Berlin and the Jewels of Paris Review: Is This Money Heist Spin-Off Worth Watching?

Before Berlin and the Lady with an Ermine lands on Netflix on May 15, 2026, I figured it was time to revisit where it all started – Berlin and the Jewels of Paris. 

This Money Heist spin-off dropped on Netflix in December 2023, and honestly, I had more feelings about it than I expected. If you’re someone who binged Money Heist (La Casa de Papel) and immediately went looking for that next fix, you’ve probably already asked yourself the same question, I did: Is Berlin and the Jewels of Paris review-worthy or is it just riding on the coattails of a legendary show?

Let me put the numbers on the table first, because they’re genuinely staggering: 53 million+ views in its first few weeks, a spot in the Netflix Top 10 in 91 countries during its premiere week, and 7 consecutive weeks on the Non-English Global Top 10. The people clearly showed up. But did the show actually deliver? That’s a different conversation. 

Short answer – it’s complicated. Long answer? Keep reading.

Berlin Season 1 Story Overview 

Here’s what Berlin and the Jewels of Paris is about, in one line: Berlin assembles a handpicked crew in Paris to steal €44 million worth of royal jewels, all in a single night.

The show is a prequel to Money Heist, set years before Berlin ever stepped foot in the Royal Mint of Spain. We follow Andrés de Fonollosa (that’s Berlin’s real name, for those new to the franchise) during what creator Álex Pina calls his “golden age”, a time when he was robbing across Europe, wildly in love, and completely in his element.

The plan? Steal 63 royal jewels from 34 cities in one day. That premise alone sounds like a wild ride. Berlin pulls together a crew: the tech wizard Keila, the romantic strategist Damián (who basically serves as this season’s Professor-equivalent), the unstable but magnetic Cameron, the young charmer Roi, and the muscle with charisma Bruce.

The action unfolds largely in Paris, and the show was actually filmed on location in both Paris and Madrid, which does give it a real cinematic texture. Things get thorny when Berlin, true to his character, falls in love with someone he absolutely shouldn’t.

Berlin and The Jewels of Paris Review (My Experience Watching It)

Berlin and the Jewels of Paris is an entertaining, flawed, and often frustrating watch but Pedro Alonso saves it almost single-handedly.

And yes, I know what you’re thinking, if 53 million people watched it and it trended #1 globally in its debut week, how bad can it really be? Fair point. The numbers prove it had a massive pull, and I get it. But popularity and quality don’t always sleep in the same bed. If you’re someone who scrolls past the obvious picks, you’ll love our list of the best underrated Netflix series worth bingeing in 2026.

I’ll be straight with you. I went in with high hopes because Berlin was one of the most magnetic characters in all of Money Heist. That cold, philosophical, morally unhinged man felt like someone who deserved his own story. And in many ways, he does get one here. The problem is that the writers couldn’t quite decide what kind of show they were making.

Is it a slick heist thriller? A European romance drama? A dark comedy? Berlin and the Jewels of Paris tries to be all three simultaneously and occasionally trips over itself in the attempt. I’d be locked into a tense sequence and then suddenly find myself in the middle of a drawn-out love subplot that killed the momentum dead.

That said, I kept watching. All eight episodes. Because when the show is firing, it genuinely crackles with style and personality. The Paris setting is gorgeous. The heist concept is clever, even if the execution occasionally feels rushed. And Alonso, God…, Alonso is absolutely magnetic in every scene he’s in.

Acting & Direction

Pedro Alonso is this show. Without him, it doesn’t work.

He carries the weight of an entire franchise on his shoulders and doesn’t buckle once. His Berlin is still the same contradictory soul – philosophical, ruthless, hopelessly romantic but here we get to see him with more warmth and fewer walls. Tristán Ulloa as Damián is a wonderful foil; their dynamic is probably the best relationship on the show. Julio Peña as the young Roi brings an energy that keeps things light when the drama gets too heavy.

The direction is stylish and confident, Albert Pintó and the team clearly know how to frame a scene. There’s a visual flair throughout that reminds you this comes from the same creative universe as Money Heist, even if the budget feels somewhat smaller in scale. The use of Paris as a backdrop is genuinely one of the show’s strongest cards, it elevates even the weaker scenes.

Where the direction sometimes falters is in pacing. Certain episodes drag considerably in their middle sections, and the tonal shifts between heist-mode and romance-mode aren’t always seamlessly handled.

