Did Pablo Escobar feature in Netflix's Griselda? Opening quote significance explained

On January 25, 2024, Netflix released Griselda, a highly anticipated series documenting the life of Griselda Blanco. The show stars Sofia Vergara in the lead and chronicles the life of "the black widow" or "cocaine godmother."

The show is written by Doug Miro and Ingrid Escajeda and directed by Andrés Baiz. It is produced by Eric Newman and Sofia Vergara.

When the show was first announced, audiences were curious about a possible cross-over between Pablo Escobar and the drug queenpin, given that the two operated almost at the same time.

The show does give a nod to the Narcos character but it does so only briefly. This, however, did not satiate the fans, who were excited to see the two cross paths in the show.

Disclaimer: The following article consists of major spoilers for the show. Please read at your discretion.

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Is Pablo Escobar a part of Netflix's Griselda?

People who had high expectations regarding an Escabor and Blanco cross-over in Netflix's Griselda are in for a disappointment. This is because the infamously famous Narcos character does not feature at length in the new show.

However, the show does try to play with the nostalgia of the audience, and in doing so, it is reminded of one of Pablo Escobar's most famous quotes about Blanco. The first episode of the show, titled Lady Comes to Town, opens with a quote that says:

"The only man I was ever afraid of was a woman name Griselda Blanco"

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Are there any parallels between Narcos and Griselda?

Narcos is a three-part crime biographical series revolving around the life of Pablo Escobar who was famously known as "the king of cocaine" during his time. The show's first season was released on Netflix on August 28, 2015. After a three-season run, the show came to an end on September 1, 2017.

The show was then renewed for a fourth season but was released under a different name, Narcos: Mexico, which also has three seasons as of now.

Narcos was created and produced by Carlo Bernard, Doug Miro, Eric Newman, and José Padilha. The show's episodes are directed by different directors. Andrés Baiz and Amat Escalante stand out among them.

Netflix's Griselda comes from the same people who made Narcos therefore, audiences can expect some similarities at least in terms of the storytelling and presentation however, that is where the similarities end.

Doug Miro was previously associated with the Narcos franchise, as was Andrés Baiz, who had directed several episodes of the show.

But contrary to popular belief, there are no parallels between the two characters in their standalone series. This is because the makers have maintained that although the two operated at the same time, they are more inclined towards treating the two as individual entities.

In a conversation with the Hollywood Reporter, producer Eric Newman says:

"She’s someone who needs some real explaining to understand, given how male-dominated that business is. She needed her own space, her own real estate separate from Narcos."

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Griselda premiered to audiences on January 25, 2024, and has since ranked on Netflix in multiple regions. It is uncertain whether the show will return for a second season. However, considering its huge popularity, an announcement could be on the way.