SPOILER WARNING!

Back in 2017, Netflix struck gold when they bought the rights to what was originally determined to be a flop on Spanish television, turning Money Heist into a worldwide phenomenon that captured the attention of millions to become one of its most watched non-English television shows. Its messages have even spread outside the television screen, with protesters using symbols of the show to fight against capitalism and authoritarianism. 

Fast forward to today, and after over four years, Netflix has finally released the fifth and final installment of the show on December 3rd, causing it to skyrocket back to #2 on Netflix in just one week. Although it has kept its viewers waiting for months on end without releases, it seems to be able to retain its international popularity. 

Money Heist begins with a group of robbers from all different backgrounds being assembled into one group by a mysterious man referred to only as “The Professor.” He then recruits them to carry out an ingenious heist, in which they occupy the Royal Mint of Spain and use it to print out millions of dollars before escaping. After successfully making it out of the Mint, each with millions of dollars, it gets revealed in the third season that one of the gang members, referred to as Rio, gets kidnapped and tortured by the Spanish government. As a result, they perform another heist, this time on an even bigger scale. 

The Professor leads them into the Royal Bank of Spain, and uses high-profile hostages inside to negotiate Rio’s return, along with getting a hefty 90 tons of gold out of it, too. We are left on a cliff hanger leading up to the fifth season, in which the gang is threatened by an all-out invasion from special forces on the outside, which begs the question, “How could they possibly escape?” 

I would highly recommend watching Money Heist as soon as possible. On the surface, it can appear to be any typical action thriller, but within you can find nuance, deeper themes of romance, drama, and a message of anti-authoritarianism that one might not expect. Along with a remarkable cast, expert filming and writing, I guarantee that it is a great pick for a Christmas-break binge.