Diego Luna’s 90% RT Masterpiece Thriller Is Just As Good As Andor

Diego Luna has become a major television star thanks to the success of Andor Seasons 1 and 2. However, his impressive career started long before he joined the Star Wars universe. The Mexican actor and director has consistently taken on challenging and celebrated roles in both film and television.

One of his most notable roles is in a highly-rated crime thriller, earning a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes. This critically praised Netflix series, which aired from 2018 to 2021, features Luna playing a powerful cartel boss. His performance is just as strong as his work as Cassian Andor, and in some ways, even more impressive.

If you loved Diego Luna in Andor, you won’t want to miss Narcos: Mexico. Fans who appreciated his complex and compelling performance as Cassian Andor will find themselves equally captivated by his portrayal of Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, the man who built a powerful drug cartel in this top-notch Netflix crime drama.

Narcos: Mexico Is A Powerful Thriller About The Mexican Drug War

Diego Luna Centers The Brutal Rise Of A Criminal Empire With Unmatched Tension

Narcos: Mexico tells the story of how the modern Mexican drug war began, focusing on the rise of the Guadalajara Cartel and its leader, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, played by Diego Luna. The Netflix series combines real historical events with the fast-paced excitement of a thriller, and viewers who enjoyed the show Andor will likely find it equally captivating.

Similar to how Andor offered a fresh look at the rebellion in Star Wars, Narcos: Mexico presents the drug trade not as separate incidents, but as a complex, interconnected system. The story of Gallardo’s drug operation and the efforts to stop him are deeply influenced by national politics, widespread corruption, and global forces.

The show Narcos: Mexico makes every choice, partnership, and act of betrayal feel significant, with the potential to dramatically alter the landscape. And for fans of Andor, a highlight is Diego Luna’s captivating and subtle performance, which grounds the entire series.

Let me tell you, the actor nails Félix Gallardo, but not with typical drug lord theatrics. He plays it incredibly subtly, a real quiet calculation that makes the character both captivating and genuinely unnerving. Watching him evolve from a relatively small player into a full-blown cartel boss is honestly one of the most chilling things I’ve seen on TV in a long time. It’s a transformation that really gets under your skin.

One of the things Narcos: Mexico does best is its structure. By showing events through the eyes of drug traffickers, DEA agents like Kiki Camarena (played by Michael Peña), and those in power, the show creates a consistently tense atmosphere. You’re always on the edge of your seat, anticipating something terrible, but never quite knowing when it will happen. Each episode steadily builds toward dramatic, historically-based showdowns.

As a total film and TV buff, I’m really impressed with how well-written and directed this series is. The acting is phenomenal, especially from Tenoch Huerta as Rafa Caro Quintero and Joaquín Cosío as Don Neto – they bring so much depth and complexity to their characters, and their interactions are electric. The show just keeps you on the edge of your seat, whether it’s diving into the power struggles between cartels or the escalating tension with the U.S., it’s incredibly gripping and tightly paced.

What makes Narcos: Mexico work so well is that it shows the human cost of the drug war – it’s not just about numbers and policies. The show focuses on the people involved, their desires, and their struggles for power, creating a tense and unpredictable story, similar to how Andor brought a personal, grounded feel to the Star Wars universe. This approach delivers a compelling story based on true events, and it’s all beautifully filmed.

Narcos: Mexico Delivered A Worthy Sequel To Netflix’s Narcos

Netflix Expanded Their Crime Thriller Franchise In A Way That Feels Fresh And Necessary

Let me tell you, if you enjoyed Narcos, you’ll definitely want to check out Narcos: Mexico. It’s not a reboot, but a direct continuation of that story, just shifting the focus south of the border. You might even recognize Pedro Pascal – yes, the Mandalorian – reprising his role as DEA agent Javier Peña. This season isn’t just about what’s happening in Mexico; it brilliantly shows us how the cartels rose to power, laying the groundwork for the global drug trade we saw unfold in the original series. It really connects the dots and gives you the full picture.

Instead of simply continuing the story of Pablo Escobar after Narcos, the show cleverly goes back in time to show how Mexico’s drug cartels first emerged. This allows the series to explore new ideas and avoid repeating the same conflicts. Narcos: Mexico builds on what the original Narcos established, examining the rise of a separate, yet ultimately connected, criminal network.

This show feels like both a continuation and a fresh take on the series, keeping the same thrilling energy while exploring new ideas. Like Narcos, it combines real-life storytelling with dramatic scenes, creating a similar look and feel between the two shows.

What I really appreciated about Narcos: Mexico is that it doesn’t feel like just a rehash of the Colombia storyline. The political landscape, who’s allied with whom, and why they’re making these choices are all completely different. It genuinely feels like a new, separate world with its own specific issues and conflicts, and that strong sense of place and culture really makes the story stand out.

These shows stand out as high-quality crime dramas because they don’t just show violence – they explain the reasons behind it. They explore how problems with systems, corruption within organizations, and changes in a country’s goals all contribute to the rise of criminal organizations. This makes them different from typical cartel stories, focusing on the social and economic factors at play instead of just shocking events.

Ultimately, Narcos: Mexico builds upon the success of Narcos, offering a broader look at the world of drug trafficking. The two shows together create a comprehensive and captivating history of the modern drug trade, boasting excellent production quality and strong acting. Instead of replacing the original, Narcos: Mexico adds to it, demonstrating that the series has a much larger story to explore.

Why Andor Fans Should Watch Narcos: Mexico

Fans Of Andor Will Be Enraptured By Diego Luna’s Riveting Narcos: Mexico Performance

Though Andor and Narcos: Mexico are very different shows, they actually cover similar themes. Both examine political power, the fight against oppression, and how people cope within huge, complex systems. Diego Luna delivers compelling and realistic performances that are key to both series.

Both Andor and Narcos: Mexico feature characters who undergo significant transformations. In Andor, Cassian Andor evolves from someone simply trying to survive into a rebel leader. Similarly, Félix Gallardo in Narcos: Mexico rises from humble beginnings to become a powerful drug lord. The shared themes of ambition, leadership, and internal struggles make both characters fascinating examples of how the pursuit of power changes who people are.

Stellan Skarsgård, as both Cassian Andor and Félix Leiter, excels at portraying characters wrestling with inner turmoil. He doesn’t rely on big, showy displays of emotion; instead, he uses small changes in his face, voice, and body language to create compelling performances. Fans of Andor who appreciated Cassian’s quiet strength will likely be just as fascinated by Félix’s cool and calculating ambition.

Both shows are excellent at creating immersive worlds. Andor builds a realistic and suspenseful political story within the Star Wars universe, and Narcos: Mexico offers a detailed and historically-based look at the world of drug cartels. If you enjoy complex stories with shifting loyalties and growing suspense, you’ll likely be captivated by either of these series.

Additionally, Narcos: Mexico allows Luna to portray a character who powerfully influences situations without saying much. He’s central to all the key choices, clashes, and changes within the drug cartel. It’s a brilliant performance of understated power, reminiscent of the focused intensity that made his role in Andor so memorable.

If you loved the intricate storytelling, well-developed characters, high-stakes politics, and Diego Luna’s performance in Andor, you’ll definitely want to check out Narcos: Mexico.

2025-11-28 14:00