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Narcos Watch Order in the correct order

How to watch Narcos and Narcos: Mexico in order — the complete Netflix drug cartel saga

Last updated: June 26 2026

Written by: ChronoChris

Narcos is Netflix's gripping true-crime drama chronicling the rise and fall of history's most powerful drug cartels. Spanning Colombia in the Pablo Escobar era and Mexico's cartel wars, there are two shows to watch — here's how to tackle them both.

Narcos arrived on Netflix in 2015 and immediately hooked audiences with its visceral, fact-based account of the Medellín Cartel and the rise of Pablo Escobar, portrayed unforgettably by Wagner Moura. After three seasons in Colombia, the show shifted geography with the spinoff Narcos: Mexico, diving into the origins of the Mexican drug trade through the story of Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo and the Guadalajara Cartel. Together, the two series form a sprawling chronicle of the War on Drugs told from multiple perspectives across two continents.

🕐 Release Order

Release order is the recommended approach — start with Narcos for the Colombian cartel story, then move into Narcos: Mexico, which is a separate but thematically connected series.

  1. Narcos Season 1 (2015) — the rise of Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel
  2. Narcos Season 2 (2016) — the fall of Pablo Escobar
  3. Narcos Season 3 (2017) — the Cali Cartel takes centre stage
  4. Narcos: Mexico Season 1 (2018) — the birth of the Mexican drug trade
  5. Narcos: Mexico Season 2 (2020) — the fracturing of the Guadalajara Cartel
  6. Narcos: Mexico Season 3 (2021) — the cartel wars of the 1990s

The two series share the same gritty aesthetic and narrator-driven format, making the transition between them feel natural even though the cast and setting change completely.

📖 Story Chronology

Chronologically, the Narcos universe begins in Mexico in the late 1970s and early 1980s — predating the Colombian cartel story. However, there are brief references within Narcos Season 1 to the Mexican connection, so watching the shows in historical order would mean slight spoilers for the original series.

  1. Narcos: Mexico Season 1 (2018) — set in the late 1970s–mid 1980s
  2. Narcos Season 1 (2015) — set in the early–mid 1980s
  3. Narcos Season 2 (2016) — set in the late 1980s–1993
  4. Narcos Season 3 (2017) — set in 1993–1995
  5. Narcos: Mexico Season 2 (2020) — set in the mid-1980s–early 1990s
  6. Narcos: Mexico Season 3 (2021) — set in the 1990s

Which Order Should You Choose?

Watch Narcos first, then Narcos: Mexico. The original series is the stronger jumping-off point and introduces the show's documentary-style storytelling before Narcos: Mexico expands the canvas. The two shows are largely independent — you don't need to watch Narcos to follow Narcos: Mexico — but starting with Colombia gives you context for how the global drug trade interconnected. If you're only going to watch one, the original Narcos Seasons 1–2 covering Escobar's story is essential television.

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