Is 'Los Farad' on Amazon Prime Worth Watching?

Prime Video

In cinematic terms, “Los Farad” is “The Wolf of Wall Street” meets “Lord of War.” The Amazon Prime series is a fast-paced, first-person tale of intrigue, gloss, glitz, utter mayhem, and a little madness. “Money Heist” star Miguel Herrán plays Oskar, an ambitious aerobics instructor living it up in the crazy eighties.

Okay. Oskar thinks he is living it up in Madrid when a twist of fate puts him in the crosshairs of an equally ambitious woman: Sara Farad (Susana Abaitua). What seems to be a one-and-done encounter turns into something more. Sara introduces Oskar to her family (the Farads) in Marbella, who readily accepts him.

A storybook romance could end there, except “Los Farad” is about much more than its boy-meets-dream-girl dynamics. Oskar learns his “new family” are international weapons dealers. Yep. In response, Oskar embraces the family business, diving headfirst into the fray. It is a wild ride where loyalty, money, and family -- familiarly converge.

The John Dutton of “Los Farad” is Leo Farad (Pedro Casablanc), whose tenderness rivals his fearsome tenacity. As he was in “White Lines,” Pedro Casablanc is the spine of the series upon which its strength is drawn. Casablanc’s charisma sells Oskar and the audience on the believability of such an audacious premise. 

Whether in crime or usual family mode, “Los Farad” keeps viewers glued to their seats. Thus why, there is nothing quite like a Spanish staycation. You cannot grow bored when you take that staycation by watching Spanish movies and TV shows. The cast never appears weary of the material, either.

The entire ensemble shines in this fast-paced thriller. Oskar marks one of Miguel Herrán’s best roles so far. Goodbye, annoying Rio! Hello, agreeable Oskar. As his twin flame, Sara, Susana Abaitua keeps her character calculating while avoiding a sense of cold. Abaitua is not alone. The casting of the family, their friends, and their foes is simply brilliant. 

Unlike some shows, “Los Farad” concludes Season 1 in a way that leaves the door open for Season 2 without making it an absolute necessity. Do I greedily want more? Yes. Can we expect it? Who knows? If it wants Season 2, “Los Farad” deserves enough buzz to get it.