Necrotongue

I found myself in a room where a relative was watching the opening episode of a new series produced by Barrandov TV, and although I was trying to focus on my PC, there was no escaping the horror. Amateur actors from a village in the middle of nowhere look like Oscar-winning stars compared to the cast of this masterpiece. The dialogue was simply pathetic, delivered by the "actors" as convincingly as by primary school pupils asked to read something out loud in front of the class. Actually, the pupils would have been at least a grade better. This show can safely be rated after the first episode. I see absolutely no potential for improvement. And to think that they cast the shining star of this TV station, Jan Musil. What I have to ask is: "Where's Kateřina Brožová?"

I was looking forward to some intense action, and I wasn’t disappointed. The previous episode set the stage, and episode six delivered the goods. It’s clear Jorge Salcedo is in trouble — David Rodríguez’s suspicious looks say it all. Everything else is getting more tangled. The action was solid again, though the club shootout was a bit chaotic.

Sure, the previous episode had more action, but episode five is clearly setting the stage for some upcoming fireworks, and it does so in a very intriguing way. Paranoia is spreading among the Cali cartel leaders after Gilberto’s imprisonment, and the DEA is honing in on Franklin Jurado. I can’t wait to see how it all comes together in the next episode.

Finally! For the first time in season three, the episode had great atmosphere, a solid dose of tension, and some action. I especially loved the use of documentary footage at the end. I’m eagerly anticipating what comes next.

The intro on money laundering was both intriguing and amusing. I was also pleased to see that corruption within the Colombian police is still rampant, promising more entertainment ahead. The ending hinted that the next episode might be more action-packed, so I’m hopeful. 4*-

The plot stayed on par with the first episode. While it didn’t blow me away, I was never bored. As I mentioned before, the show really misses a charismatic villain like Escobar. Fortunately, it looks like my hopes for Jorge Salcedo’s character won’t be disappointed. 4*-

Definitely the weakest start of all three seasons, but I still can't rate it below four stars. Javier Peña's brooding presence was too entertaining. The absence of Pablo Escobar is really noticeable; even though the Cali cartel is run by a quartet of "bad boys," none of them have the charisma to match Escobar. I'm curious to see how Jorge Salcedo's character develops — there's some hidden potential there. 4*-

This is the first season that's not getting a five-star rating from me. The series is still great, but most of the plot lacks that "something" that would make me add an extra star. The reconciliation between Bobby and Chuck didn’t do the series any favors. On the other hand, it’s true that I really enjoyed the moments with the two of them working together. This could be the way to go for a fourth season, and I definitely won't miss it.

As usual with this show, the season finale was top-notch. The events surrounding Taylor really kicked the plot into high gear, and the philosophical debates about the final solution were spot on. The chain of events started by Chuck Rhoades was also captivating, but I was annoyed the season ended just when I was having a great time.

I had a great time watching the bonus allocation scene. I could totally imagine losing my motivation at work because I got a $9 million bonus when I was hoping for $10 million. I’d love to experience such a devastating disappointment someday! I'm really curious to see how Taylor’s storyline develops.