Hello everyone,
I don’t know how you feel about red jumpsuits and criminal masterminds, but for me Money Heist (La Casa de Papel) was the definition of “just one more episode” gone completely out of control. I’m talking eye bags, ignored notifications, this show had me on chokehold and honestly, I didn’t even try to escape. I clicked play and just like that I was an hostage, not inside the Royal Mint of Spain, but on my couch, emotionally invested in a group of criminals I had no business loving.
I didn’t even mean to binge this movie. What was supposed to be “just one episode to see what the movie is about” turned into a 3am obsession. I blinked and it was morning, I blinked again and I was halfway through season 2 with no idea how many hours have passed. And when I say this show robbed me blind of sleep, time and emotional stability, I’m not even exaggerating.
If you’ve never watched Money Heist, it’s a Spanish series and it follows a mysterious man, The Professor, who brings together criminals with different background, no ties and nothing to lose. Each one of them is given a city code name, we have: Tokyo, Rio, Nairobi, Berlin, Denver and so on. Their mission? To break into the Royal Mint of Spain and print billion of Euros without actually stealing a single euro from anyone. Sounds risky, right? Or maybe clean? Smart, even? But of course, nothing ever goes as planned.
They take hostages and what begin as a robbery turns into a war with the police, government and even among themselves, love, heartbreak and raw human emotion. Over the seasons, we follow these characters into another heist, but this time at the Bank of Spain, and things only get more dangerous, emotional and addictive from here
Why is this the most bingeable show I’ve ever watched?
Let me be real with you,Money Heist didn’t give me a moment to breathe. Every episode ended in a What now?? kind of cliffhanger. Either someone is about to get caught, someone just got betrayed, a plan hit a glitch, something big is about to be revealed or someone just died. The writing? It’s not just clever, it’s layered. The professor plays psychological chess while the others are playing with guns and emotions. You find yourself rooting for literal criminal because they feel more human, more just, and more real than the so-called heroes in uniform.
The show mixes action, strategy, love stories, trauma, flashbacks and rebellion in a way that’s completely intoxicating. I’d finish a episode and sit there like “Okay. Just one more”. I’m deep in the show and its 3am, in between goggling how to say Bella Ciao properly so I can cry with culture, lol. I couldn’t stop watching because I’ve grown attached, I wanted them to escape, I wanted them to be okay even though they were criminals, and I was just too emotionally invested.
You want to walk away from the show? Not with the professor’s plan hanging by a thread. You want to sleep? Here’s a bombshell
Let Me Talk About The Characters That Live Rent-free in My Head
The Professor (Sergio) - The mastermind, the man with glasses, nerves of steel and a heart full of broken dreams. He’s not your typical villain, he’s awkward, soft spoken, deeply strategic and human, and underneath all the planning and calm, he was deeply emotional. His love for his brother Berlin, his hesitation, his guilt, it made him more than a brain, he had a soul. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a character like The Professor before, he wasn’t physically intimidating or loud, he wasn’t even the type you’ll notice in a crowd. But my God, the man was smart, sooo, too smart.
He spends months -not one, not two nor three or four- planning the Royal Mint heist. Every minutes of that time was mapped out to perfection. From how long it would take to print each stack of money, to how the police would respond, to what food they’ll need during the standoff, even what they’ll need to do in case of any emergency, like someone getting shot.
And the crazy part? He was always right. The police would pull a fast one and the professor would already be three steps ahead, watching from some building, adjusting his glasses. And if plan B failed? No problem, he had plan C……. and plan D… and sometimes plan Z if necessary. He doesn’t panic, he just calculate.
Tokyo (The narrator). Ah, Tokyo. Impulsive, chaotic and passionate Tokyo. She was the one I loved and yelled at the most, she made some terrible decisions but her bravery and narration pulled us through the movie, she was messy but she owned it. And in the end…. She gave us one of the most iconic moments of the entire series. Still makes me emotional.
Berlin. Elegance and danger wrapped in one man. He was cultured, commanding and complicated. A character you’d hate to love, he did awful things and yet….. there was this charm. His relationship with the professor added depth. You could see the loyalty, the tragedy, the loneliness. And his sacrifice? Gut wrenching.
Nairobi. If Nairobi didn’t have your heart, I don’t trust you. She was the glue, the life, the spirit, the one who shouted “Let the matriarchy begin” and made me want to riot with her. She had such a strong moral compass in the middle of chaos. And her love for her son? 💔. The way she left the show broke me more than any other loss.
If there is any part in Money Heist that I will never, ever recover from, its Nairobi’s death. Even though this show is full of chaos and pain, this particular moment felt unfair. She had just survived getting shot in the chest, she was healing, she was smiling again, she was literally talking about life outside the walls of the Mint and then boom… she was gone. I cried, not like the kind of tear you blink away quietly, no. I was full-on sobbing, whispering “no no no” at my screen like maybe the writer’s would hear me and undo it.
She didn’t deserve that end, Nairobi was the heart of the crew, and she brought balance when things were falling apart, she made us laugh, she was strong, and she was warmth in the middle of a cold, brutal heist. And they took her, just like that
Denver. Denver with his laugh, his ridiculous, loveable laugh. Denver was rough around the edges but had a heart of gold. His life from a hot-headed criminal to a tender partner and loyal friend was beautiful to watch
Rio. Soft, sweet Rio. The baby of the gang, he didn’t belong in that world, not really. His love for Tokyo was pure, even though it ended up hurting him. What they did to him in police custody was inhuman
Money Heist gave me adrenaline, rage, tears and joy. It was not just the plot, it was also the people, the messiness, the ideals and the losses. It’s about what happens when broken people find a purpose, even if its criminal.
I’d rate this movie a 10/10. Would I recommend it? In a heartbeat. Would I binge it again knowing what I know now? Absolutely. Bella Ciao, sleep. Hello chaos
Thanks for reading
This is my entry for the cinetv Community contest. Check it out and tell us which show you think is the most bingeable
@cinetv/cine-tv-contest-139-most-bingeable-television-show
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