself is compelling, but it was executed to a sub-par level, to say the least. The scenery is great, dialogue is alright, but the timer which counted down the hours was simply way too off-touch, i want to get a sense of reality, but the timer made it feel like another amateur made action film, however this was just the first episode.

Later on i felt some actual intrigue and satisfaction from watching the story progress, i was satisfied that they played out interesting parts of the story while copying real-life footage into the movie to show us what character is who, interesting technique.

I absolutely love that they compared that one guy's political rise to power with El Chapo's, they were both playing the same game, with similar goals. Just different rules and different places.

I'm just talking about the first half of the season however, the latter episodes were all about El Chapo's stay in the prison, which i feel is a little drawn out. We get to know the characters and prison brutality but i fail to see where it's going to lead us, i certainly hope it won't be prison break V2 and more of El Chapo's childhood transition into adulthood, that's where the real story's at.

This series still has potential but it's not really looking promising with the way it's headed, failed attempts and tries to get out of prison over and over and over, that was all we got from the last episodes. If it's prison break V2 i'm going to be very sad because this story carries so much potential, i sincerely hope the potential will be used fully.

Really interesting but with a giant flaw

[im-davis514 · 8/10 · 23 August 2018]

I've watched all three seasons now and enjoyed the story arc and acting. It's a little difficult to understand how a person responsible for as much death and dependency can be revered as well, but this is the case for many of the "lords" in this and Narcos. The giant flaw is attributing the government's support of El Chapo to the fictional character of Conrado Sol and also making his fatal flaw his secret homosexuality and liaisons. If it were true, then it would be acceptable to depict this, but this whole plotline introduces an enormously false refrain into the story, the dysfunctionality of Mexico and its government, and the international drug war in general. It would have been far, far better to have depicted the real complexity of issues within the government than to pin the entire tale on this sad donkey of a subplot. Nonetheless, it is an enjoyable show.

Worth Worthing All 3 Seasons

[trayboise · 7/10 · 11 February 2019]

Good actors. I wouldn't say this is like Narcos because Narcos: Mexico isn't on the Chapo story yet. Anyway if mostly true, this series show how reckless and stubborn, let alone stupid, El Chapo was in Mexico. And seeing how he was caught the last 2 times, from Internet news outlets and YouTube, I believe he really is that stupid😒. Also touches heavy on the corrupt Mexican government along with the corrupt DEA. There's no nude scenes (the life of a drug lord, ok), but man kissing galore🤣. I won't give any more spoilers as I think I've said too much. But yes, definitely worth watching all 3 seasons.

Don't watch this after Narcos

[mohadalmajid · 2/10 · 10 October 2020]

I've tried giving this show a chance on three different occasions 2 years apart. If you've watched Narcos: Mexico you won't be able to go through 3 episodes no matter how hard you try.

Great show

[jeysonl · 10/10 · 26 December 2017]

Although production is not as expensive as Narcos, the strongest point here is the connection with victims. While in Narcos Colombians are just props, in El Chapo you can have a broader view of how cartels and corruption affect Mexican lives (S2E08 is a punch in the stomach). Here there's no glamourizing like Narcos. No fancy farms or lame parties. Here cartels are depicted as true criminals with no regard to anyone but them. And to make it worse, you see a state engulfed in corruption, from mayors to the president, police to the army. In my opinion Narcos 3rd season is somehow tiresome, focused on a security manager of one of the cartels, gives me impression they are extending the story that should be coming to an end. Here you wanna know more about his scape from prison and how they finally caught him after that interview with Sean Penn.

Can't Get Enough of El Chapo!

[leftbanker-1 · 10/10 · 17 June 2017]

I think that it is important to point out that the series doesn't make a hero or an anti-hero out of el Chapo and he is portrayed—at least at times—like the sociopath capable of leading a cartel where there is absolutely no room for normal human beings. If you know anything about the drug cartels you know that brutal murder is their first tool in management.

So episode #1 started off rather slowly with the very forced tension of El Chapo getting cornered into a race against the clock to prove himself with Don Pablo Escobar. For a moment I swear I heard the music from Chariots of Fire as el Chapo was running to make his deadline. Let's just say that episode #1 left a lot of room for improvement.

At one point they actually had a clicking clock to show the passage of time while we wait for an attack. These people are clueless about building suspense while telling a story. The director(s) just don't seem to understand how to film action sequences or create tension.

The thing is, the story is so incredibly compelling that even with the amateurish direction the series holds up well and is definitely worth watching…even if I have to learn Spanish all over again to pick up all of the Mexican slang and vocabulary differences from the language spoken here in Spain.

The principal actor in the role of el Chapo looks astonishingly like his real-life counterpart. Overall the acting is good which is surprising because usually with faulty directing the acting suffers.

Oustanding show - I just prefer the style of Narcos

[phd_travel · 9/10 · 7 November 2017]

This excellent and involving Netflix joint venture about El Chapo is mesmerizing. The story is just so darn good as only a true story can be. The lead actor looks like him. After finishing Season 1 I can't wait for more. I can see this is a real detailed series which will show how and why he became the person he is.

