10 Best Episodes of ‘Narcos’

From Medellín to Cali, ‘Narcos’ traces the rise and fall of Colombia’s most powerful drug organizations through real events and a procedural lens. Across three seasons, the series follows law enforcement operations, cartel strategies, and the political pressure that shaped every decision on both sides of the drug war.

This list gathers ten episodes that cover decisive moments in the story, from the M-19 siege to rooftop pursuits in Medellín and the coordinated takedown of Cali. Each entry notes where it sits in the season, what major operations or historical incidents it depicts, and how it moves the larger timeline forward in ‘Narcos’.

Al Fin Cayó!

Season 2 episode 10 concludes the decade-long pursuit of Pablo Escobar with the Search Bloc closing in on a traced call in Medellín. The episode reconstructs the rooftop chase that ends Escobar’s flight after his escape from La Catedral and months of cat-and-mouse across safe houses and neighborhood strongholds.

The story places the operation in the aftermath of Los Pepes and the progressive collapse of Medellín finances and protection networks. Season 2 released on September 2, 2016, and this finale ties off the wire intercepts, surveillance teams, and command coordination that had been building through the preceding chapters.

La Catedral

Season 1 episode 9 focuses on Escobar’s self-built prison near Envigado and the power he maintained inside its walls. It covers the internal purge that targets the lieutenants Moncada and Galeano and the state response once the murders become known.

The episode sets up the decision to transfer Escobar out of La Catedral and the plan that triggers the crisis leading to his escape. Season 1 released on August 28, 2015, and this chapter anchors the timeline between the negotiated surrender and the renewed manhunt.

Desfuga

Season 1 episode 10 follows the failed transfer from La Catedral and Escobar’s breakout into the surrounding hills. It shows how the security perimeter collapses amid confusion and how quickly the Medellín network reactivates safe routes and logistics.

The episode positions the Search Bloc for a new campaign that relies more heavily on signals intelligence and informant pipelines. As the season finale for the first release on August 28, 2015, it bridges the surrender era to the mobile pursuit that defines the next phase of ‘Narcos’.

The Palace in Flames

Season 1 episode 4 recreates the M-19 siege of the Palace of Justice in Bogotá on November 6 and 7, 1985. It outlines the takeover of the building, the military response, and the destruction of legal archives that had significance for ongoing cases connected to cartel activity.

By placing this event early in the season, the episode marks how political violence and judicial disruption shaped the operating environment for law enforcement. It connects the siege to later investigative gaps while keeping the focus on the chronology that ‘Narcos’ follows.

Descenso

Season 1 episode 1 opens with DEA agent Steve Murphy’s arrival in Colombia and the early 1980s expansion of cocaine routes. It introduces Escobar’s logistics, the Chilean contact known as Cucaracha, and the first labs that turn small-scale trafficking into industrial output.

The pilot establishes narration, key agencies, and the Medellín alliances that will fracture later. With the full season released on August 28, 2015, this chapter sets the investigative framework and the cross-border cooperation that continues throughout ‘Narcos’.

Los Pepes

The episode examines how rival interests and off-book support narrow Escobar’s options while complicating official investigations. As part of the September 2, 2016 release, it explains the rapid attrition that leads directly into the final two episodes of the season.

Nuestra Finca

Season 2 episode 9 shows Escobar under increasing isolation while his family attempts to secure safe passage abroad. It tracks monitored calls that give the Search Bloc fresh leads and the shift of operations toward denser urban areas.

Positioned immediately before the season finale, the episode details how surveillance teams convert intermittent signals into actionable locations. With Season 2 arriving on September 2, 2016, this chapter sets the last sequence of moves that culminate on the Medellín rooftops.

The Good, the Bad, and the Dead

Season 2 episode 4 covers the trap that results in the death of Colonel Horacio Carrillo during a supposed negotiation. It depicts the convoy movement, the ambush configuration, and the tactical misread that turns the meeting into a fatal engagement.

This turning point alters Search Bloc leadership and methods for the remainder of the season. Released with the September 2, 2016 batch, the episode clarifies how Medellín counters the pressure campaign and how the state recalibrates after the loss.

Checkmate

Season 3 episode 4 follows a high-risk operation to seize Miguel Rodríguez Orejuela inside a fortified residence in Cali. It traces the use of inside access, the hidden panic room, and the search patterns that eventually force a surrender.

The narrative underscores the difference between Medellín and Cali structures, with greater focus on business fronts and compartmentalized security. Season 3 released on September 1, 2017, and this episode marks the first major break in the coordinated plan to dismantle the four Cali godfathers.

Going Back to Cali

Season 3 episode 10 closes the mainline story of the Cali cartel with arrests, betrayals, and the final disposition of its leadership. It follows the outcomes for Gilberto, Miguel, Chepe, and Pacho while tracking the documentation and financial records that sustain prosecutions.

The episode also wraps Javier Peña’s Colombia tour and signals future theaters that the drug war will move toward. With the season released on September 1, 2017, this finale links the prosecution phase to the wider regional picture that ‘Narcos’ points to in later projects.

Share the ‘Narcos’ episodes you would add or swap in the comments so everyone can compare notes.