by John Downey '23 on January 29, 2022
A&E Co-Editor
Arts & Entertainment
Riley Coyne ’24
“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard?” This question is one that both cast members and fans of Money Heist, one of the most iconic series on Netflix, are asking themselves as the show finally comes to an end. The beloved Spanish series, also known as La Casa De Papel, consists of five seasons in total: the last of which was released in early December of 2021.
Money Heist has taken the world by storm, becoming a phenomenon not only in Spain, but also globally. When the show was first released, actor Álvaro Morte, better known as The Professor, insisted that the cast and crew had no idea the series would get so much love and attention from the international community.
In season five, the gang encounters their most difficult heist yet. Indeed, their previous heist, which constituted the premise of the show’s first few seasons, stands to finally be outdone as they attempt to enter The Bank of Spain. While this season features many of the show’s original characters, a few new faces make their debut as well. New allies and enemies are added into the mix, making for a suspenseful finale.
Interestingly enough, just as they do for their first heist, the gang dress in red jumpsuits accented with Salvador Dalí masks to conceal their identities. They force the hostages they take to wear the same getup so that when the police intervene, they will not be able to differentiate anyone. This effective tactic puts the gang at an advantage. The constant back and forth between them and the police is comparable to a game of chess, and it leaves viewers constantly on the edge of their seats, waiting to see which side will get the checkmate. The Professor, the show’s criminal mastermind, always says that business and pleasure do not mix, even though he knows that viewers cannot help but love the morally-complicated characters in the gang.
The main message of the final season of Money Heist is that truly nothing is impossible. Of course, there are obstacles and challenges that the gang encounters along the way, but it only motivates them to continue with their plan. Indeed, the most prominent theme in Money Heist is resistance. The song “Bella Ciao,” which has essentially become the soundtrack for the series, is symbolic of freedom and resistance. It is an old Italian folk song that was originally used to protest unfair working conditions and later used by Italian partisans against the fascist party. In the show, the phrase “We are the Resistance” is periodically repeated to remind the gang of their purpose. What is it that they are resisting, exactly? To find out, stream Money Heist season five on Netflix.