by Christos Zabounis

Independent sources estimate the members of the Mexican cartels at 200,000 – not including corrupt politicians, judges, police officers, and other state officials. Yet the viewers of the so-called “Narco-series” number in the tens of millions, perhaps even hundreds of millions over time. For example, “Breaking Bad”, which for 13 consecutive years was rated as the No. 1 television series before being acquired by Netflix, had 10.3 million viewers for its finale on the American cable network AMC. After its recent 4K re-release, it may have reached 70 million. Although it unfolds primarily in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, it serves as a gripping introduction to our subject, as it is closely connected to “Old Mexico.” Other landmark productions include Season 3 of “Narcos”, which focuses on the Mexican Cali cartel, as well as the spin-off “Narcos: Mexico.” However, if we wish to delve more realistically – beyond Hollywood spectacle – two purely Mexican series deserve our attention. “Somos.” is based on a journalistic investigation into what happened in 2011 in a small provincial town, told through the eyes of its residents. For those who loved “House of Cards,” the intertwining of politics, economic interests, and intelligence services in the country of Emiliano Zapata is depicted in “El Candidato” – that is, “The Candidate” for the Presidency of the Republic. The clock is ticking down for the filming of the life of “El Mencho,” the leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), who was killed during a Mexican military operation last week. We hope the result will be better than “El Chapo.”