How Netflix hit Money Heist raises the stakes with its second heist
Netflix sensation Money Heist recently returned with the second part of its Bank of Spain heist. The seasoned crew’s second job all began to save Rio (Miguel Herrán) from the authorities, pulling them away from their lives a few years after successfully stealing money from the Royal Mint of Spain.
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Between its wild plan and a new chapter in the lives of the great characters of the series, the second heist is even more thrilling than the first. Here's why.
This time it’s personal
Tamara Arranz Ramos/Netflix
Our thieves aren’t just in it for the money this time. After Rio is held in an undisclosed location following his arrest, the Professor (Álvaro Morte) decides to bring his brother’s plan into action to pressure the government to give him back. Intending to save a member of their family, and keeping themselves out of jail, they come out of hiding.
The lives that the members of the crew have made since they stole millions from the Mint is also something to consider. Denver (Jaime Lorente) is living in bliss with Monica (Esther Acebo), and her child, the Professor, and Raquel (Itziar Ituño) are enjoying their continued romance while Nairobi (Alba Flores) and Helsinki (Darko Perić) are living large. Whether they agree to this dangerous new plan because they love Rio or to make sure he doesn’t reveal any information to the authorities, they are all risking being caught after already getting away with all that money.
A movement supports the gang
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Dropping money from airships and revealing Rio’s unlawful imprisonment to the public was the first move the team made. The international coverage of the crew’s first job and its success resulted in a lot of fanfare. The public’s interest in a new heist and outrage at Rio’s treatment results in mass government protests demanding a public trial of Rio, which double as a way into the Bank of Spain for the Professor.
In addition to getting in, these moves, and their high profile status, give them something new to lose. If things go wrong, any violent actions they make have the potential to ruin their reputation and have the public turn on them, complicating the plan, and their futures.
Authorities are determined to do better
Netflix
The heist at the Royal Mint of Spain was a global event and incredibly public embarrassment for the Spanish government. They cannot, under any circumstances, accept another loss at the Bank of Spain. Without hesitation, the cops bend, or even break, rules to stop the Professor this time. Also, they have past actions to use to try to predict what they will do, so they aren’t going in blind. It makes them more informed and desperate opponents. A mix of returning officers, including Raquel’s old friend Angel (Fernando Soto), and some new faces will see if they are up for the task.
The Professor breaks a huge rule
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Tokyo (Úrsula Corberó) having a secret relationship with Rio and firing at the police to save him is what messed up the plan for the first heist, but this time it’s the Professor with the relationship. When Tokyo shows up at the Professor’s door to inform him of Rio’s arrest, she discovers he is living with their former adversary Raquel. She joins in on the new heist as Lisbon, a move that is positioned as a new asset with knowledge of police procedure, but, in reality, she’s the woman he loves. In breaking his own rules, the Professor sets the groundwork for some pretty huge complications that hurt his allies smelting gold in the bank.
Two new deliciously vile characters
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Money Heist complicates matters for everyone by adding horrible, chaotic characters on each side of the conflict at the Bank of Spain. With Berlin (Pedro Alonso) dead, the Professor brings in Palermo (Rodrigo de la Serna), the friend Berlin planned the Bank of Spain heist with, to lead the new heist. Joining the cops is Alicia Sierra (Najwa Nimri), who takes over for Raquel and handles the negotiations with the Professor. While they may be on opposing sides, they do have at least thing in common: they’re monsters.
Alicia tortures Rio for information and uses children as pawns to beat the crew, having no qualms about either. Palermo is sadistic, and as the plan goes more and more off the rails, he only gets more dangerous. Where the Professor built a family, Palermo tries to become a dictator. He uses personal relationships as cards to play, is quick to violence, and even more quickly to give up when things go his way. Imagine being childish during an elaborate heist?
What this pair brings to the table is chaos and characters on each team for viewers to dislike more than the rest, regardless of whose side you’re on.
Money Heist is on Netflix now.
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