El Chema

As a young man Chema Venegas is smart, ruthless, and hungry for more than petty smuggling. The series follows his rise through the drug trade, showing the choices, alliances, and betrayals that push him from a clever underage courier to a feared cartel boss. Episodes focus on his tactical moves, personal relationships, and the escalating violence that shapes his reputation, while keeping surprises about who he trusts and who he destroys. The pace balances action with quieter scenes that reveal how ambition and paranoia change him over time.

Premiering in 2016, El Chema was created by Luis Zelkowicz and built around Mauricio Ochmann in the title role. The cast also includes Julio Bracho, Itatí Cantoral, Fernando Noriega, and Arcelia Ramírez, who round out a supporting ensemble that grounds the show's power struggles.

The show became a notable entry in modern Mexican crime drama, sparking discussion across social media and Latin American entertainment press. Viewers often cite Ochmann's portrayal when talking about the series, and the character entered popular culture in the region as an archetype of the ambitious narco figure, influencing other TV portrayals that followed.

Critics and audiences gave mixed to positive responses, reflected in a 7.651/10 average from 744 votes. Praise tended to land on the lead performance and the series' willingness to show gritty, moral costs, while some reviewers pointed to familiar genre beats. Recurring themes include ambition, loyalty, the corrupting effect of power, and the personal toll of living by violence, with storytelling that favors character decisions over neat moral answers.

While El Chema didn't sweep major international awards, it helped raise Mauricio Ochmann's profile and contributed to the popularity of Spanish-language crime dramas on television. The series found a steady fanbase and is often mentioned alongside other contemporary narco-series when audiences compare portrayals of cartel life.