Since Berlin (Pedro González Alonso) was hands-down the most captivating (and problematic) character in the Spanish heist drama, fans always wanted to get to know more of him, especially after he sacrificed himself in the season 1 finale for his team, largely due to his terminal illness, redeeming himself in the process.

Quickly rising the ranks as a fan-favorite, the writers kept Berlin’s spirit alive in the following seasons via flashbacks, noting that he always had a hand in the planning of the heists, even if he wasn’t around to see them through. And it became more and more clear that there was an unsatiable thirst from audiences to explore additional parts of the character’s origin story; thus, a prequel to Money Heist focusing solely on Berlin’s prior escapades only made sense. 

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As seen in the later season of Money Heist, or La Casa de Papel, Berlin garnered even more intrigue when his son, Rafael (Patrick Criado) joined the heist. The former Electronics Engineer from MIT is Berlin’s prodigal son, whose only request was not to end up a thief like his father, also drew attention after entering a relationship with his father’s wife, Tatiana. It’s a lot to unpack, clearly, but it’s also proof that there was nothing boring or mediocre about Berlin’s life in the slightest, at any point. 

So, again, it warrants a spinoff that digs even deeper into this complex, charismatic, and morally questionable character we’ve all come to love. 

When he joined the Professor’s group in the series, he was already one of the most seasoned robbers of the bunch, having a plethora of experience mapping out and executing heists of ranging scales.

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With Berlin: Money Heist, we’re not only going to get to see one of those previous heists in action, but we’re also going to get a sense of the man he was before attempting the biggest heist in history, which made him the beloved criminal we’ve come to know.  

Capitalizing on the love already established for the series—one of Netflix’s most popular shows of all time—the prequel finds Berlin, in all his glory as Andrés de Fonollosa, the mastermind behind a heist targeting the biggest auction house in Paris to steal €44 million.

The series trails the planning of a new heist as he recruits his crew: “Michelle Jenner (Isabel) plays Keila, an eminence in electronic engineering; Tristán Ulloa (Fariña) goes into the skin of Damián, a philanthropic professor and Berlin’s confidant; Begoña Vargas (Welcome to Eden) plays Cameron, a kamikaze who always lives on the edge; Julio Peña Fernández (Through My Window) brings to life Roi, Berlin’s faithful squire; and Joel Sánchez plays Bruce, the relentless man of action in the gang.”

While it’s mostly an all-new cast, we’ll see a few familiar faces with Alicia Sierra (Najwa Nimri) and Raquel Murillo (Itziar Ituno) appearing at some point, though it’s unclear what their connection is to the storyline. Is it possible that their paths have always crossed and Berlin was always on their radar way prior to the action at the Royal Mint?

We may not be getting the version of Berlin from the original series, but don’t fret, as the teaser trailer evidenced, he’s still as ruthless, dapper, and flirtatious as ever, meaning that they really did this character–and prequel—justice. The fact that it hails from the original showrunner, Alex Pina, is also a sign that it won’t let the fandom down.

“It’s a trip through the golden age of the character, when he robbed around Europe crazy in love,” Pina previously told TUDUM, adding, “That’s the most surprising, the comedy. You’re going to make people laugh a lot.”

Berlin in his prime, in love, and flexing his comedic bone? As the beloved criminal says in the trailer, “it’s all the things worth living for.”

The full synopsis for the series reads:

“There are only two things that are sure to turn a bad day into a great one: love, and a payday worth millions. They’re what keep Berlin going through his golden years, a time when he still has no inkling of his illness and hasn’t gotten trapped like a rat in the Spanish Mint. This is where he starts preparing one of his most extraordinary heists: making jewels worth 44 million disappear like some sort of magic trick. To do it, he’ll enlist the help of one of the three gangs he’s ever stolen with.” 

Watch the Berlin trailer below:

Berlin arrives a few days prior to New Year’s Eve on Dec. 29, 2023, which means you’ll have plenty of time to binge watch while counting down to 2024.

To prepare, you can stream Money Heist on Netflix and read our coverage here. 

Move over, spooky season—it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Hallmark.

The network is starting the Christmas season in October, unveiling its 40-movie holiday lineup on Tuesday, Sept. 19.

Fans will be thrilled to know that 31 of the movies will air on Hallmark Channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” schedule and nine will be available on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ “Miracles of Christmas.”

The beloved TV movie event that fans look forward to each year will kickoff on Oct. 20—yep, while most networks are still airing all of their Halloween content. 

The streaming service, Hallmark Movies Now, will also offer early access by a week to two upcoming premieres, along with other perks like two original films available only for streaming—An Ice Palace Romance and Rescuing Christmas—along with extended versions of two 2022 original fan-favorites, A Holiday Spectacular and Three Wise Men and a Baby.

There’s plenty of familiar faces returning to the network, including Tyler Hynes, Jonathan Bennett, Brennan Elliott, Dan Jeannotte and Bethany Joy Lenz, along with some new exciting faces making their debut like Virgin River’s Mark Ghanimé, Phylicia Rashad, and Bryan Greenberg. 

