Cartel

As can be expected from a series called Cartel, there’s a lot of murder, sex and profanities. As can also be expected from a series called Cartel, we spend almost the entire first episode knowing the various people who will play an important part in this 14-episode long series.The first thing I noticed in Cartel is that every character in this series talks very unrealistically. Not one person would talk to anyone like this, ever. Another weirdly annoying thing is the exposition dump – we get to know all of the gangs and their backgrounds from a news panel.Cartel Season 1 Download

Anyway, the story starts when Rani Maai, the head of the Angres, is shot. Her three sons are boiling with rage, of course. The rest of the series is figuring out who shot her… among other things.

Now, listen, I like a good gang series like the rest of you all. They are usually fun and thrilling, with lots of murders, blood and twists and turns. Cartel is similar, there are a lot of murders and a similar quantity of swearing. There are lighter moments in the series, and they are quite funny most of the time. Abhay and Madhu are the funnier brothers, while Major Bhau is the more serious of the lot – he’s clearly the brains of the three.As Cartel goes down the rabbit hole, the tone is mostly casual and we get serious a few times. However, this shifting tone feels like a bit of a whiplash. I think that’s my problem with this series. There’s just more comedy than thrill. For most of the series, the thriller aspect of it goes on the back burner while we get to know how people are being invited to Riya’s birthday party. Don’t get me wrong, it’s funny, but it doesn’t really go with the title of the series.