El Chapo

El Chapo traces the life of Joaquín Guzmán from his early days in the 1980s within the Guadalajara cartel to the height of his power as the drug lord in the 1990s, weaving a portrait of a man forged by crime and fear. The series shifts between the brutal world of drug trafficking and the fragile networks that support it, showing how loyalties, betrayals, and calculated risks shape every decision. It foregrounds the people around him as much as the man himself, from loyal lieutenants to conflicted captors, painting a granular picture of a sprawling criminal empire. The tone stays tense, procedural, and intimate, grounding large scale violence in personal stakes. The narrative also touches on the toll on families and communities caught in the crossfire, offering a sobering look at the human cost of the cartel world.

Created by Silvana Aguirre Zegarra, Daniel Posada and Carlos Contreras, this Netflix crime drama premiered in 2017 and draws on real life events surrounding the infamous drug lord with a production that blends local and international talent.

The show helped popularize a prestige style of cartel drama that mixes procedural detail with character studies. Marco de la O's portrayal anchored the series for many viewers, while the bustling cast and sharp production design gave audiences a vivid sense of the era.

Reception leaned toward praise for its gritty atmosphere and performances, though some critics noted uneven pacing. The show explores power, loyalty, and the human cost of crime, balancing big scale crimes with intimate moments that reveal how the narcotics world bends people to its will.

No major nominations or wins are listed in the available data for El Chapo, though the series did attract a solid audience and earned a respectable rating. It stands as a notable genre piece without the same award recognition as some contemporaries.