By Alex Braun ‘23

In the wake of Squid Game, the Korean show that has amassed more than  140 million views on Netflix, many people’s eyes have been opened to the world of international tv shows and movies. One of my personal favorites is the Spanish show La Casa De Papel, or its English title, Money Heist. The show has been running since May 2017 and since then has grown rapidly in popularity, attracting more than 60 million viewers worldwide for just the most recent season 5. 

The show’s premise appears formulaic at first glance: an action/drama show that follows a team of bank robbers as they pull off an outrageous, never-been-done before heist, and the police inspectors that try to stop their success. However, through the development of the characters and plot, this show is able to keep the viewer entertained and engaged for every second. The special effects, cinematography, and dialogue are all masterfully done to set the tone, whether it is action packed and exciting, or stressful and suspenseful.

Money Heist starts out with introducing the main character and narrator Tokyo. She is on the run after a failed heist when she is contacted and recruited by a man who goes by “The Professor” who says he is assembling a team to pull off the biggest heist Spain has ever seen. They are going to rob 2.4 billion euros from the Royal Mint of Spain. Once she joins the team, viewers meet all of the members of the team, each with different city names to protect their identity. Each of them has a different specialty, whether it is digging tunnels, making counterfeit money, hacking security systems, or being marksmen. Once the heist begins, the Spanish Police force assigns a police negotiator, Raquel Murillo, to the case. 

The first two seasons follow the heist inside of the Royal Mint of Spain, dealing with rebellions, defections, and other major issues that arise as the heist progresses. Outside the bank, Murillo negotiates and attempts to catch the head of the heist, The Professor. The plan unfolds, and it becomes clear that every possible thing that could go wrong is accounted for and The Professor has a plan to deal with it. 

The last three seasons follow the gang as they complete a heist even bigger than before. They attempt to steal all of the gold from the Bank of Spain. However, now that the Spanish Police know what they are up against this time, they are not trying to play nice. They assign a ruthless detective, Alicia Sierra, to the case, and under her lead, chaos ensues. The situation goes from a police standoff to an all-out war. Military troops are sent in and blow the door down, snipers are sent to the roofs, and things are not looking good for the gang. This Friday, December 3, the final five episodes of season 5 will come out and finish off the series for good. With a lot to wrap up, it will be fun to see how it all comes to an end. 

The characters are each complex and have their own triumphs and flaws. Through flashbacks we are able to learn more about them, and why they do what they do. Nairobi, the master of counterfeit, needs the money to find her son that was taken away from her after she was arrested. Moscow and Denver, a father and son duo, are there as a way to stay out of trouble on the street. Berlin, a criminal mastermind, is there as the head of the heist inside the mint, and as the plot unfolds, he becomes more and more eccentric. Each character is so well developed that the viewer is able to not just enjoy them, but care for them.

As the temperature outside gets colder and more people start to stay inside, take the time to watch Money Heist. Netflix offers both English subtitles and English dubbing of the show, and there is plenty to watch. The characters are each developed in depth to be human- lovable but not without flaws, and each episode will leave you wanting to watch the next. Jump on the bandwagon that over 60 million people already have, and enter La Casa De Papel. 

Grade: A+