Introduction

An Unknown Enemy (Spanish: Un Extraño Enemigo) is a 2018 web television political thriller and drama series released on Amazon Prime.

It examines the events leading to the 1968 student massacre and its cover-up, through the eyes of Commander Fernando Barrientos, head of a secret intelligence agency.

The series main character is loosely based on the real life Fernando Gutiérrez Barrios, director of the infamous DFS intelligence Agency, and depicts the political intrigues that triggered the period of censorship and repression of students at the end of the 1960s.

Outline

Season 01

An Unknown Enemy explores the origins of the Mexican dirty war of the 1960s, and portrays the attempts of Fernando Barrientos, head of the National Security Directorate (NSD; aka secret police), to ensure a grip on political power, as the country goes through a series of social turmoil, in part provoked by the agency he is directing.

All happening in the frame of the Cold War, the 1960s youth counterculture, the preparations of 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico and the upcoming 1970 Mexican general election.

Season 02

Season 02 covers the entire six-year term of Luis Echeverría. Fernando Barrientos (Daniel Giménez Cacho), the new Undersecretary of the Interior, will have to overcome his family tragedy while defending his place in the new cabinet. But the betrayal and ruthless agenda of President Echeverría will make Barrientos unofficially break with the system and become a powerful operator from the darkest side of the country’s political and criminal underworld.

Cast

• Daniel Giménez Cacho as Fernando Barrientos.
• Antonio de la Vega as Interior Minister Luis Echeverría.
• Fernando Becerril as Mexico City Mayor Alfonso Corona del Rosal.
• Hernán Del Riego as Mexican President Gustavo Díaz Ordaz.
• Karina Gidi as Mrs. Esperanza Barrientos.
• Kristyan Ferrer as Beto a shady student leader.
• Andrés Delgado as David an important activist leader, loosely based in the renowned journalist and writer Luis González de Alba.
• Irene Azuela as Elena, Commander Barrientos’ assistant, right hand and secret lover.

Trivia

• The series premiered on the 50th anniversary of the actual Massacre of Tlatelolco (02 October 1968/2018).
• The theme tune at the beginning of the series is a rock and roll rendition of Hymn to the Flag, a Mexican patriotic song.

Un Extrano Enemigo Series

• Series 01 (2018):
  • Episode 01: Comandante.
  • Episode 02: Estudiantes.
  • Episode 03: A La Calle.
  • Episode 04: Pistolas.
  • Episode 05: Estado de Sitio.
  • Episode 06: Silencio.
  • Episode 07: Solucion Definitiva.
  • Episode 08: Operacion Galeana.

• Series 02 (2022):
  • Episode 01: Cuerpo de Cristo.
  • Episode 02: Generacion 1945.
  • Episode 03: Hay dos Maneras de Atacar el Cancer.
  • Episode 04: Guerra Sucia.
  • Episode 05: Malo por Conocido.
  • Episode 06: Pasaras a la Historia.

Season one, comprising 8 episodes, aired on Amazon Prime exclusively. It premiered on 02 October 2018, commemorating 50 years of the depicted events. On 09 November 2018 it was announced that the series would be renewed for a second season, and aired in September 2022.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Gabriel Ripstein … (14 episodes, 2018-2022).
• Producer(s):
  • Marco Polo Constandse … executive producer / producer (14 episodes, 2018-2022).
  • Andrea Gamboa … producer (14 episodes, 2018-2022).
  • Leopoldo Gómez … executive producer (14 episodes, 2018-2022).
  • Gabriel Ripstein … executive producer (14 episodes, 2018-2022).
  • Priscila Doncel Albores … Amazon X Ray Producer (8 episodes, 2018).
  • Eduardo Clemesha … executive producer (8 episodes, 2018).
  • Stephanie Beauchef … Production Executive (6 episodes, 2022).
  • Milenco Galipienzo … line producer (6 episodes, 2022).
  • Diego Sanchez … post producer (6 episodes, 2022).
  • Jose Nacif … executive producer (2 episodes, 2022).
  • Emilio Azcarraga Jean … executive producer (unknown episodes).
  • Avelino Rodríguez … executive producer (unknown episodes).
• Writer(s):
  • Gabriel Ripstein … (writer) (13 episodes, 2018-2022).
  • Gabriel Ripstein … (14 episodes, 2018-2022).
  • Gabriel Ripstein … (Writer) (1 episode, 2022).
  • Emma Bertrán … (writer) (8 episodes, 2018).
  • Silvia Jiménez … (writer) (4 episodes, 2018).
  • Moises Aisemberg … (writer) (3 episodes, 2022).
  • César Gándara … (screenplay) (1 episode, 2018).
  • Juan Manuel Dartizio … (writer) (1 episode, 2022).
  • Cristina Pesqueira … (writer) (1 episode, 2022).
  • Rodrigo Santos … (writer) (1 episode, 2022).
  • Daniel Krauze … (unknown episodes).
  • Carlos Pascual … (unknown episodes).
  • Gibrán Portela … (unknown episodes).
• Music:
  • Leonardo Heiblum … (14 episodes, 2018-2022).
  • Jacobo Lieberman … (14 episodes, 2018-2022).
• Cinematography:
  • Jaime Reynoso … (8 episodes, 2018).
  • Marc bellver … (6 episodes, 2022).
• Editor(s):
  • Sonia Sánchez Carrasco … (14 episodes, 2018-2022).
  • Mariana Rodríguez … (14 episodes, 2018-2022).
  • Ricardo Poery … (8 episodes, 2018).
  • Eugenio Richer … (8 episodes, 2018).
  • Patrick Danse … (3 episodes, 2022).
  • Juan Carlos Ortega … (3 episodes, 2022).
  • Andrés Kaiser … (1 episode, 2022).
• Production:
  • Amazon Prime Video.
• Distributor(s):
  • Amazon Prime Video (2018) (Singapore) (video).
  • Amazon Prime Video (2018) (World-wide) (video).
• Release Date:
  • Series 01: 01 October 2018.
  • Series 02: 28 September 2022.
• Running Time: 60 minutes.
• Rating: 16.
• Country: Mexico.
• Language: Spanish.

Video Link