contains spoiler i have it record a while ago when it be on pb but never get a chance to watch it ( probably due to prejudice about have to sit through 5 6 hr of masterpiece theater and with it bbc make for tv production style ( no music and setting all in one room and no outdoor scene flat tv look . ) ) but after watch the movie traffic ( which i thought be pretty good at that time and ) i couldn not help dig up the traffik tape to see what else could they have dwell into with the extra 2 half hr . boy and be my preconception wrong about this tv series . it be so much more involve than traffic . the character be flesh out well so that their action be more believable . and the whole subplot involve pakistan complete the whole point of view of everyone in the whole supply chain and from the farmer to the end user . in traffic and the pakistan story be rewrite and reduce down to a good cop v bad cop plot . there be alot more meaningful discussion and debate about alcohol and other form of drug and whereas in traffic they mostly become passing reference of no significance . same with social issue and which in traffik and be convey realistically w or o sound preachy . whereas in traffic and the character jus t blurt it out a a statement like the way they do it in those make for tv issue of the week movie . there be no bad guy v good guy in traffik and even the dealer be portray a a junkie that sell to support his habit instead of the nobody mess with me type of person in traffic . the only down part be that since i watch traffic not much before watch this and it be hard not to compare scene by scene and and even though the scene be not the same and i know what the outcome be go to be already . thank god for the pakistan story and which be different enough that it allow me to enjoy it completely w or o think which scene it compare to . although i be throw off think the drug be fuse into the ceramic of the statue in which helen bring back to germany ( a in the storyline of traffic . ) thank god traffik be not that hokey and far fetch .