Money Heist [aka La Casa de Papel)

[Ja'moke]

Do we have a thread on this already? I couldn't see one.

Spanish crime drama on Netflix that I think is currently in its fourth season. It's sooo good, and the perfect quarantine binge watch. I started season one on Friday and have devoured 10 episodes already.

Basic plot synopsis: A criminal mastermind type brings together a ragtag group of career criminals for the biggest and most elaborate heist in history --- to rob The Royal Mint of Spain. The full show (or at least the first season) is set around this one heist, the various stages of the plan, the back-and-forth with the negotiators, etc.

It can be ridiculous at times but completely addictive. The Usual Suspects meets Prison Break (before Prison Break went to shit). Also, it has some fantastic characters, especially villains.

Highly recommend. 

[DrGreggles]

Yes, this is good stuff.
Burned through the latest season in one go last weekend.

[Ja'moke]

Yes, this is good stuff.
Burned through the latest season in one go last weekend.

Glad to hear the latest season is just as addictive. I'm always scared it's going to veer off too far into preposterousness. Right now, where I am in Season 1, it's getting the balance just right.

[DrGreggles]

Oh, it's definitely preposterous.

[jobotic]

You can put subtitles on can't you? The previews are dubbed, or were last time I looked.

[Ja'moke]

You can put subtitles on can't you? The previews are dubbed, or were last time I looked.

Yeah. Don't watch the dubbed version.

[notjosh]

I really enjoy this, though it starts to drag after a while[nb]technically a spoiler, but you might find it useful to know that the first heist

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is series 1-2

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and the second heist

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is series 3-4 and still hasn't finished

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[/nb], with far too many flashbacks. Also, a lot of the characters get more unlikeable as it goes on - particularly Tokyo, who is basically an idiotic brat. Lots of love for Nairobi, Monica and the Professor though.

It can be a heap of fun though, especially when they manage to wrong-foot the silly authority figures with technical trickery and pantomime distractions. More of that sort of thing please.

[Ja'moke]

I got the impression Tokyo is meant to be unlikable, especially at the start of Season 2.

[Ja'moke]

Nairobi is such a great character.

Onto Season 3 now, still highly enjoyable in all its ridiculous glory.

[timebug]

Dived into series one last night after reading this thread. Liking it so far,and I am only three episodes i n.Good stuff to pass the dreary lockdown times....

[finnquark]

Loved series 1 and 2, but finding the

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domestics between Prof and Raquel is series 3 really tedious, and the lack of Berlin detracting from series 3. Also not sure what the gender/sexual politics is supposed to add. Also Denver is unbelievably annoying.

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But the first 2 series were brilliant, and 3 is still good daft fun.

[Ja'moke]

The first two seasons are the best. Season 3 is still fun but has a few 'okay, can we move on please' moments.

I've almost finished Season 4 now, and while I'm still enjoying it, it's by far the weakest season. I'm just not that into the

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Gandia storyline

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which has taken up the bulk of the season, though I do appreciate how

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the gang has faced more opposition and resistance this season.

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I love a lot of these characters though, so I can put up with a drop in quality in terms of storyline.

[Ja'moke]

I've finished Season 4 now, and yeah, definitely the weakest season. A real drop in quality. The show has always been ridiculous, but before this season you were willing to suspend disbelief because it landed on the ridiculously fun side. But Season 4 is preposterous in all the worst ways.

Spoiler alert

As I said before, the Gandia storyline is just not good, and it takes up way too much time. They basically made him unkillable. There is a scene where four gang members are shooting at him from different angles and somehow they all miss. Then there's poor Nairobi, the best character, who is tortured all the season long, survives, only to be killed off an episode later. And don't even get me started on Arturo's story.

There was also a lot more plot holes this season. Like, why didn't the gang just ask the governor where the panic room was? How did Marseille find The Professor, and how does that guy get aound the world so fast?

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I think I'd put these flaws down to the fact the show was only meant to be a limited series before Netflix brought it back to life. Those first two seasons were so good because it felt like everything had been plotted out with a purpose. Yeah, there were over-the-top moments, but it all sort of made sense. The character motivations made sense. There was an end goal in a mind that gave the show a driving momentum.