It has been argued that dogs make everything better. That is exactly what happened when the Netflix original series Narcos met the drug-sniffing canines of Colombia – or something like that. A YouTube parody like none other, Barkos rides high on the talents of videographer Jeremy Leaird-Koch, who used his computer graphic abilities to recreate the opening credits of the gritty gangster tale about drug trafficker Pablo Escobar.
The popular series details the rise of Escobar (Wagner Moura), the head of the Medellin cartel who was killed in by the Colombian police in 1993. Barkos attempts to narrate the life of the most fearsome of dogs – the notorious Puplo Escobark.
The Columbia-meets-canines video begins with a disclaimer that sets the tone for the rest of the 90 seconds: “This television series is inspired by true dogs. Some of the breeds, names, kennels, chewtoys, and certain puppers have been fictionalized for dramatization purposes. Any similarity to the name, character or history of any puppers is entirely coincidental and unintentional.”
From the dog statue for the ranch to the mocked up shots, Leaird-Koch’s attention to detail is pawsome. The YouTube video, which has crossed 26,000 views since it was uploaded in July, has been overflowing with appreciative comments. YouTuber MrStereovideo commented, “Hilarious and editing is on point! Wish I could edit like this.” Jose Luis Martínez said, “This is just too good for words to describe. Astonishing job!”
Leaird-Koch, while responding to a fan’s query, said it took him a month to create the labour of love. “I went through the original frame by frame to see how it was made, then sourced a bunch of stuff off the internet to match the shots in the original, as close as possible,” he explained in the comments section.
Though the TV drama has won critical acclaim, Colombians have not taken too kindly to the sketchy accents of the protagonists. Despite the series being set in Colombia, the actors are all South American. Wagner Moura is Brazilian, while his on-screen wife, Maria, is played by Paulina Gaitán, a Mexican. His partner in crime, Luís Guzman, is from Puerto Rican.
Here are some of the other parodies of the show doing the rounds. None of them are as woof-worthy, though.