Action and suspense is the name of the game for the hit Netflix show Money Heist, originally known as La casa de papel. For four seasons, fans have watched in amazement as the Professor, Tokyo, Rio, Denver, and the rest of the gang pulled off two incredible bank heists with minimal casualties. However, that's not to say that they haven't suffered great losses.
While Money Heist can be viewed as an audience cheering on bad guys, viewers never walk away with that feeling. Each fan can argue why one episode was better than another, and IMDb is a good way to measure these opinions, seeing which installments are considered the greatest.
Updated on November 5, 2021 by Kevin Pantoja: In December 2021, the final part of the final season of Money Heist is set to arrive on Netflix. That will make it so fans can finally finish their debate about which Money Heist season is best. Of course, as is usually the case, seeing a long-running series come to an end makes it the most ideal time to watch through the episodes again. Fans who don't have time to sit through every single installment of the show, can always just relive the highlights, as determined by users at IMDb.
"Aikido/Aikido" (Season 3, Episode 2) - 8.3
Many fans feel the show took a dip in quality after the first two seasons. Those episodes spanned one specific heist that was captivating from start to finish. That being said, season 3 of Money Heist started strong as the team came together to do one more robbery.
"Aikido," a rare episode titled the same in both English and Spanish, sees the characters prepare to rob the Bank of Spain. That title comes from where the Professor got the idea for the plan, using a martial arts concept. The story was still exciting at this point before this heist ended up being a disappointment compared to the one that came before.
"Efectuar Lo Acordado/Do As Planned" (Season 1, Episode 1) - 8.3
It's always important for a series to kick things off with a bang and Money Heist did just that. This episode sets everything in motion, making it incredibly crucial to the overall story. This is where audiences were first introduced to the Professor, Berlin, Tokyo, Rio, and the rest of the gang.
On top of that, the episode teases a bit of the heist to really pull viewers in before flashing back to the plan being laid out. That's a formula that the show would go on to replicate throughout most of its run, setting the stage for a riveting story.
"48 Metros Bajo El Suelo/48 Meters Underground" (Season 3, Episode 3) - 8.3
In this episode, Nairobi and Tokyo are in the Governor's office having a talk with his security detail flanking them. Of course, the ladies are aware of the danger, so Nairobi gets her gun ready under the table and Tokyo comes up with a plan.
What follows is one of the best standoff scenes in Money Heist. The plan is revealed on how they will break into the vault and the action scenes in this episode are top-notch, providing a taste of what's to come for the season. It's a high point of the second heist.
"Pequeñas Vacaciones/A Quick Vacation" (Season 3, Episode 7) - 8.3
Rio is finally released from prison and rejoins the team in this episode, which marks a huge moment for season 3. However, there is a catch as Rio is bugged and the cops are listening in on their conversation.
As always, the Professor was prepared for this. There is a flashback where he warns the team that this may happen and teaches them what to do. Out in the world, the Professor and Raquel are on the run from Angel and his team, and they have finally caught up to the two fugitives. It all comes together for something truly breathtaking and tense.
"Refrigerada Inestabilidad/Cool Instability" (Season 1, Episode 7) - 8.4
An underrated but memorable scene in season 1 comes in this episode as Nairobi sees Alison get bullied by her fellow classmates and hostages. She sends them off and has a heart-to-heart with the Ambassador's daughter that is centered around toughness, with both actors shining in their performances.
By this point, the initial heist was starting to wrap up so things were as intense as ever. Raquel is one of Money Heist's best law enforcement officers, and she makes major moves here, attempting to get Rio to surrender and revealing the truth about Berlin's terminal illness. To top it off, there was also a show-stopping face-off between Berlin, Denver, and others when the truth about Monica is revealed.
"El Día De La Marmota/Groundhog Day" (Season 1, Episode 5) - 8.4
There's no question that this is one of the show's most heart-stopping episodes. A car at a scrapyard is discovered to have the potential to ruin everything for the team, so the Professor has to head out and attempt to scrub it just as Raquel and the other police officers are arriving.
This is also an incredibly important episode for the future of the series as it marks the first official time that Denver and Monica become intimate. This relationship would change things going forward, as the bond prevents an escape and leads to Monica becoming a member of the team, using the moniker "Stockholm."
"Imprudencias Letales/Lethal Negligence" (Season 1, Episode 2) - 8.4
Again, it's crucial to begin a show with something exciting and it's even more important to keep that momentum going. Thankfully, part of why Money Heist succeeds is because it almost never takes its foot off the gas, with the show's second episode being one of the best.
