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I just wrapped up watching ZeroZeroZero on Amazon Prime Video. I'm not very picky, but if I don't immediately enjoy a TV show, I'll turn it off before the first episode finishes. ZeroZeroZero caught me from the first episode. I'm not a fan of TV shows in foreign languages, because I don't like the feeling of "reading" a TV show. This show starts with a long stretch of subtitles, but the premise of the show was so mysterious it drew my attention. When it switched back to English, I got even more hooked into the show.
My Review of ZeroZeroZero
- What I like about ZeroZeroZero is the multiple perspective style of filming, where the film rewinds to show the story from another side. After all, there are always two stories to every argument. The result is more details of an often times high level problem of the drug trade. Some may argue that because of this, the story progresses more slowly. In fact, the first time it happened, I legitimately thought there was a problem with the stream.
- There's a lot character development. In many of the characters, it's clear that each of the characters are growing into their roles and figuring things out.
- The story wraps up very nicely by the end where it's made clear how all the pieces fit together.
Also note there there is a fair bit of violence, but it is rated TV-MA. The closest comparison is to Netflix show Narcos.
ZeroZeroZero Storyline
In short, the story is about a shipment of cocaine from production to delivery and everything in-between. Part of the story focuses on the production of cocaine by a Mexican Cartel, the sellers. Then trans-Atlantic shipment by the brokers, a small American company. And finally the buyers, a group of Italian Mafia. The entire story is told over eight episodes, each approximately one hour long. The episode names in Season 1 are as follows:
- The Shipment
- Tampico Skies
- Miranda
- Transshipment
- Sharia
- En El Mismo Camino
- Family
- Same Blood
Questions about ZeroZeroZero
- Why is it called ZeroZeroZero? 00 is a popular brand of the purest flour (00 flour), and so 000 is a similar term used by drug traffickers to denote the purest form of cocaine.
- Is this based off a book? Yes, there's also a book called ZeroZeroZero: Look at Cocaine and All You See Is Powder. Look Through Cocaine and You See the World
- Is there a ZeroZeroZero Season 2? Not yet. And since Season 1 was based off the book and ordered as a mini-series.