Learn From NARCOS

Article originally published as NARCOS Review on Seat42F.

NETFLIX’s latest drama, NARCOS, takes a different tact than most of the previous series do. The story of infamous Columbian drug kingpin, Pablo Escobar, is mixed with the DEA agent that hunts him, Steve Murphy, to give viewers a history lesson. It’s scripted drama based on a true story, one bloody and fantastical.

The first thing that strikes me about NARCOS is that it really is a history lesson. Not one that could be used in history classes, given its graphic, violent content, but still, there is a lot of truth in the way it unfolds. It feels, in many ways, like the film Argo, with more voice-over exposition. Not everything that happens on screen is factually true, I’m sure, but it’s close enough to qualify as educational as well as entertaining.

The authority in which the narration is done gives the show some gravitas. I compared it to Argo, and I’m sure that comparison was drawn by the production on purpose. NARCO has the feeling of a high-quality biopic in that regard, and uses the common trope of mixing the famous (Escobar) with the lesser-known (Murphy) in telling the complete story. The audience will learn much more about Escobar than they did watching Entourage.

Of course, NARCOS has ten hours to tell its tale, versus the two a movie gets, and so can take its time. It zooms through the first couple of years in a single installment, beginning with Escobar (Wagner Moura, Paraiso Tropical) not even involved in the cocaine world to running a full-fledged empire. But Escobar stayed in power for many years, so there’s at least a full season in this, and I assume things will slow down as it goes on.

Most of NARCOS’s premiere installment is focused on Escobar himself, which seems a little strange, since Murphy (Boyd Holbrook, The Big C, Gone Girl) feels like the lead. I like that we’re not just viewing things from the law enforcement perspective, though, getting a behind-the-scenes look at how Escobar makes things work, and the series is kind of presented as Murphy’s telling of the whole thing after it’s been complete, making me think he will survive, unlike so many other players.

More of a wild card is Murphy’s partner, Javier Pena (Pedro Pascal, Game of Thrones, Graceland). He intrigues early in the pilot, then disappears as the show flashes back and builds back up to the time in which Murphy actually gets to Columbia. It is hard to get a read on his role at first, so I look forward to seeing more of that, as he seems like he may be a catalyst to even more violence.

One thing that confuses me is the tendency NARCOS has to mix the real stuff in with the fiction. I have no problem with the show using actual footage of Nixon and Reagan because they aren’t characters, existing only on the TV screens. But when a mug shot of Moura’s Escobar is suddenly replaced with the real man, it takes viewers out of the world a bit, re-emphasizing the documentary aspect at the expense of storytelling.

And really, that’s my problem with NARCOS. While it seems very well made, and I will likely watch more of it myself, it doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. It’s teaching too much and too dry in places to hit the mass appeal of the action-loving crowd, yet too gritty and bloody to strike the fancy of many of the family-friendly documentary niche. It sidetracks to give us a human element, such as showing the death of a pregnant mule, but that takes us away from the characters. It is worth watching and I’m sure will find fans, but by not picking a path and committing to it, it risks alienating many of what could be its core viewership.

The full first season of NARCOS is available now on Netflix.

"Swords" Abound As GAME OF THRONES Returns

Article first written for Seat42F.

GAME OF THRONES has more than “Two Swords” in the season four opener, which aired last night on HBO. The first episode back is one with references to the past, bring back faces we haven’t seen in a long while, often people viewers may not have taken much note of before, popping up at unexpected times. This is combined with a number of stories of our familiar characters picking up the pieces after last year’s major tragedies, and it makes for an enticing new beginning for this batch of installments.

Starting with the Starks, Arya (Maisie Williams) is still traveling with The Hound (Rory McCann), but he has little respect for her, refusing even to let her have her own horse. A run-in with Polliver (Andy Kellegher), who stole Arya’s sword, Needle, and murdered her friend, changes that as Arya practically forces The Hound into a fight, then even scores a couple of kills herself, including one with her now-recovered blade. As a reward, The Hound gets her a pony.

This is a side of Arya we haven’t seen really developed yet, and begins to move her in a new direction. Her stubbornness and bravery have been noted in the past, of course, but here we see how she can take a life without regret as she begins to remove names from her vengeance list. I wouldn’t call her cold, but neither is she warm. This will definitely play into Arya’s future, assuring the fans that all is not lost for her, even after most of her family has been taken from this world.

