Netflix’s 5-Part Crime Thriller Series Is One Of Its Best

by

Netflix boasts a huge collection of popular crime thrillers, and one show, even after nearly ten years, remains a standout. With everything from captivating real-crime documentaries to intense psychological dramas like You, Netflix offers a wide variety of options for fans of the genre.

The recent success of the 2026 crime thriller That Night shows that non-English language thrillers can be just as popular and well-received as English-language ones. However, this isn’t a new trend. Nearly ten years ago, the popular Netflix series Money Heist, which ran for five seasons, already demonstrated that audiences will happily watch thrilling shows regardless of the language they’re in.

Money Heist Is One of Netflix’s Best Thrillers Ever

Originally intended as a single season, Money Heist, a Spanish crime thriller that ran for five seasons starting in 2017, centered around two elaborate heists masterminded by the Professor (played by Álvaro Morte). The show unfolded mostly in real time, but kept viewers guessing with a complex narrative that jumped between timelines, used flashbacks, and shifted perspectives.

The Professor masterminded the heists targeting Spain’s Royal Mint and national bank, but it was Tokyo, the narrator played by Ursula Corbero, who initially shared the story with viewers. This kept the larger plan hidden, allowing the thrilling series to consistently surprise audiences with unexpected twists and turns.

I first discovered Money Heist when it was a Spanish show that originally aired on Antena 3 in 2017. It was meant to be just one season, a complete story! But it got so much praise that Netflix picked it up, and I was thrilled! They took the first season – which had 15 episodes – and cleverly split it into 22 shorter ones. And then, even better, they ordered a whole second season, which meant more of the story I was quickly falling in love with!

Money Heist Started One of Netflix’s Most Lucrative Trends

Money Heist became Netflix’s most popular show originally made outside of English-speaking countries and won an International Emmy Award for Best Drama in 2018. This success showed Netflix was willing to heavily promote shows in languages other than English, paving the way for global hits like Squid Game, The Asset, and Lupin.

With the huge success of shows like Money Heist around the globe, it became obvious that this was just the beginning of a bigger trend. Without Money Heist paving the way, popular series like Netflix’s South Korean zombie drama All of Us Are Dead and the recent spy thriller Unfamiliar might never have been made, solidifying Money Heist‘s place as one of Netflix’s most impactful and culturally significant shows.

Read More

2026-03-28 16:08