What I Liked

• Pedro Alonso’s performance
  Effortlessly charismatic, layered, and compelling in every single scene 
• The Paris setting
  Gorgeous cinematography that uses the city beautifully as a character in itself 
• The ensemble chemistry
  The crew dynamic has real warmth and banter; you genuinely enjoy spending time with these people 
• The heist concept
  Stealing 63 jewels from 34 cities in one night is the kind of audacious premise that makes you lean forward. If gritty, no-nonsense crime dramas are more your speed, our Kohrra Season 2 review is worth a read, a very different vibe but equally compelling. 
• The callback to Money Heist lore
  Fans will appreciate the continuity and the layered world-building that fills in Berlin’s backstory 
• The two female detectives
  Their unexpected team-up is a delightful easter egg for fans of the original series

What I Didn’t Like

• Too much romance, not enough heist
  The love subplots dominate in a way that genuinely slows the plot down; multiple critics and audiences agreed this was the show’s biggest weakness 
• Predictable writing
  The show leans heavily on coincidences and “good luck” moments to advance the plot, which undercuts the feeling of a genius heist 
• Flat supporting characters
  Outside of Damián and Roi, some crew members feel underdeveloped and interchangeable 
• Tonal inconsistency
  It can’t quite commit to being a thriller or a dark comedy, and the in-between space doesn’t always work 
• Doesn’t hit Money Heist heights
  If you’re expecting the tension, moral weight, and twisty brilliance of Money Heist (La Casa de Papel), you will be disappointed

JWS Rating: Berlin And The Jewels of Paris

7 / 10

Entertaining and stylish, but clearly a notch below its source material. Think of it as a breezy European holiday rather than a high-stakes operation.

Should You Watch It?

Yes, but with the right expectations.

If you loved Money Heist and want more time with Berlin as a character, this is absolutely worth your time. The numbers back up its appeal, 348 million hours watched in its first 91 days isn’t a fluke. It’s fun, it’s atmospheric, and Pedro Alonso never stops being watchable. Just don’t go in expecting Money Heist 2.0.

If you’ve never seen Money Heist, this is actually a surprisingly accessible entry point, you don’t need prior knowledge to enjoy it. Netflix has even re-packaged it as a standalone miniseries precisely so new viewers can jump straight in. And with Season 2, Berlin and the Lady with an Ermine, arriving on May 15, 2026, this is the perfect weekend to catch up on what you missed.

We’ve got a full breakdown in our Berlin Season 2: Netflix Release Date, Cast & Everything We Know.

Key Highlights 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is Berlin and the Jewels of Paris a direct sequel to Money Heist?
No, it’s a prequel. The show is set years before the events of Money Heist and follows Berlin’s earlier heist days in Paris.

2. Do I need to watch Money Heist before watching Berlin and the Jewels of Paris?
Not necessarily. The show works as a standalone story. 

3. How many episodes does Berlin and the Jewels of Paris have?
The season has 8 episodes, all available to stream on Netflix. 

4. Is Berlin and the Jewels of Paris worth watching before Season 2?
Yes. Berlin and the Lady with an Ermine (Season 2) releases on May 15, 2026, and while Netflix has positioned the two seasons as separate miniseries, watching Season 1 first gives you full context for the crew, the relationships, and Berlin’s character evolution. 

5. What is the IMDb rating for Berlin and the Jewels of Paris?
7.3

Conclusion

Watch Berlin and the Jewels of Paris this weekend, Season 2 drops on Netlix on May 15, 2026, and you’ll want to be caught up.

While you wait, check out all our coverage of latest Netflix originals to decide what’s next on your watchlist.

Is it Money Heist? No. 

Does it reach those same dizzying, edge-of-your-seat heights? Not quite. 

But is it an entertaining, stylish, and genuinely enjoyable watch with one of the most magnetic lead performances on Netflix? Absolutely yes. 

The fact that it pulled 53 million views and held the Non-English Global Top 10 for 7 straight weeks tells you the audience didn’t think it was throwaway content either.

Pedro Alonso makes Berlin feel real, romantic, reckless, morally grey, and utterly fascinating. The Paris backdrop is stunning. The crew has chemistry. And now, with Berlin and the Lady with an Ermine promising a darker, revenge-driven chapter set in Seville, this feels like the perfect moment to revisit where it all started.

Give it a shot. Just go in expecting a charming European heist drama, not a pulse-pounding thriller and you’ll have a great time.