Mexico is the Netflix show of the week

If you need a new show to watch on Netflix this week, check out Narcos: Mexico, available to stream Friday, Nov. 16.

Lately, Netflix has been on their game with a good crime drama. Last year we got the riveting new series Mindhunter; this year we got a stellar new season of Ozark and even mockumentary American Vandal was a massive hit before it faced cancellation. One of the most consistently popular crime dramas on the streaming service is Narcos and, lucky you, the show is getting a companion series that releases this Friday, Nov. 16.

Much like the original show, Narcos: Mexico zeroes in on the illegal drug trade. As the name would imply though, it will shift focus from Columbia to Mexico. Specifically, it will outline the rise of the infamous Guadalajara Cartel during the 80s.

With a change in location comes a change in cast. Diego Luna (Rogue One) will play Félix Gallardo, leader of the cartel. Facing off with him will be Michael Peña (Ant-Man and the Wasp) as Kiki Camarena, the DEA Agent who is tasked with gathering intel on Gallardo. Both actors have deep ties to Mexico and it should be exciting to see them work in this capacity.

Before this project, neither performer has been specifically known as a leading man, so it should also prove interesting to watch them finally get their starring vehicle. Despite having his own lackluster Netflix film, Extinction, I’d still say that Narcos: Mexico is one of Peña’s first major project as lead.

This new series has been described as a total Narcos “reset,” so don’t come in expecting too many old faces and storylines. Rather, it’s an exciting new opportunity to see a similar show exploring a different drug trade. Despite being set in the 80s, Narcos: Mexico still promises to be a hauntingly relevant story, especially in light of the tragedy involving one of the show’s location scouts who was murdered in Mexico.

Will you be watching Narcos: Mexico this week?