The Crime Thriller Netflix Series Stephen King Calls A Firecracker
Stephen King, the legendary American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels, doesn’t shy away from sharing some of his favorite book, movie, or television series titles with the fandom. In an X post (former Twitter), King called Netflix-hit Money Heist a firecracker, thus recommending the series to heist fans.
In fact, Stephen King is an enthusiastic fan of the Spanish crime series Money Heist, and the reasons behind that are actually quite obvious—the show is great. Titled La Casa de Papel in Spanish (meaning “The House of Paper), the show first premiered on Spain’s Antena 3 network in May 2017.
The narrative is enriched with intricacies, complex character dynamics, personal stories, and the moral dilemmas faced by both the robber and the authorities trying to capture them.
But it didn’t reach international recognition until its acquisition by Netflix—with a bit of marketing magic, Money Heist exploded into a universally acclaimed series and record-breaking cultural phenomenon that captivated hundreds of millions of viewers.
The narrative of the Money Heist is simple; the story follows a group of robbers—all of which use codenames based on cities to provide a form of plausible deniability—as they carry out a meticulously planned heist of the Royal Mint of Spain.
While in the Mint, the robbers, led by a mastermind known as The Professor, aim to print billions of euros (official EU currency) while keeping the police and authorities at bay—The Professor’s meticulous planning would even give Batman a run for his money as the world’s ultimate prepper.
What’s even more interesting is the fact that the robbers manage to make themselves into national heroes and turn the public perception of police and authorities into a villainous one through careful manipulation by the Professor—who guides the teams outside the Mint.
Thanks to great writing, suspenseful storytelling, and well-developed characters, Money Heist became a global sensation, and references to the series appeared in music, fashion, and various forms of media.
By the end of Money Heist Season 2, the robbers are perceived as national heroes by the people (at least by the majority of the population), and they manage to escape the Mint and go their separate ways.
In Money Heist Season Three, however, we see individual robbers leading different lives in hiding. The authorities manage to track one of them, after which we get to see just how world governments and authorities treat high-profile criminals after they’re captured—black sites, torture, indoctrination, etc. As part of his plan to rescue the captured team member, the Professor assembles his team once again. This time, the team plans to hit the Bank of Spain and steal the country’s gold reserves.
It’s a brilliant plan, and just like before, the narrative is enriched with intricacies, complex character dynamics, personal stories, and the moral dilemmas faced by both the robber and the authorities trying to capture them. We won’t dive into what happens further, but if we had to make a list of Top 10 Heist Films and Series, Money Heist would definitely find its place on such a list, and for a plethora of different reasons.
Just like V for Vendetta, Money Heist also explored themes of resistance, social justice, and rebellion, which resonated with the viewers, especially those coming from regions facing political and social unrest.
Beyond becoming a critically acclaimed series, Money Heist has a massive influence on pop culture. Thanks to great writing, suspenseful storytelling, and well-developed characters, Money Heist became a global sensation, and references to the series appeared in music, fashion, and various forms of media.
Celebrities and influencers rushed to emulate the show’s style, donning themselves in the show’s iconic red jumpsuits and Salvador Dali masks worn by the robbers—just like Guy Fawkes masks, Dali masks have become a symbol of rebellion.
Just like V for Vendetta, Money Heist also explored themes of resistance, social justice, and rebellion, which resonated with the viewers, especially those coming from regions facing political and social unrest. So, the business-savvy opportunists saw the show as a great way to make money off Dali masks and red jumpsuits, whose sales skyrocketed since the show streamed on Netflix.
Overall, Money Heist is a fantastic piece of television entertainment and a welcome change from the stereotypical anti-heroes vs. righteous villains narrative—we really needed a rest from Russian- and Arabic-inspired villains.
The series had a significant cultural impact, and it’s now recognized as one of the most notable Spanish-language series to have achieved worldwide recognition. Those interested in watching this masterpiece can stream the series on Netflix.
