Season 1 premiered on August 28, and Netflix almost immediately showed its enthusiasm for the show; Narcos was renewed for season 2 within a week of its debut. In the months since, the company’s decision seems to have paid off. In fact, Ted Sarandos, the streaming network’s chief content officer, claimed that the series would be TV’s top-rated across all devices if it were measured in the same way that traditional network shows are.
The gritty series centers on the life of the late Pablo Escobar, a drug kingpin who rose to notoriety as his cocaine smuggling operation achieved unprecedented success in the ’80s and ’90s. Season 1 delved deeply into the dangerous criminal operation, including the drug lord’s brutal behavior and brushes with the law. The upcoming season will pick up with Escobar eluding authorities and offer still more real-life drama.
In a video announcement posted today, Netflix included three important dates: December 1, 1949; December 2, 1993; and September 2, 2016. The first two indicate his birth and death, while the latter marks the season 2 premiere. Unfortunately, fans did not get much new information to obsess over.
The kingpin and his cartel have continued to fascinate viewers, with Narcos and beyond. Escobar’s ruthlessness and success, not to mention U.S. and Colombian authorities’ struggles to bring him down, have been the subject of numerous projects. The Infiltrator, starring Bryan Cranston, for example, will hit theaters in July and center on an undercover operation aiming to bust Escobar and his main distributor at the time.
Narcos returns on September 2.
