"We are the Resistance"
Creator : Alex Pina
Directed by :
Jesus Colmenar (14 episodes, 2017-2021)
Alex Rodrigo (10 episodes, 2017-2021)
Koldo Serra (7 episodes, 2019-2021)
Alejandro Bazzano (4 episodes, 2017)
Javier Quintas (3 episodes, 2017-2020)
Miguel Angel Vivas (2 episodes, 2017)
Albert Pinto (1 episode, 2021)
Imdb link -> https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6468322/
Spoilers ahead ..
Season 1
Have you ever thought that if you can go back in time, you might still make the same decisions?
A group of robbers lead by Professor (Alvaro Morte), try to carry out the most perfect robbery in Spanish history with no bloodshed and becoming a hero in the eyes of public strongly believing in 'We are the resistance', as they steal 2.4 billion euros from the Royal Mint of Spain. Easily one of the most fast paced 1st episode I have seen in any series till now, making me think what would they show if they end up executing the heist this early but ofcourse there's so much more that happens in next episodes. Professor assembles his team, letting them choose names of cities to be referred by, Tokyo (Ursula Corbero), Berlin (Pedro Alonso), Rio (Miguel Herran), Denver (Jaime Lorente), Helsinki (Darko Peric), Nairobi (Alba Flores), Moscow (Paco Tous) and Oslo (Roberto Garcia). No personal names allowed and no relationships allowed, which doesn't happen since Tokyo and Rio get involved. Moscow and Denver are father-dad duo, while Helsinki and Oslo, cousins from Serbia.
The writing and specially narration style is very engaging, we are just told that Professor intends to have a 5 month class of teaching the team, but instead of showing it in detail we are directly cut to the heist day. A clever idea because we are unaware what all plans were set, so many times I felt now this heist will go haywire before a flashback reveals how it was preplanned because Professor went into every detailing to the extent in what ways the police team will do the negotiation. Rachel Murillo (Itziar Ituno) handles the negotiation deal with Professor over phone, while she herself is going through a personal life turmoil with ex-husband who's a cop involved in domestic violence. Their conversation and then how Professor gets close to her in person with a different identity makes for an intriguing watch. So far hiding and playing cards well, wonder at what stage Rachel will identify him in 2nd season?
Nairobi's fun fast dialect with hint of crazyiness, Denver (his funny laugh)-Moscow's lovely father son relationship with a light background theme, Berlin despite been an asshole making you enjoy his act as he never lets the heist fail sticking the team around as captain and Tokyo, a complicated girl trying to find her feelings with Rio, all of these sub-plots working very well.There's also the hostages having their own plots going, with Monica Gaztambide (Esther Acebo) giving news of been pregnant to the father, also the boss, Arturo Roman (Enrique Arce) just before the heist begins. Fun to see how many times Arturo comes close to death but is alive still (Sadly, as his character only irritates throughout the series). There's the high profile teenager hostage, Alison Parker (Maria Pedraza) trying to find ways of running away but failing every time. And the use of Dali masks that are sort of symbol of resistance, was fun watching the scene where they surprise Rachel's team by changing the masks.
Love the scene where Professor disguises as beggar, or how he reacts while watching the proceedings happening inside the building with those small victory celebrations and then uncomfortable feeling he shows when Tokyo or Nairobi try to flirt with him. Basically there's been zero death as Professor wanted, but the heist hasn't completed and the last scene if really shows their whole plan then will be interesting to see if they did have a plan for that scenario as well. I highly doubt it though considering Professor always keeps the loose ends to a very minimum.
Special mention to the use of 'Bella Ciao' twice.. first when the team celebrates when they reach the level they intended with tunnel, a quite first to see them happy together ever since the heist began. And the other is ofcourse the perfect ending with Professor and Berlin singing in flashback while Professor sits anxiously in car waiting what Rachel finds out. Very addictive song that I enjoy listening daily ever since I heard it. Also, ''My Life is going on' the show's opening credits song is pretty catchy and suits the story.
All in all Season 1 is very entertaining, well acted by the entire cast, fast paced narration for almost every episode with some new things to learn about characters giving us a chance to feel for every one of them.
Season 2
What are we ? The fucking best..
As I thought the ending of last season was just an attempt to trick us with Rachel once again reaching a dead end. However Professor lands into trouble trying to erase the forensic proof Rachel's ex husband finds. This season is lot more dramatic, and thereby less on thrills though we still get them every now and then. What I missed most was Professor interacting with his team or Rachel from his hangar as he is mostly out in the field trying to fix the loose ends. Was a surprise to see him get caught as early as 5th episode but I liked what they did to his relationship with Rachel.
