Yankee is a very strange one to really review on. I think it is a series with an initial curious idea that loses steam badly early on but is still entertaining viewing.
The story centres around the central character "Yankee" who is forced into exile to Mexico following a shooting of a cop.
However, the premise develops into become a little annoying if not offensive, with the American (mixed white Latin/American) outsmarting all the Latino locals who really are all supposedly dubious. His wife & family is stranded north of the border, whilst with little really skill he is able to rise rapidly to the top of the food chain in the drugs world.
The truth is that they had an initial germ that could have developed into something, but seemed to have taken a lazy root. Maybe the series was too long, and they could have simply had a better story if it was much shorter. The lead playing Yankee to me was very unconvincing. Never convinced me he was some streetwise capo in the brutal drug world in Mexico. If anything, he was weak to me, and counter to his mirror psychopath in the show, it made little sense he survived.
The lady who played Yankee's wife in particular was terrible, and in some ways her character on-screen was treated in an almost creepy & leery way for just the sex scenes etc. She was also a bad actress, the way her story played out was really total nonsense. If anything, it made little sense.
However, the one character who really does stand out for me was the undercover Laura Wolf who was a brilliant interesting character and was very well played by Ana Layevska who I will keep an eye out for in the future. If anything, her story was the main crux of the show for me, and I'd argue the only thing that will keep you watching.
Sadly, overall the show was poor. It's clear why there's no follow up season. Sad note, that one of the lead actors died prematurely not long after the show aired, Sebastian Ferrat. He was actually decent albeit over-the-top. RIP.
