Following the success of the spin-off series in the “Money Heist” universe, Netflix brings Berlin back with a new installment titled “Berlin and the Ermine.”
Berlin and the Ermine consists of 8 episodes, starring Pedro Alonso, and continues to explore the image of the flamboyant, eccentric, yet dangerous master thief who captivated audiences in Money Heist.
This time, Berlin and his team travel to Seville to carry out a heist involving Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting, “Lady with an Ermine.” But behind this seemingly simple plan lies a personal revenge plot, where pride, love, and betrayal intertwine constantly. What sets the series apart is that it doesn’t just tell a heist, but attempts to transform everything into a crime opera, true to Berlin’s unique style.
Not only a lover of beauty and romance, Berlin was also a genius thief with artistic flair.
An Emotional Heist
Opening the series, Berlin and Damián (Tristán Ulloa) arrive in San Sebastián with the intention of finding a heist worthy of their time after years of lying low. At a secret art auction, Berlin meets Genoveva (Marta Nieto), a noblewoman whose husband is Duke Álvaro de Málaga (José Luis García-Pérez), who owns a network of illegal antiquities dealers spanning across Europe. It is here that Berlin becomes entangled in the story of the painting “Woman and Ermine,” an extremely valuable reproduction that is being kept in secret.
Initially, Berlin is hired to steal the painting to add to the Duke’s art collection. However, everything changed when he discovered that the Duke didn’t see him as a criminal genius at all, but merely as a tool for his dirty work. Worse, Berlin realized that the entire treasure trove of art the Duke boasted about was actually just a glamorous facade concealing a huge stash of cash used for international corruption and smuggling.
From here, Berlin reunites his old team, including Damián, Keila (Michelle Jenner), Roi (Julio Peña), Cameron (Begoña Vargas), and Bruce (Joel Sánchez), to build a new heist. But instead of simply breaking into the vault, Berlin wants to turn it into a perfect show. He plans to manipulate the nobility and exploit the Duke’s arrogance to lure him into a trap.
The middle episodes focus on the group’s approach to the Málaga mansion, studying the security system and finding their way to the vault beneath the chapel. Alongside this are a series of internal problems. Candela (Inma Cuesta), the newest member of the team, constantly acts impulsively, repeatedly jeopardizing the plan. Roi and Cameron are mired in a toxic relationship, torn between love and suspicion.
One of the most memorable scenes is when Berlin pretends to cooperate with the Duke to continue his pursuit of the treasure, while secretly manipulating his entire money transport system behind his back. Towards the end, the heist shifts from a materialistic objective to a battle of egos between two men obsessed with power and fame.
In the final two episodes, the plan enters its most chaotic phase when Damián witnesses the Duke’s vault firsthand, protected by a layer of defense that can incinerate anyone who enters except him. Meanwhile, Cameron, on a yacht searching for evidence of the Duke’s diamond smuggling, finds himself in a life-or-death situation.
Despite the successful heist, the price the group pays is significant. Roi and Bruce suffer severe burns, Cameron can never be reunited with the group, trust between members is damaged, and Berlin continues to fall into a familiar cycle of winning the heist but failing to control his own emotions.
Colorful Characters
In “Berlin and the Ermine,” Berlin remains the absolute center of the series. He wasn’t simply a thief who loved money, but an addict of the thrill of victory who wanted every robbery to be a spectacle. Berlin acted more for his ego than for material gain. That’s why he went berserk when the Duke hired him to steal a painting.
Meanwhile, Damián continues to play the role of the group’s rational brain. He understands Berlin better than anyone, but also sees the dangers of his impulsive nature. Damián repeatedly opposes the plan to rob the vault, because he understands that Berlin is letting emotions override reason. However, the second half of the film makes this character increasingly frustrating, as Damián gradually becomes empathetic to Berlin and his initial purpose is eroded.
Candela is the most interesting new element this season. She is both seductive, fiery, and unpredictable. Candela is not the type of female lead who simply stands by Berlin’s side. She has a strong survival instinct and always acts on emotion. This is what captivated Berlin from the first time, even leading him to propose to her despite the danger at the end of episode 7.
Meanwhile, Roi and Cameron represent the most emotionally wounded part of the film. They are constantly caught between love, selfishness, and a feeling of not belonging to each other. Keila remains the most practical of the group, maintaining her intelligence and composure in dangerous situations, while Bruce is unfortunately relegated to a rather bland character.
Although Bruce was expected to add a touch of “madness” to the cast, the film barely gives him enough screen time. His character mainly appears to talk a lot, create a commotion, and then disappears from the crucial plot points. In a series already overflowing with romantic storylines, Bruce inadvertently becomes a superfluous link.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The best aspect of “Berlin and the Ermine” lies in the very distinctive atmosphere of the franchise. The film has a fast pace, is elegant, features many beautiful shots of Seville, and consistently maintains a sense of aristocratic adventure that is very different from typical heist series.
The infiltrations into high society, Berlin’s psychological manipulation of his rivals, and the subtle plot twists are all compelling enough to keep viewers glued to the screen. The music, cinematography, and dialogue create a feeling that is both romantic and dangerous. The series maintains its explosive, fast-paced spirit, especially in the daring heist scenes in the final episode.
Pedro Alonso’s performance remains a major highlight. The actor retains Berlin’s unique charm—his elegance, madness, romanticism, and unpredictability. His mere appearance on screen almost instantly draws the entire energy of the film towards himself.
The biggest weakness lies in devoting too much screen time to the romantic entanglements between the characters. The relationship between Bruce and Keila, the romance between Berlin and Candela, and the internal conflicts appear so frequently that they dilute the “heist” element. Many viewers also felt that the series lacked sufficiently clever intellectual battles and the tension of Money Heist.
Berlin is a character who is easily drawn into love, and this season continues to repeat that pattern. This sometimes causes the character to lose the necessary cold-bloodedness of a criminal genius. Meanwhile, the plan to rob the vault, which should have been the central focus, wasn’t explored in enough depth tactically.
If the series had focused more on the planning process, the layers of deception, and the clever twists, it could have been much more engaging.
Final Thoughts
Immediately after its release, “Berlin and the Ermine” quickly attracted a large viewership thanks to the appeal of the Money Heist universe and the character Berlin. However, audience reaction was quite divided: many appreciated the flashy entertainment style of the series, while others felt the new installment lacked tactical depth and was too focused on romantic drama.
Undeniably, this is unlikely to be a perfect heist series. It’s sometimes drawn-out, overly sentimental, and lacks truly outstanding intellectual battles. But if you’re willing to step into the world of Berlin, where crime is always intertwined with art, love, and recklessness, you’ll still find an adventure captivating enough to watch all eight episodes in one go.