While Tokyo's hot temper and impatient attitude twice led the heist go into danger, which Professor knew would happen with that 'I will save you' flashback sequence. Berlin died with dignity, and it was a crazy emotional way to end him with Bella Ciao theme used again. He was still a hated character but did go in doing something useful and like I said previously, as captain he kept the plan working and was the only one other than Moscow and Helsinki who trusted Professor when he was out of contact for starting episodes. Personally, I always enjoyed watching him.
Love both scenes of Tokyo, where she is thrown away and then later makes re-entry through bike. Arturo continued his escape plans but what surprised me was Monica helping, I thought she would not bring loaded gun. But then she herself says, she keeps making wrong choices. Was fun though watching her suddenly pick gun and help the heist team in the end.
Rachel's sudden turn towards Professor at the end was questionable too, specially taking a year to decode the postcards to reach him out. And like a miracle Professor was there waiting, like his mind had worked this out too. I was dissappointed with what they did with Alison Parker character, I was expecting a big scene with her doing exactly what Nairobi had told, she does still help Intelligence team in reaching the right tunnel or Berlin may not have died. Totally loved how they developed Denver's relationship with Monica to extent she joins the team and leaves with them.
I didn't like the turn they gave to Denver-Moscow story but happy the way they again changed and gave it a right emotional conclusion. The finale episode makes up for all the missing action, every moment is full of thrills and you are unsure will Professor and his team succeed or not. Overall, its a good followup season, not the same level like last but still very enjoyable. Keen to see if they force a situation that requires new heist in next season or we will see the relationships post the heist, how they turn out, or maybe some hostage/Aruto/cop finds location and its a hide and run situation for Professor and rest.
Season 3
This isn't a robbery.. or a challenge to the system. This is war.. Act accordingly.
A new heist situation it is because a desperate Coronel Pierto (Juan Fernandez) finds out location of Rio after getting humiliated not catching or stopping the last heist Professor did. No surprises as Tokyo is again responsible for the mess, though indirectly this time with Rio not following the guidelines of Professor and using a satellite phone to contact Tokyo thereby giving up their hideout locations. If I remember right, Berlin is brother of Professor wasn't revealed directly in earlier seasons though their interactions always gave that feeling. Happy that they give Berlin who is ofcourse dead now, plenty of flashback sequences since the new heist was his plan that Professor didn't go with then. The vault entry sequence with parallel flashback commentary of Berlin on how they will pull it off was easily my favorite moment of this season.
The new characters however don't really work out, be it Palermo (Rodrigo De la Serna) who thankfully gets less time as captain with the eye injury right at start of heist, or the other guys like Bogota (Hovik Keuchkerian), Marsella (Luka Peros). For some reasons Rachel from beginning still gave me feels of if she is doing a big betrayal on Professor but the ending very much takes that option out. The flashbacks of the heist plan and the entry into the building are other high entertaining parts of season but after that things go bit haywire. Watching Arturo run into the building was un-necessary case for drama with Stockholm (Monica's new city name) again made to choose, thankfully she didn't fall for him for the timebeing atleast.
Rio-Tokyo breakup, Tokyo trying to come close to Denver or relationship of Denver-Stockholm getting a hit, somehow these plots I felt derailed the heist, specially trying to show the jealousy angle. Its different this time watching Professor with Rachel trying to negotiate with the new in charge of the case who is clearly bent on attacking the building and then the most disliked character of the show arrives, pregnant Alicia Sierra (Najwa Nimri) always with a face that says 'I will show you hell', as she takes advantage of emotions to hit Professor and his team hard.
If the last season ends on a happy note, this one is total opposite with the slow version of Bella Ciao, Professor making a wrong call unable to guess the bluff for a change and now he will have the people against him, losing the 'we are good guys, not bad' angle unless he has a new plan in his sleeves for 4th season. I truly would love to see Professor get back at the cops and Sierra, another season of him losing would not be so good to watch. Enjoyable season that is bit too much carried on shoulders of Professor and Berlin, few thrilling moments with an enjoyable but depressing finale.
Season 4
There's always happier days to remember. And the more fucked up things are, the happier those days seem to be.
Easily a season that's stretched un-necessary, very less action and some meaningless flashbacks. The only few enjoyable episodes were, one where Gandia (Jose Manuel Poga) launches attack and entire team has to come together to get him down which is funny because at one stage he was getting fired upon by two sides and yet he somehow doesn't get shot because ofcourse writers were keen to kill off Nairobi by him later. Nairobi's emotional scene while been carried out, I just felt angry even though since 1st season I knew one of Serbian cousins and Nairobi would die at some stage but by now Nairobi had become one of lovable characters, and even though Tokyo is fun to watch despite her uncountable mistakes that bring team in mess always, I would had preferred Tokyo to die instead. I will be missing the command and style she had over the people, the regular numbers she would write down on the glass door out of happiness or all the fun moments before the heist with Professor and Tokyo.
