La casa de papel (Netflix-versie)

Spanish productions had mostly eluded me until now, but Money Heist caught my attention with its well-edited trailer (and since Netflix picked it up, I figured it was a safe bet). The retrospective idea, where viewers are taken into the past to see the planning of Spain's biggest heist, impressed me. After a few episodes, there might be a feeling of boredom and a sense that the plot is dragging. Each viewer has the chance to find a character to root for, thanks to the diverse personalities of the team members (for me, it’s probably Berlin, who is a fanatic but also has immense charisma, along with El Profesor). The second season seemed a bit more far-fetched compared to the first, with too many coincidences. When it comes to action, the show’s biggest weakness is evident. It’s filmed brilliantly but unrealistically, with hardly anyone getting injured during shootouts (and there are plenty of them). Still, it’s a great watch overall. We’ll see what story the third season will bring. I’m giving it 86%. (14.04.2020)

Let's not kid ourselves; Berlin's loss did impact the series. The creators couldn't fully replace his presence on screen, where you enjoyed every grimace and every line he delivered—his acting talent was evident. However, I’m not saying that the third season suffered so much in quality that you should skip it. Berlin returns at least in memories, so viewers don’t lose him entirely, and the new character Palermo (who can be considered a sort of replacement) didn't offend me either. The rest follows the well-trodden path of the first two seasons, lined with successes. The script is still engaging, and I really enjoy the retrospective style, as it distinguishes this series from its competitors and makes watching it a uniquely enjoyable experience. Add to that the perfect soundtrack, interesting new characters, and an unparalleled finale that made me feel like a boxer in desperate need of someone throwing a white towel into the ring... Simply a bombshell ending. If it stood alone, I’d give it a higher rating, but in comparison to its predecessors, that’s not possible. I’m giving it 80%. (14.04.2020)

I don’t know what to say... The fourth season captivated me the most compared to the others. I watched it right after the third season, and in the end, it had the biggest impact on me. Sure, I could criticize the terrible shootouts that look like they’re straight out of Bollywood, which somewhat spoils the overall impression, or I could gripe about the excessive luck of many characters, where everything goes according to plan and things rarely go wrong, but I won’t do that. Money Heist offers something that most of its competitors don’t give much importance to—character development. Over the course of these four seasons, the creators have portrayed the inner workings of each team member so precisely that viewers feel like they are right there with them. Every success, every joy, every fear—I experienced it all with them, which deserves a huge thumbs up to the filmmakers. Focusing on the characters, among the men, Helsinki stands out clearly. He impressed me during moments when he was emotionally at his lowest, and his raw performance truly amazed me. Among the women, Nairobi leads the pack. Her development in the last two seasons reached incredible heights, and the character received substantial attention. What drives me crazy is definitely Tokyo. Among other characters, viewers will likely remember Gandía’s name, as his actions lead to unpleasantness that culminates in a brutal way, leaving every fan genuinely shocked. I’m curious how long we’ll have to wait for the fifth (and then the sixth) season. It’s needed as soon as possible. I’m giving it 90%. (21.04.2020)

Had I been rating just the first four episodes, I would have been highly critical. What was that supposed to be? I haven’t seen such a fiasco on television screens for a long time, which is all the more disappointing given that this feeling arose while watching Money Heist. The script was full of tired clichés (you’re gearing up for a special unit strike that’s talked about for two episodes… only for them to turn out to be completely inept). And the ridiculous action, where everyone involved fires thousands of bullets, but no one hits anyone. God. Fortunately, things start to turn around from the fifth episode (that one can really shake things up for the viewer). The final three episodes are some of the best content Money Heist has delivered so far. El Profesor’s plan is finally precise, with no metaphorical holes. The characters finally act reasonably. All of it is accompanied by a top-notch soundtrack. This finally brought back what I loved about the earlier seasons, namely that the series should focus on the story, not on pointless shootouts that don’t fit the context of Money Heist at all. The final roughly 10 minutes brought tears to my eyes. The realization that you’ll never see those characters again. What can you do, life goes on. For me, it’s 7.5/10. (17.12.2021)