Netflix has unleashed Berlin to the world, the new TV show which is a prequel to the fantastic Money Heist.
As fans of the show will know, Berlin is not named after the city but the codename for one of the key characters in Money Heist - one of the biggest shows ever to stream on Netflix.
He’s played by Pedro Alonso. And while we won't go into spoiler territory here, his character casts a shadow over all five seasons of the original show.
Berlin sees Alonso return to the heat of the action, as one of the active participants in a new, massive heist.
It’s set in Paris, and the crew plan to steal 44 million Euro in a single afternoon. This sees the team digging through the catacombs under Paris to, with any luck, steal from the Chez Vienot auction house in Paris.
Even though Alonso is the better part of a decade older than when he first starred in Money Heist, initially broadcast in 2015, Berlin is set significantly before Money Heist. But, hey, he still looks great.
Also, there are some stars of the original Money Heist that have returned for the caper, including: Itziar Ituño as Raquel Murillo and Najwa Nimri as Alicia Sierra.
While reviews of the show are scarce right now, it's got a 78% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The reviews that are out aren't the best, with Colider saying "Netflix's 'Money Heist' Prequel Series Only Steals Your Time."
The Washington Post notes: "‘Money Heist’ was a thriller. ‘Money Heist: Berlin’ is the opposite."
The Daily Beast reckons that more heists are needed in the show, while Time Now gives it three stars and calls it "breezy".
Money Heist ended after its fifth season. And we knew that would be the case when the fifth was commissioned.
“We’ve spent almost a year thinking about how to break up the band. How to put the Professor on the ropes… The war reaches its most extreme and savage levels, but it is also the most epic and exciting season,” Pina said at the time, as reported by Deadline.
Show creator Alex Pina was also working on a series set in an underground bunker, according to a Hollywood Reporter article published in early 2022. But we’ve heard little of that since.
Berlin: Season One features eight episodes and is streaming now.