Liked how they show the good side of Palermo even though he is the reason why Nairobi dies, the farewell scene between him and Berlin, and then accepting to his mistakes while talking to Helsinki, I got a feeling he will play a big positive role in next season and very much like Berlin would make sure plan doesn't fail. Would had liked some flashback scenes of Bogoto and Marsielle in this season, rather than Berlin's wedding (unless Tatiana has a role to play too in next season). The finale unlike last 3 seasons here, was a total let-down, the plan Paris never felt exciting to me and I didn't understand why Rachel/Lisbon is taken to the heist place and not back to Professor, unless ofcourse Professor had planned Sierra catching him (you never know with Professor) so he didn't want Rachel to be there.
Its still a watchable season but they could had rushed up the Rachel part, let her escape by 5th episode and finish the heist by 8th episode, because this heist unlike the Royal Mint one has already been not that fun to watch so far. What was good to see is that Professor does get semi-win in this season over Sierra, minus losing Nairobi and getting caught at end. Have to see if Sierra takes Professor to cops or some of her own hidden place or there's a twist coming right at start of 1st episode.
I didn't like Berlins 'My Life is going on' version in last season but oddly Sierra's version of 'Bella Ciao' worked for me here and sounded quite good, also in sync with her bitchy character the way she sings slightly diminishing the victory moment of Professor and the team chants to succeed in the heist for 'Nairobi'.
Hoping the 5th and final season gets the show back on right track.
Season 5 (Volume1)
I believe you keep on living in the final thought you have the moment before you die.
A much better follow up after a disappointing Season4, and that too when Professor takes a backseat for major part of the season. Also, one of rare times when Tokyo doesn't do something stupid, which the writers may have done intentionally so the emotions pour in perfectly for that final episode. To be honest, I did feel bad about her death even if I had said I would had preferred her dead rather than Nairobi in last season.
I like how they mix the current heist with a flashback of Berlin and his son Rafael's (Patrick Criado) mini heist which is more of a fun training session. It actually keeps the mood balanced because the ongoing heist is clearly gone haywire and with the military involved now, its only going to get messier. That makes me wonder why would Professor go for such a plan or he felt there was no other option available.
The entire Alicia-Professor angle felt very weird, had they not showed her conflicted interest it would had been very hard to digest for me.
The buildup to Stockholm's bullets fired at Arturo was so worth it, I even could imagine loud whistles and claps in theatre over that scene, but alas the next episode has our dearest Stockholm full of guilt eager to get him back to life. She was easily the weakest link of the season. though strangely its a character I felt was growing and now its gone total opposite direction, a part of the reason has to do with how much hated the character of Arturo is, I mean when he suddenly brought football players like Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar for reference to his tactics, I felt like he just insulted them despite not being a football fan. So, it just felt odd to see her full of guilt just because he is the biological father. It would had worked better if they just kept the angle of regret regarding joining the gang or coming here while her son is somewhere else.
Even the whole angle of heist gang vs hostages where the latter taking hold of their arsenals with the military approaching anytime, was very well thought, only issue the leader shouldn't had been Arturo.
Manila (Belen Cuesta) is a good addition, liked her backstory too, bit mixed though about her feelings she admits to Denver or tries hard to make him realize he doesn't love Stockholm. Rafael was sort of okay, he gave me very misfit vibes and yet I feel he might be the biggest surprise Professor is holding up to unleash in finale.
Favourite moment has to be the small Nairobi-Tokyo conversation about life after death, and I like how Tokyo believes about it even if its kind of fantasy based.
Some fun scenes like Palermo eager to kill Arturo telling he has no conscience, or when he uses football anthem as a weird way of motivating everyone labelling them as losers. Palermo is a fun character (minus that stupid Gandia move he did), feel he has been under-utilized in this season.. love how he is eager to save Helsinki at any cost.
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Then loved how Professor fools Tamayo with Marsielle and the helicopter trick, or when Manila complains why she ended up part of this disastrous heist and not the previous one, and ofcourse Professor showing he can be a mid-wife too.
Like the use of songs 'Friday, i am in love with' and 'Will you live or fight?'
The flashback of Tokyo's past, and why she chose Tokyo as city is well done, and so are her final scenes with Denver, Rio and the end to Gandia.
Quite a enjoyable season, still no idea if there will be more casualties or Professor will save everyone. My personal hunch says only Professor will die now and probably at hands of Alicia.
Season 5 (Volume 2)
No matter how bad things get, even if they have us on our knees, even if it looks like there's no hope, like we are almost dead.. we keep on believing.. because we know we will always have the Professor.
The start of this final volume of Season5 is very engaging with lots of action happening in the opening episodes, its almost as good as the earlier seasons. Infact two of the scenarios are almost a replica, one where Professor hides into the sofa or the recycle bin later, and other having Palermo describe how the heist will take place with lots of enthusiasm very much how Berlin did in Season3.