Sansa (Sophie Turner) isn’t nearly as strong as her sister Arya, and takes losing her mother and brother, on top of the other deaths she’s mourned, very poorly. No one can get her to eat, and she sinks into depression. But then Dontos (Tony Way), a man whose life she saved, gifts her a necklace, and that elicits a smile. Is this a sign she’ll be able to go on with her life, or merely a brief respite from her dark thoughts?

Sansa may have protectors she doesn’t even know about. Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) is quick to remind Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) of his oath to return the Stark girls to their mother. Jaime is exasperated, since Arya is missing and presumed dead, and the woman he made the promise, too, is deceased as well. Yet, Brienne presses him, and if there’s one thing Jaime takes seriously these days, it’s his duty. As well as not disappointing Brienne, whom he respects.

Duty may be all Jaime has to cling to. His sister, Cersei (Lena Headey), has lost interest in him since he lost his hand. His father, Tywin (Charles Dance), makes Jaime a new sword (from Ned Stark’s, a pretty cool sequence in of itself), but then wants to send him home to Casterly Rock. Jaime, feeling adrift, clings to his position in the King’s Guard, refusing his father. It’s really nice to see Jaime soften and become so likable after a rough start on the series, and now he’s earning his own fans. Brienne has made him better. If Jaime is this committed to his professional duty, hopefully he will at least honor the spirit of his promise to Sansa’s mother, too.

It’s funny to see Jaime outside of the personal politics of the Lannister clan since the rest of them are constantly at war with one another. Cersei may have an edge on Tyrion (Peter Dinklage), now that one of her spies seems to know something about the imp’s relationship with Shae (Sibel Kekilli). While Tyrion is shown to be a good person, especially in how he treats his wife, he’s also feeling the pressure of events, which he vents out to Shae, not to mention during the hilarious scene where the Dorne party snubs him. In a family this dysfunctional, it’s interesting to see Jaime emerge as a balanced, normal, compassionate individual and protector.

Speaking of Dorne, “Two Swords” introduces us to two of that kingdom’s leading family, Prince Oberyn (Pedro Pascal, Graceland, The Adjustment Bureau) and Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma, Silk, Luther). They enter with a splash, grabbing a man and woman at the brothel to have some fun with, stabbing a Lannister in the hand, and Oberyn is up front with telling Tyrion he’s come to King’s Landing for revenge. It’s not clear exactly how these two will shift the story, but they seem to be serious players who will be shaking things up. Given how entertaining their early moments are, that’s good news.

At The Wall, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) faces justice for breaking his oaths to the Night’s Watch. At first, it looks like be punished, possibly even executed, but Maester Aemon (Peter Vaughan) steps in and absolves him. Still, while Jon may be off the hook for now, the fact that the current leadership seem to have it out for him cannot be a good sign. How can he get them ready to defend against an imminent attack if they don’t trust him? And will he need to keep watching his own back while trying to protect the realm?

This attack will definitely be coming, as the Thenns join Ygritte (Rose Leslie) and Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) to prepare for war. Unlike the two wildlings Snow traveled with, though, the Thenns appear to be scary and brutal and enjoy the taste of flesh, at least if it comes from a man of the Night’s Watch. While it’s hard to believe these are friends of Ygritte and Tormund, who are reasonable individuals, I guess all is fair in war, and they all follow the same leader. So Castle Black better prepare for some very heavy conflict.

Finally, across he narrow sea, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) is marching her troops towards Mereen, which seems more prepared for them than the other slaver cities, leaving a dozens of grisly warnings. Dany doesn’t seem too worried, and given her success rate, I’m not sure she should be concerned about outside enemies. Within her own camp, though, her dragons have gotten bigger and more unruly, which likely will definitely present her with issues going forward. Is it about time she start riding them, reining in their animalistic impulses for her own mission? And who might join her on a dragon back?

A likely choice may be Daario (Michiel Huisman, who unfortunately looks nothing at all like the previous actor playing the role). Daario oversteps a bit in his interactions with his queen, but always plays it off without crossing a line. Berely. Daenerys, for her part, seems receptive to his flirtatious charms, so one can only assume that love is in the air. If her protective advisors allow it, of course. Though I have the feeling Dany wouldn’t let them tell her what to do, which means Daario has the potential to cause friction in the ranks, thus making him just as dangerous as the dragons themselves.