Many watching this have just seen Narcos and comparisons are inevitable. Narcos is easier to understand for English speaking viewers with the narration. The cinematography and settings and more beautiful. The cast of Narcos is more attractive than the real life characters - unrealistically so. El Chapo is harder to follow without the narrator to clarify the plot. There are a lot of characters and the cast is a bit similar - some of the girlfriends/wives look alike as do some of the supporting drug dealers. El Chapo doesn't glamorize things for sure.

I kind of wish the Narcos people had done this show in their style. But it still is very very good. Completely blows away any fictional thrillers about the drug trade.

Wow

[rosiecorn · 22 June 2017]

I was fascinated with this series and can't wait for the next one. There is definitely room for this story to continue. I think Narcos creates a great background. Wikipedia says the real El Chapo carries the same notoriety as Al Capone, is listed on the Fortune 500 list, and matched the wealth of Pablo Escobar. The series seems to have only started this story and I'm ready for it to continue. Disclaimer- as noted above, the series does depict him as a scary criminal. Not a hero in any way. Yet I admit to being fascinated by the story.

Amazing show

[nathcunningham · 10/10 · 4 May 2021]

When I first started this I was skepticalad I don't like listening to different audio to the mouths actually moving in Mexican. But after you get used to it... wow what a show totally blown away it's like narcos on steds. Would highly recommend.

Okay, he spent a lot of time in prison, but . . .

[zorro6204 · 6/10 · 18 June 2017]

. . . do we need to see every minute of it? The second half of this could be described as Narco behind bars, because it tells the dreary tale of El Chapo stuck in a maximum security prison. As a prison tale it has its merits, but it's not what I signed on for, and I can't help thinking they are stretching this to get in a full season two . . . or three, as El Chapo had a long career, relatively speaking. The problem is, aside from getting to know the various characters, season one is missable.

There are also some glaring plot holes. Supposedly he was down to near zero money and totally dependent on a huge shipment to restore his power. But when he's in prison, his operation seems to be running still, as they have money to attempt to bribe guards. In real life his cartel was very powerful when he was captured, and he continued to run it from prison for many years. Doesn't add up.

Great

[cantbphazed · 9/10 · 2 August 2018]

Great show to watch, I enjoy it as much as the series Narcos.

A bingeable mixed bag with unneccessary LBGTQ

[Erik_Surewaard · 7/10 · 20 January 2023]

I dare say that like many of you, I am a huge fan of the Narcos-franchise. And not only that, I in general like true crime shows that give the viewer an idea of important events that took place in the media. So what better than give the show "El Chapo" a chance?!

Even after having seen "Narcos Mexico", "El Chapo" can be regarded as an interesting show to watch. I though recommend that you don't watch them right after another. I mean, you also don't go on holiday to Greece immediately after having been to Spain?! Leaving a few months (or even more) between watching Narcos Mexico and El Chapo guarantees - I think - the best experience.

Looking at the content of El Chapo, I already mentioned in the title that I think it is a "mixed bag". And why I say this, is mainly caused by the big emphasis that is put on the 'adventures' of the corrupt politician named Conrado Sol. If you name a show "El Chapo", you would at least think that it would be most about El Chapo himself and not some politician.

What I find especially irritating is the gay love life of Conrado Sol, that much screentime is spend on. Note that I have totally no issue with gay people, but what on earth does it have to do with a narco show about El Chapo?! This totally fictive gay storyline is something that seems to become a standard thing for Netflix. Whatever show it is, it is bound to have LGTBQ in it. Even when it doesn't make sense at all, Netflix still does include it.

But the great advantage of a streaming service is that you can skip ahead. Even when it is irritating to have to do it, as viewer you can skip those totally irrelevant gay scenes. In the third season, Netflix tried to still give some relevance and meaning of this relationship, but it just still doesn't make sense.

All-in-all, the show has so much episodes that the viewer is still faced with a lot of interesting content. Content that really relates to the drug war in Mexico and the parts that the drug kingpins play(ed) in it.

When I have to rate the show, I would give it a 7.4/10 star rating. It of course doesn't come close to a "Narcos Mexico". I though think that the "El Chapo" show could have been edited differently, whereby the role of Conrado Sol would be greatly reduced and all gay scenes were removed. It would reduce the show probably by -25% to -35% in length, but it would have made it way more appealing to the viewer.

Too much gayischness

[chameleonaram · 9/10 · 1 August 2018]

Loved it, better than Narcos, but the gay scenes were a bit too much. Yeah, it could be true but why on earth put so much time in it. Almost every episode I saw 2 guys kissing. Nothing against it but a bit too much if you ask me.

The rest was great, strong actors and a damn hot elba!!! Great job netflix!

Good binge-material

[nmmortier · 7/10 · 8 September 2018]

Not mutch decent dialogue, to easy, simple. Some episodes are chaotic, to many jumps in time, from one time to another time in history. Nontheless very watchable. Interesting story. The actors are good to bad the dialogues are simple but they work with what they have and non-dialogue scenes are good.

Terrible filmmaking. No character development, no suspense.

[deeblejunk-55945 · 1/10 · 19 September 2019]

Just a series of poorly connected action scenes and poorly excecuted twists that leaves the viewer totally unsatisfied. Compared to the pure cocaine of "Narcos" this is low quality crack.