They do try to clear up the Stockholm-Denver-Manila triangle mess, I would say it reached a point that it didn't really matter to me which way this went, good thing is they didn't waste too much time on it.
The pick of this season (or volume) has to be Alicia and Palermo. Firstly Alicia's tussle with Professor, followed by the hilarious lorry 'galloping, galloping' while the chase is on, and then the fun mimicking of Professor with Tamayo 'what are you wearing, Colonel' or the sarcastic 'I will run away with Professor'.. Eventually she does team-up with Professor and I like how that part progresses without giving the feel of a forced transformation.
Palermo as I suggested earlier is a character that keeps growing on, the scene where he joyously explains how the heist won't fail to Professor is my personal favourite and so is his reaction when the gold initially doesn't work as per the science. And his sarcasm when he doesn't want any debates with the gang telling they will anyways in the end point guns on each other so he has his gun out in advance.
Good to see they kept Tokyo part of this season with her voiceover. Her initial dialogue on gold and its consequences are so spot on along with lovely background track of 'Vanderlyle crybaby geeks'. Talking of songs, I also loved 'Ca Plane Pour Moi' edit done on Professor-Alicia who are trying to run away from Tamayo's place. Or Professor's fun dance on 'Get on up like a sex machine'. And special mention to the background themes, the Sagasta one (think it was used first time in Volume1) and other is when Professor's flashback as a kid is shown.
Sagasta (Jose Manuel Seda) angle is very well played out keeping you in suspense knowing most likely he will win this time, but its significance I felt is weakened by the ending. More on that later.
Very different Berlin we see in this volume, mainly because of the heartbreak he gets at hands of his own son, brilliantly acted by Pedro Alonso as always. Can't wait for his standalone series in a few years time.
Good to see one last 'Bella Ciao' celebration, though it was my least liked one. The twist of Tatiana-Rafael teaming up to steal gold from Professor is what I didn't see coming. To be honest, I like this twist as Rafael for some reasons never worked for me in a way to see him help Professor in the heist.
Love the Professor's flashback on how he witnessed his own father's death while attempting a robbery. And also how Rachel decodes it later telling what Professor has been trying to not see all the time.
Fav moment of this season was the conversation between Tokyo and Professor right at the end of penultimate episode where Tokyo shows how much she adores him and everyone has full faith knowing as long as Professor is around, there is hope.
I like how the finale begins and proceeds, Professor about to pull off one last masterplan.. now the end if I see from the point of view of 'We won't kill anyone' then it works, because this feels the only way everyone win which is what the line Professor repeats often is 'Either we both win, or we both lose'. But the only issue I had was, all those military people that died, their families and children, they accounted to nothing. You can argue thats because we didn't invest in those people in this series, but you can't deny they were wronged. So, its not fully convincing to me despite knowing all the reasons for why they went with this ending. I am actually happy on one side to see Professor and all gang survive but to be given free tickets, new identities, almost a hero treatment is a bit too much to my liking. The question though is, what other possible option was there if they were all to be alive, to be behind bars maybe with reduced sentence ?
Also, I haven't been able to understand why Rafael would suddenly agree for lesser share when he and his team could had gotten all of it. Was it because there would be too much bloodshed and he didn't believe in that, but then it appeared he didn't care until Alicia handed that Professor written note. What was in that note that made Rafael change his mind? Something about Berlin or family, or as some of theories I have read suggesting Professor told the gold is fake or Rafael was actually always part of plan waiting to get this note to confirm everything went as they wanted. Too many possibilities, you can go with anything you feel like as no clear answer is given to us!
Good news is or I should say half good news that we don't get to see a single scene of Arturo in this final volume, though he is sadly alive.
Is this a perfect final season ? No. But, haven't we seen how often most good series mess-up the final chapter, Money Heist certainly didn't disappoint me in that regards and its more of a show that thrives on thrills and entertainment which it had plenty here.
Overall, Money Heist starts with a bang, loses its touch in 2nd season at places but the finale makes up for it, a too dramatic 3rd season but another great finale and sadly a weak 4th season. Both volumes of final season brings the show back to where it should had been with some emotional farewells.
Many would have liked it end at 2nd season with the heist going right and all escaping minus deaths of Berlin and Oslo. But that is too fantasy kind for me, so I am quite happy they went ahead and showed how they have to survive and hide after the heist which they eventually fail at.
Its a show that isn't my personal favourite but it still holds a special place because I liked most of the characters even when they were making some silly choices, which was most of the time Tokyo. While Professor-Berlin were almost flawless and I hope Professor gets some cameos in the upcoming Berlin standalone series.
My Rating : 7.5/10
