Have TV Shows and Films About Drugs Portrayed Drug Lords as Heroes?

By Maawiya Mohammed

Recently, the number of television shows and films about drugs has tripled. Cable network companies and others are creating these kinds of shows regularly since it is popular among viewers. So, when viewers get to watch these shows, they form opinions about the drug kingpin characters. These opinions vary with how different shows and films build their character with most of them portraying their drug lords as heroes. So how have recent shows and films portrayed drug lords as heroes?

Humble Beginnings
These drug lords are shown to have come from a humble background. Their childhood is filled with poverty and their families struggle to make ends meet. They end up joining a cartel as ‘corner boys’ or start small until they become bosses of their own and own a whole drug organization. The viewer becomes sympathetic to the character and wants them to succeed in their business albeit an illegal one.

Give to Charity
These drug lords are seen as Robinhood in the way they help the less fortunate. They give part of their money to the poor, and build schools, hospitals, playing grounds, and other amenities. This in turn makes the poor in those shows and also the viewers show compassion to the drug bosses.

Immortal and Powerful
Their ability to command huge squadrons of loyal soldiers who will do anything including dying for their bosses portrays the drug kingpins as untouchable. The amount of drugs their respective cartels put into the market also leads to them being seen as powerful.

Savvy, Charismatic, and Smart Individuals
These characters are often shown to be geniuses in the way they execute their operations, attacks, and evasion of the authorities. This may range from how they conceal their drugs in other items for successful transportation to the way they clean their money.

Massive Wealth
The amount of money that these drug lords make in these shows is staggering. They spend fortunes of this illegally earned money to live the most luxurious lives they could. They buy properties, high-end cars, expensive clothes and so much more. Even after spending these crazy amounts of money, they still remain with so much. This makes them ‘gods’ to some viewers as the money can never run dry.

Family Above Everything Else
The drug bosses in these shows are made to be men of the family. They have a family; a wife and kids whose happiness is their sole priority. Hence, they do anything and everything in their power to make sure that their family members live a life free from struggle. Whether it is giving them lots of cash, having bodyguards guarding them all the time, or buying them the most expensive items. This idea that the family means so much to the drug bosses makes them adoring to the viewers.
While these shows portray drug kingpins as heroes in the ways mentioned above, it must be said the same shows have also reiterated their evil side. It is important to recognize that television shows and films’ depictions of drug lords are often fictionalized and should not be taken as a reflection of reality.
In reality, drug trafficking is a dangerous and destructive criminal activity that harms individuals and communities.