After the initial shock of the heist beginning and the hostages being terrified, they make their first plans to escape here, led by Arturo. He brings Monica into his scheme and she gets caught with a cellphone, causing Berlin to want to execute her. Of course, Denver couldn't go through with it in the end.
"La Cabeza Del Plan/The Head Of The Plan" (Season 2, Episode 2) - 8.4
With the Professor off trying to find his way out of a sticky situation thanks to his feelings for Raquel, Berlin takes a sizable leadership role in the bank. But here comes Tokyo and her wild spirit and Berlin offers a double-cross that almost destroys the plan.
Feeling like his back is against the wall, Rio ultimately comes up with a plan to escape with the help of Monica and Arturo. The scene where Tokyo plays Russian Roulette with Berlin is one that will have the audience biting their nails in anticipation. It's as tense as it gets.
"Se Acabaron Las Máscaras/Masked No Longer" (Season 2, Episode 1) - 8.5
The Professor is playing a game that he should have avoided from the beginning. His connection to Raquel leads to him getting arrested and he falls off the grid for a while, which puts the rest of the team in danger. They're good at taking orders, and fending for themselves is not their strong suit.
Berlin takes command, but Tokyo is not one to listen, truly kicking off the rivalry between the two that drives a lot of season 2. This leads to her getting tied up and pushed outside to the police as a punishment for dividing the team, sending everything into disarray.
"El Que La Sigue La Consigue/Whoever Keeps Trying It, Gets It" (Season 1, Episode 9) - 8.7
Are the walls finally closing in on the Professor? By underestimating Angel, the Professor is in great danger of having the truth exposed. Things take a shocking turn when a drunk Angel gets involved in an accident and for the time being, the Professor's secret is safe, though Angel does leave key messages on her phone.
Feeling the heat, the Professor comes to the conclusion that he must kill Raquel's mother to save the job. That puts him in the heat of the action for the first true time and though he decides against it, he still ends up at the house where the heist was planned, along with the police.
"Cuestión De Eficacia/A Matter Of Efficiency" (Season 2, Episode 3) - 8.7
The Professor is perhaps Money Heist's smartest character, as he is famous for always having a plan to save himself and his team. His greatest moment is arguably in this episode when disguises himself as a clown and sends out an ad for other clowns to go to the hospital, allowing himself to get to Angel before anyone else. He seems to have everything set up perfectly.
However, he makes one small mistake and leaves a string of orange hair on his suit. That leads Raquel down a rabbit hole as she realizes who he truly is, changing the series forever. The jig is up and the relationship between her and Salva would never be the same again.
"¿Qué hemos hecho?/What Have We Done?" (Season 2, Episode 4) - 8.7
The fallout of the previous episode's revelation is thrilling. Raquel has the Professor right where she wants him, but then he drops a bomb on here that gets her head spinning. Is he telling her the truth or is this just another one of his mind games? Meanwhile, Moscow and Denver have a real heart-to-heart talk that ends with Denver revealing issues with his father.
Tokyo escapes police custody and finds her way back to the bank in exciting fashion. However, in doing so, Money Heist gives viewers their first real heartbreaking moment as a major character is mortally harmed.
"A Contrarreloj/Against The Clock" (Season 2, Episode 5) - 8.7
Moscow gets shot when he helps Tokyo make her way back into the bank. Bleeding out, the crew asks the police to send aid but they refuse to help. This causes a fight between Denver and Tokyo and the cracks began to show because the Professor is not there and Berlin is a questionable leader.
Meanwhile, the Professor manages to escape away from Raquel, and then she gets taken off the case because her colleagues believe she's part of the plan to rob the bank, setting the stage for a fantastic season finale.
"Bella Ciao/Bye Beautiful" (Season 2, Episode 6) - 9.4
Can they do it? Will they be able to escape with the money and everyone safe? Those are the answers that Money Heist fans finally got when season 2 officially wrapped up. With the police closing in, Berlin does something foolish.
The Professor is visibly hurt by his decision and viewers find out why later on. Raquel is arrested and does not give up the Professor's location until her child is threatened. Everyone escapes with a cut of the money and the show fast forwards to a year later, where the Professor and Raquel are reunited in another country, bringing the storyline to a conclusion that could've been a series finale.
"La Deriva/Astray" (Season 3, Episode 8) - 9.4
The Professor devised a maser plan that faked the cops out, but then his plan gets used against him. Alicia makes the Professor believe that Raquel was executed and the results are the first real act of violence that the team used across the three seasons.
Meanwhile, the police play a huge card against Nairobi by using her son, which results in a sniper taking a shot at her. The fan-favorite character was in serious peril, arguably making this the most shocking and heartbreaking moment of the series. The team was in ruins by the end of season 3 and fans had to wait until the next season to find out what happened next.