The Cartel

The Cartel follows ten friends, all of them members of a dangerous drug cartel, whose ambition for power and money will cause them to eventually kill each other. For it is an undeniable truth that, in this business, you always lose.

The Cartel (2008-2010) is a Colombian national-television crime drama series created by Andrés López López for Caracol TV, built in the telenovela tradition. The story follows ten friends who are members of a dangerous drug cartel, and the engine is their growing ambition for power and money, which pushes them toward betraying one another. Paulina Gálvez plays Katherine and Carlos Augusto Maldonado plays Miguel, while Manolo Cardona appears as Martín González 'El Fresita' and Diego Cadavid as Pepe Cadenas, all tied into a shared criminal circle. Each episode advances rivalries, alliances and reversals within the organization, so the season arcs read as one continuing serialized story rather than standalone cases. The series runs across two seasons and 107 episodes, and its audience rating of 7.9 out of 10 reflects a strong reception among viewers. The atmosphere is melodramatic and tense, with dread that grows as loyalty erodes and violence becomes routine. Fans of Narcos, Breaking Bad and Betty la Fea will find resonance in its drug trade setting, fractured partnerships and soap opera emotional intensity.

Audiences rate the series positively, with strong reception for its second season and its portrayal of cartel friendships turning lethal.

• Narcosshared telenovela form, drug cartel criminal milieu, serialized crime melodrama
• Breaking Badshared cartel power struggles and betrayal among criminal associates, serialized crime saga
• Betty la Feashared Latin American telenovela tradition and melodramatic storytelling

Created by

Andrés López López

Release Date

2008-06-04

Episode runtime

45 min

Rating

7.9 / 10 (606)

What is The Cartel about?

Ten friends inside a Colombian drug cartel chase power and money on a path that can only end with them destroying one another.

What is The Cartel like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Cartel as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.

Is The Cartel violent?

Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Cartel as brutal.

What did critics think of The Cartel?

Audiences rate the series positively, with strong reception for its second season and its portrayal of cartel friendships turning lethal.

Which shows are like The Cartel?

Shows with a similar feel include Narcos, Breaking Bad, and Betty la Fea.

How long is The Cartel?

The Cartel: 2 seasons, 107 episodes.

Is The Cartel still running?

No, The Cartel was canceled.

Where can I watch The Cartel?

In United States, The Cartel streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.