“Surviving Escobar – Alias JJ” is a Colombian drama about the woman who ran Pablo Escobar’s empire while he ran the country. The series tells the story of Maria Victoria Henao, the mother of Escobar’s children, through a mix of flashbacks and present-day scenes. It is a character study dressed as a crime thriller, and it mostly works.
The Setup
Maria Victoria meets Escobar as a young woman in Medellín. She becomes his wife and the mother of his children. When Escobar goes to prison, she takes over his business operations, running the cartel from behind the scenes. The show follows her rise, her fall, and her attempt to escape the life she built.
Flashbacks vs. Present Day
The series uses flashbacks to show Maria Victoria’s early years. We see her childhood, her marriage, and the slow buildup of her power within the cartel. The present-day scenes follow her as she tries to leave Colombia after Escobar’s death. The two timelines rarely meet directly, but they build a portrait of a woman trapped by her own choices.
Maria Victoria’s Performance
Ana de Armas plays Maria Victoria with a controlled intensity. She is soft-spoken and calculating, a woman who hides her ambition behind politeness. The performance carries the show through its slower stretches.
The Supporting Cast
Manolo Cardona plays Escobar himself, and his performance is solid but less memorable than Armas’s. The supporting cast fills out the cartel world with color, though none of them get enough room to fully develop.
The Writing
The writing leans heavily on dialogue to establish relationships. Some scenes feel overwritten, with characters explaining things they already know. The pacing slows in the middle episodes, where the flashback timeline dominates.
What Works
The best episodes are the ones that focus on Maria Victoria’s political maneuvering. Her ability to navigate the corrupt system around her is genuinely compelling. The show also handles the domestic side of her life well, showing the toll her choices take on her family.
What Doesn’t Work
The show’s biggest weakness is its refusal to fully commit to its central tension. Maria Victoria spends most of the series running the cartel, then spending a few minutes thinking about leaving it. The stakes never quite land.
A Woman’s Story
“Surviving Escobar – Alias JJ” is a rare example of a crime series told from a woman’s perspective. That alone is worth noting, even if the execution sometimes falters.
Final Score
“Surviving Escobar – Alias JJ” is a watchable, often compelling series held back by a middle section that drags. It is a worthy addition to the Escobar genre, even if it does not break new ground.
Hard Numbers
- Title: Surviving Escobar – Alias JJ
- Premiere: 2017
- Network: Original production
- Lead actress: Ana de Armas
- Lead actor: Manolo Cardona
- Setting: Colombia
Ranking the Episodes
- The final episode, where Maria Victoria attempts to flee Colombia
- The early episodes, establishing Maria Victoria’s rise
- The middle episodes, focusing on her cartel work
- The late episodes, covering her decline
- The opening episodes, introducing the flashbacks
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