If you loved
El Chapo
Daniel Posada · Series · 2017
What kept you watching El Chapo is the way grand, criminal ambitions inevitably collide with the harsh reality of personal ruin.
Books on the same thread
Largo Desolato
Václav Havel · Book · 1987
If you were drawn to the claustrophobic power struggles in El Chapo, you will appreciate how this play strips away the veneer of authority to reveal systemic political rot.
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Gabriel García Márquez · Book · 1967
The sweeping, multi-generational decay seen in El Chapo mirrors the rise and fall of the Buendia family, capturing the same inescapable cycle of corruption and inevitable, tragic fate.
Kitchen Confidential Updated Edition: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (P.S.)
Anthony Bourdain · Book · 2018
Much like the chaotic professional ascent of the protagonist in El Chapo, this memoir exposes the dark, hedonistic underbelly of an industry fueled by intense pressure and illicit substances.
A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership
James Comey · Book · 2018
You saw the high-stakes friction between law enforcement and cartels in El Chapo; here, you get a candid, insider perspective on the institutional integrity required to combat such influence.
Films on the same thread
Chaplin
Film · 1992
The turbulent rise to fame and the constant shadow of persecution that defined El Chapo are echoed in this biographical look at Chaplin’s complex, often isolated personal history.
Scarface
Film · 1983
If the visceral, drug-fueled expansion of power in El Chapo hooked you, this classic film delivers an even more intense, paranoid portrait of the American Dream turning into violence.
Blow
Ted Demme · Film · 2001
Just as El Chapo navigates the moral ambiguity of the drug trade, this film explores the tragic consequences of greed and family betrayal within the high-stakes criminal underworld.
Bound by Honor
Film · 1993
The deep-seated loyalty and eventual fracture of brotherhood in this film reflect the same dangerous interpersonal dynamics that defined the criminal organization at the heart of El Chapo.
Podcasts on the same thread
Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén
Spotify Studios · Podcast · 2026
After exploring the dark psychology of a kingpin in El Chapo, you will find this deep dive into the nature of human depravity equally compelling and chillingly investigative.
Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc.
The Boston Globe | Audible · Podcast · 2024
The systemic failure and sudden fall from grace of a powerful figure in El Chapo find a modern, real-world parallel in this investigation into a star athlete’s descent.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What time period does El Chapo cover?
The series El Chapo spans several decades of the drug kingpin's life. It begins in the 1980s during his early days with the Guadalajara Cartel, tracks his rise to power throughout the 1990s, and concludes with his ultimate downfall in 2016.
Does El Chapo depict the kingpin's entire criminal career?
Yes, El Chapo provides a comprehensive look at his life. The show follows his trajectory from his initial involvement in the drug trade during the 1980s, through his ascent as a notorious kingpin in the 1990s, and ends with the events surrounding his downfall in 2016.
How does El Chapo portray the rise of the title character?
El Chapo documents the progression of the kingpin starting from his early work for the Guadalajara Cartel in the 1980s. The narrative continues through the 1990s as he gains power, eventually leading to the events that resulted in his final downfall in 2016.
Is El Chapo based on real events?
El Chapo is a dramatized look at the life of the notorious drug kingpin. The series covers his historical timeline, beginning with his early career in the 1980s Guadalajara Cartel, his subsequent rise to power during the 1990s, and his eventual downfall in 2016.