It’s impossible to do a short GAME OF THRONES review because of the sprawling cast. What’s impressive, though, is how well each of these various players are served, with even more that didn’t make it into this episode. The individual personalities are extremely well-defined, with a talented cast backing them up. There isn’t a weak link among the group, so as the story jumps from place to place, I don’t have a preference for which person it gets to next, knowing whatever it is will be great. “Two Swords” is yet another fine example of this, with no weak point in it (other than re-casting Daario without even trying to match the look, though I like the new actor).

GAME OF THRONES airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe

     USA's Burn Notice is a popular series that finished its fourth season this past December. While fans wait for season five, a TV movie prequel premiered last night. Called Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe, it follows Sam (Bruce Campbell) on his last mission for the armed forces, before he winds up in Miami for the series. The special is directed by Jeffrey Donovan, who stars in the regular show, and puts in a cameo in the movie.

     Campbell is easily believable as a slightly younger Sam, the only noticable differences being a trim uniform and the grey dyed out of his hair. Perhaps because Sam engages in a bit more action than during a typical episode of Burn Notice, there is also an extra liveliness. As such, the team behind this new production does a superb job of making it feel like a few years ago.

     The beginning is awkward, as Sam gets lost several times on the way to meet his commanding officers. While Sam is often the comic relief on Burn Notice, it does not make sense for him to appear bumbling while in uniform. He has never this goofy. The whole sequence comes off as silly and unrealistic. As such, the movie gets off to a bad start.

     Things pick up as Sam begins to relay the story of a recent mission to two superiors. Sam inadvertently sleeps with an admiral's wife, and earns himself a transfer to an observe and report mission in Columbia. Sam tries to do as his orders command, but after only a brief stint in the jungle, he realizes that the people he is stationed with are not on the up and up. As such, Sam must betray his instructions to save a clinic, the people it treats, and the nearby "terrorists" he is supposed to be against.

     The "terrorists" are actually farmers, and only one has any real military experience. In order to get to do whatever they want, the leader of the squadron Sam is ordered to, Veracruz (Pedro Pascal, The Good Wife), plans on blowing up a clinic and blaming it on the farmers. Sam fakes his own kidnapping and evacuates the people Veracruz intends to hurt.

     Soon after Sam flees, Veracruz figures out what is actually going on, and sets his men after Sam and the farmers. Aided by local kid, Beatriz (Ilza Rosario), who doesn't really look like a kid, the farmers flee towards a secret CIA base that Sam knows about. It's a lot like the 24 TV movie, Redemption, where a well known hero is self-sacrificial and on the run with a group who is not really ready to defend themselves. Because of this, the special does not feel new or fresh.

     This is also not in character for the Sam presented at the beginning of Burn Notice, who informed on Michael to the feds. Perhaps that Sam is a bit defeated because of the events explained by this movie, and so he isn't as courageous as he is shown to be later on. That's the easiest explanation, as the Sam in this special is more like the Sam shown in the fourth season of Burn Notice, well after he has committed to a team that is always helping people.

     Sam and the others make it to the base, but they are badly outnumbered. Sam must stall by talking, something he has been shown time and again to be very good at. He does so long enough for help to arrive, but his previous actions are enough to earn him the threat of court martial. Only his resourcefulness saves him, having arranged for Beatriz to have blackmail material that Sam uses to negotiate himself an honorable discharge.

     The story started out slow and not very well written, but by the end, Sam has morphed into a more familiar figure, as he has come to be known to fans. This special is far from fantastic, but it does give a little bit of unknown back story on a popular character, and keeps the tone (and often, the music) of the series, so fans will probably enjoy it.

     The capable, but not stellar, supporting cast includes RonReaco Lee (The Good Guys) as the clinic doctor, and Kiele Sanchez (Lost, The Glades) as the doctor's assistant, Amanda. Sam has a brief romantic notion to be with Amanda, but a couple of kisses is all the further the special takes it. While it is unlikely Sam would have a permanent love interest in such a brief movie, his interaction with Amanda is so tame that it proves unneeded and feels out of place with the rest of the show.

     Burn Notice, back to its present day story line, will return to USA this summer.

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Article first published as TV Review: Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe on Blogcritics.