Fugue State 1986 Review - Madness, Murder & Meltdowns
- Niels Gys
- Dec 4, 2025
- 4 min read
TL;DR
It’s like watching a man unravel in slow motion… and you can’t look away because the mustache has you hostage.
Fugue State 1986 is a grim, claustrophobic descent into madness powered by a masterclass performance and an atmosphere thick enough to chew.
It’s not fun. It’s not comforting. It won’t make your day better.
But damn… it’s good.
If you want a cheerful crime romp, look elsewhere. If you want a psychological pressure cooker that leaves you questioning the human condition, welcome home.
Looking for something less psychologically damaging? Good luck, but here’s the next best thing: Get the real 1980s Colombia vibe with a proper crime binge, the kind where you question your morals and your eyesight.
👉 Watch Narcos on Blu-ray (Amazon)
👉 Grab a crime classic on the cheap (Green Man Gaming)
Or, if you prefer your criminals digital and well-dressed, crawl over to our Heist Games Hub
Because nothing says “emotional support” like organized crime.
Criminal Fantasy Fulfillment
If you’ve ever wanted to watch a sociopathic war vet mentor a naïve writer without any grown-ups stepping in to stop the madness, congratulations, Fugue State 1986 is your Disneyland.
There are no heroes. No brave detectives. No inspirational speeches. It’s just two men bonding over trauma, literature, and the sort of spiraling psychological decay that would make even Hannibal Lecter go, “Christ, mate, pace yourself.”
The entire show is basically one long, sweaty question: “Why does this feel so good to watch?”
Because CRIMENET always roots for chaos and this series serves it like a tasting menu.
Plot & Pacing
Imagine someone stretched a true-crime documentary across seven episodes, then drenched it in dread, cigarette smoke, and the emotional stability of a malfunctioning GPS. That’s the pacing.
It’s slow. Uncomfortable. It crawls like it’s being dragged through gravel. But here’s the kicker: it works.
You’re not here for explosions or shootouts. You’re here to observe a human soul performing the narrative equivalent of a slow-motion car crash, the kind where you keep watching because you want to see which part falls off next.
Some viewers call it “immersive.” Others call it “my God, do something.”Both are correct.
Characters & Performances
Andrés Parra, famously terrifying in past cartel roles, shows up looking like a depressed PE teacher who’s one PTA meeting away from a meltdown. He absolutely nails it.
His character radiates the deeply concerning energy of a man who:
hasn’t slept in days
has very strong opinions about military honor
and might stab you if you ask too many follow-up questions
Opposite him is the poor writer, who approaches this toxic friendship with the blind optimism of a puppy chasing a freight train. The chemistry is phenomenal, in the way that a gas leak and a match are “phenomenal.”
Everyone else exists mainly to remind you that Bogotá in 1986 was not a place where therapy was widely practiced.
Dialogue & Writing
The writing isn’t stylish or quotable. It’s unhinged. Which is exactly what it should be.
These characters don’t speak like TV characters. They speak like real people with too many problems and not enough coping mechanisms: awkward pauses, strange rambling, threats delivered with the emotional tone of a man ordering soup.
It’s messy. It’s ugly. And my god, it’s refreshing.
World & Atmosphere
If you thought Netflix would glamorize the 1980s like every other nostalgic cash-grab, surprise! This Bogotá is grim, tense, humid, and hostile. The cinematography basically says:“Welcome to the 80s. Please keep your hands inside the emotional breakdown at all times.”
The world feels lived-in, broken, and completely devoid of hope. Perfect crime-review material.
Do yourself a favour and detox with more crime.
Healthy? No. Responsible? Absolutely not. Entertaining? Oh yes.
👉 Need a game that lets YOU be the maniac? Hitman World of Assassination
Direction & Style
The directors clearly decided:“No flashy nonsense. Just suffering.”
No glamour shots. No heroic angles. No dramatic lighting to make you feel safe. Instead, scenes linger just long enough to make you ask,“Is this supposed to make me this uncomfortable?”
Yes.That’s the point.
It’s gritty without trying to look gritty, which is a rarity in an era where crime shows color-grade everything like a funeral.
Soundtrack & Mood
The soundtrack is subtle enough that you might miss it, then suddenly realize your spine has been stiff for 15 minutes because the ambience is doing psychological warfare.
It doesn’t tell you how to feel. It traps you into feeling it anyway.
This is not music you put on while cooking. This is music you put on when you want your kitchen to feel haunted.
Morality & Madness
If you came here for lessons……go home.
Fugue State 1986 offers the same moral clarity as a fogged-up bathroom mirror. Everything is blurred. Everything is compromised. And the question the show really asks is: “At what point did you start sympathizing with the monster?”
If you feel guilty, congratulations. You have a conscience. If you feel nothing, congratulations. You belong at CRIMENET.
Rewatchability / Bingeworthiness
This is not casual entertainment. It’s more like a psychological bootcamp.
You can binge it. But when you finish, you’ll stare at the wall for an hour wondering what just happened and whether you should hydrate.
You will not rewatch it immediately. Not unless you enjoy emotional self-harm.
Series Longevity
Seven episodes. One story. No fat. No filler. No “Season 2 coming soon” cash grab.
It’s a miniseries that respects your time, right before emotionally destroying you.
You’ve stared into the abyss. It stared back. Now buy something before the darkness fully settles in.
Still here? You clearly love suffering. Go deeper, read our CRIMENET Review of Caught Stealing, the cinematic equivalent of a nervous breakdown with style.
Support your local criminals. They work hard so you don’t have to.
FAQ
Is Fugue State 1986 worth watching? Yes, if your idea of “fun” is psychological collapse at 24 frames per second.
Is it violent? Not “action movie” violent. More “oh god, humanity was a mistake” violent.
Is it bingeable? Only if you enjoy emotional dehydration.
Is it like Narcos? Only in the sense that crimes occur and breathing happens.
Can I watch it with my mom? Only if you want her to call a priest afterward.
Is it depressing? Yes. Gloriously so.
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