Money Heist, also known as La Casa de Papel, is Netflix’s Spanish TV series known for its suspense-loaded, thriller plot through its first two seasons, as well as additional themes of regime resistance in the last three seasons. Money Heist Season 1 came out in 2017 and it quickly became a household name — also thanks to one of the featured songs in the series, titled “Bella Ciao,” which went viral and became a major part of pop culture during the last decade.
One of the major characters in Money Heist (2017 – 2021), whose alias was Berlin (Pedro Alonso), and whose character name was Andrés de Fonollosa, died very early in the show. However, he remained a part of the show until the very end through flashbacks. Berlin, a Netflix original that was released on December 29, 2023, follows the life of this very character. If you haven’t watched Berlin yet, here’s everything you need to know about how it connects with the Money Heist universe.
Berlin Is a Prequel Spinoff to Money Heist
Berlin’s character was a fan-favorite in Money Heist but one that left the show’s real-time timeline at the end of Season 1. He played the Professor’s second-in-command and had a terminal illness — one that made his morally ambiguous character even more questionable. However, he went on to give his life up for his crew and that helped him win some sympathy from the audience.
While his character was killed off at the end of season 1, Alonso’s Berlin continued to be a part of the show through flashbacks as he played the lead’s (The Professor’s) brother and was a part of most of his planned executions leading up to the heist. In fact, he appeared in every single episode leading up to the end of Money Heist Season 5 as part of the show’s flashback-oriented storytelling. These flashbacks not only offered a deeper understanding of Berlin’s motives and character but also revealed the complexities beneath his apparent disregard for his surroundings and other humans. Since his character carried an intrigue that left people wanting for more, Netflix greenlit Berlin, which serves as a prequel to Money Heist.
The Prequel Follows the Life of Berlin (Andrés de Fonollosa) in His Prime
Berlin, on the other hand, follows his life long before this terminal illness. He was a thief back then as well and his actions were just as much morally questionable if not more. Berlin Season 1 details a story of an auction-house heist in Paris that he sets in motion with another crew of six members (new faces).
While there aren’t many things that directly link the two shows, one of the things that Berlin says during the briefing of this auction-house heist gets the attention of Money Heist fans instantly. He vividly mentions that one of his friends is working on a heist, a project that has consumed half of his lifetime — indirectly referring to Álvaro Morte’s The Professor (Sergio Marquina).
Alicia Sierra and Raquel Murillo Join Europol as Deputy Inspectors From Spain
While Berlin and his crew are busy executing the heist and dealing with the aftermaths of some of the mess-ups that happen along the way, the investigation is led by Inspector Marie Lavelle (Rachel Lascar) in France. After a clue leads to Spanish robbers, Lavelle contacts Europol Spain, prompting Alicia Sierra (Najwa Nimri) to join the case. Raquel Murillo (Itziar Ituño), another Deputy Inspector of the Criminal Investigations Unit in Spain, is also called in to assist. The two do not fully align with Lavelle’s methods but their expertise is acknowledged as crucial to the investigation.
For those confused — these two deputy inspectors reprise their exact Money Heist roles. Although the two police officers have limited screen time and are not central to the plot in Berlin, their roles are noteworthy and could pave the way for better and more intricate plotlines moving forward, if Berlin is greenlit for Season 2. We know for a fact that both these characters are crucial in Money Heist. Raquel Murillo eventually abandons her law enforcement duties to join the resistance movement led by Sergio Marquina, also known as The Professor. Alicia Sierra, while has a more intense role in Money Heist and even captures Sergio, also eventually grows soft due to her pregnancy. Berlin has yet not been greenlit for a Season 2 on Netflix.
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