You Don't Have to Be a Money Heist Fan to Enjoy Prequel Series Berlin

Let's get this out of the way right off the bat: Besides the titular character and his penchant for pulling off elaborate heists, there's very little that connects Netflix's Berlin to parent series Money Heist.

While the prequel effectively expands the backstory of jewelry thief Berlin (Pedro Alonso) — who would go on to orchestrate the Royal Mint and Bank of Spain heists with his brother, the Professor (Álvaro Morte), and sacrifice himself to save the crew as they escaped — it functions as a standalone story that sees the character mastermind his own scheme: the epic robbery of $44 million worth of jewels from an auction house in Paris. With an entirely new team of amateur criminals working alongside him, Berlin sets out to execute his plan, but as the big day approaches, unforeseen obstacles and loose ends threaten their progress, leaving them vulnerable to arrest.

But the heist isn't the only thing on Berlin's mind. He's also a hopeless romantic, explaining via voiceover that "there are really only two things that can turn a bad day into a great one" — love and a massive payday. When Berlin spots Camille (Samantha Siqueiros), the wife of auction house director Polignac (Julien Paschal), on a camera his team planted in their apartment, he believes he's about to score on both fronts, but as he falls more in love with Camille, his attention drifts away from the job. The relationship quickly becomes a point of dispute among the crew, and as the conflict escalates, creators Álex Pina and Esther Martínez Lobato raise questions about whether this band of criminals really can have it all, or if the cost of their chosen career is too high.

Berlin's emphasis on love and lust — a fitting theme for a show set primarily in Paris — extends beyond Alonso's character, as Damián (Tristán Ulloa), Berlin's right-hand and the brains of the operation, waxes on about his marriage and the younger thieves defy Berlin's anti-fraternization policy. There's nothing particularly revolutionary about the way these storylines play out: The crew's debate over whether love is a "disease" or a "fairy tale" is hardly subtle, and the flirtation that develops between computer hacker Keila (Michelle Jenner) and jack-of-all-trades enforcer Bruce (Joel Sánchez) follows "nerdy woman/misunderstood bad boy" tropes to a T. And yet, the fact that they're given equal weight as the robbery reinforces the sense that the prequel series, with its sexual tension and romantic comedy banter, has a different goal in mind than Money Heist, which tended to prioritize the crime above all else.

That said, the romantic element doesn't always achieve the desired effect. Like the other crewmembers, viewers may find themselves frustrated with Berlin's inability to focus on the task at hand, and while his behavior toward Camille tracks with the swaggering, self-indulgent character introduced six years ago, his pursuit comes across as creepy, not charming. Keila and Bruce's initial interactions are similarly discomfiting. In their first one-on-one conversation, Bruce imagines what Keila would look like naked: "White cotton panties, a well-groomed, hairy p*ssy, and no polish." When Keila balks at his crudeness, Bruce rushes to defend himself, insisting, "A big bush looks great. I like big bush, too."

However, Berlin's crime drama plot and heart-pounding action sequences make it easy to overlook any interpersonal stumbles. As is required by Heist Show Law, disappearing the $44 million in jewels requires first completing a series of smaller jobs, all of which go haywire in one way or another. (A dog walker interrupts their installation of cameras in Polignac's apartment; a fight between Berlin and Damián in the vault nearly leads to their capture; and so on.) The second episode, "Anchor and Lobo," also includes a thrilling chase scene, in which picklock Roi (Julio Peña) and adrenaline junkie Cameron (Begoña Vargas) motorbike through the streets of Paris while evading a duo of ex-cons working security for a local priest, the mark in yet another of their mini-heists.

Despite the lighthearted tone that characterizes these scenes — the gang loves to throw around snarky comments, regardless of how dire the circumstances may be — Pina and Martínez Lobato successfully cultivate a sense of ever-present danger. The feeling that the crew is just one misstep away from their demise only intensifies as the season progresses; even after the heist, that sense of dread remains, as Berlin and his team face new challenges (and a police force that's hot on their heels) while attempting to flee Paris with their spoils.

With its creative, fast-paced heist storyline and impressive production value, Berlin more than carries on the legacy of Money Heist, but you don't have to be a fan of the ultra-successful Spanish drama to enjoy the prequel series. In fact, its explicit romanticism and comedic bent broadens its appeal to an even greater number of viewers, particularly those who were put off by the violence of the original series. As the rare show to feature both flowery monologues about love and high-speed chases, Berlin offers something for everyone, making it the perfect holiday binge-watch.

Berlin is now streaming on Netflix.

Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.