Every 2016 Netflix Exclusive TV Show Ranked Worst To Best

Though Boyd Holbrook's protagonist continues to feel like a bit of an afterthought, Narcos' second season was a steady improvement that darkens the tone even further, places a greater emphasis on its female characters, and introduces a ton of fascinating new faces.

Still, it all hinges on a jaw-droppingly great central performance from Wagner Moura as Pablo Escobar. There's never a moment where his performance feels off: it is perfectly calibrated and deserves more awards than it's ever likely to get.

While this season's conclusion certainly creates a challenge for season three, on its own merits Narcos graduated from promising but slightly underwhelming drama to almost unbearably tense high-art in its sophomore year.