The full lineup is below, so mark your calendars and let the Christmas vibes:

The fall TV season is upon us, and with the ongoing strikes from the WGA and SAG-AFTRA putting many scripted shows on an indefinite hiatus, the schedule is leaning heavily on reality television and game shows. 

Now, if you’re a fan of competition shows, this is music to your ears as it means that there will be plenty for you to watch throughout the fall and winter months. 

We’re breaking down our favorite new and returning programs that have made it onto your 2023 fall TV lineup! 

2023 Fall TV Schedule—Here are the 17 Shows That Need to Be on Your Radar

The Masked Singer – Sept. 10 on FOX

Season 10 of the reality singing competition already kicked off, unleashing its biggest name to date—spoiler alert—with Anonymouse unmasked as vocal powerhouse Demi Lovato. And there’s plenty more where that came from for the rest of the season, which includes the return of celeb panelists Ken Jeong, Nicole Scherzinger, Robin Thicke, and Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg along with host Nick Cannon.

Name That Tune – Sept. 19 on FOX

The iconic music guessing game is back in full swing as it resumes season 3. Contestants must compete to correctly identify the songs that are being played by the orchestra or band, sometimes with only a few notes to work with. 

Kitchen Nightmares – Sept. 28 on FOX

Gordon Ramsey is back in the 8th season of the series, as he steps foot into restaurants and locales in desperate need of some saving. Throughout the 10 episodes, he will renovate 10 restaurants throughout the New York and New Jersey area.

The Voice – Sept. 28 on NBC

The popular singing competition enters season 24 with a new, yet familiar face, as country icon Reba McEntire replaces Blake Shelton alongside coaches John Legend, Gwen Stefani and Niall Horan, in their 8th, 7th, and 2nd season, respectively. Carson Daly also returns as host. 

Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test – Sept. 28 on FOX

Season 2 is putting a new crop of celebrities to the test that’s unlike any other. It’s survival of the fittest as they attempt training exercises led by an elite team of ex-Special Forces operatives who are showing no mercy in the mountains of New Zealand. Celebrities taking on the task this year includeDez Bryant, Tyler Cameron, Savannah Chrisley, Blac Chyna, Brian Austin Green, Robert Horry, Erin Jackson, Bode Miller, Jack Osbourne, Tara Reid, Kelly Rizzo,Tom Sandoval, JoJo Siwa and Nick Viall.

Dancing with the Stars – Sept. 26 on ABC

Your favorite ballroom dancing competition is back with a handful of new celebrity contestants ready to hit the dance floor and show off their moves in hopes of winning the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. You can see the full list of contestants for season 32 here. 

Celebrity Jeopardy –  Sept. 27 on ABC

As Mayim Bialik takes a step back in solidarity with the union strikes, Ken Jennings taps in to host this season of the game show featuring celebrities putting their knowledge to the test. 

CELEBRITY JEOPARDY! – Key Art. (ABC)

Survivor – Sept. 27 on CBS

Entering its 45th season, veteran host Jeff Probst brings 18 castaways to Fiji, as the new season introduces risky elements to the competition for those who will battle it out for $1 million and the title of Sole Survivor.

 Celebrity Wheel of Fortune – Sept. 27 on ABC

Pat Sajak (in his final season) and Vanna White will host the starry primetime offshot of American’s beloved game show, which will include appearances from All That’s Kel Mitchell, NCIS Hawai’i’s Noah Mills, Ghosts Danielle Pinnock, Gabriel “Flurry” Iglesias, Wednesday’s Luis Guzman and ’80s pop star Debbie Gibson, amongst many more, for its 4th season.

CELEBRITY WHEEL OF FORTUNE – “London Hughes, Fortune Feimster and Bobby Berk” – Hosted by pop-culture legends Pat Sajak and Vanna White, “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” takes a star-studded spin on America’s Game® by welcoming celebrities to spin the world’s most famous Wheel and solve puzzles for a chance to win more than $1 million. All the money won by the celebrity contestants will go to a charity of their choice, SUNDAY, DEC. 11 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EST), on ABC. (ABC/Christopher Willard)
BOBBY BERK, FORTUNE FEIMSTER, VANNA WHITE, PAT SAJAK, LONDON HUGHES

The Amazing Race – Sept 27. on CBS

Phil Keoghan hosts a supersized 35th season of the long-running reality-adventure series that finds 13 teams trekking the globe in hopes of landing the major $1 million prize, with the journey kicking off at the Hollywood sign and spanning  a total of 23,800 miles, including the country of Slovenia for the first time. As usual, the teams that fall the furthest behind will get eliminated, while the group that makes it to their destination first will take the W. 

$100,000 Pyramid – Sept. 27 on ABC

Michael Strahan jumps in as host for the 7th season of the word-association game show that finds a contestant pairing with a celebrity partner to solve the phrase before time runs out. 

THE $100,000 PYRAMID – Key Art. (ABC)

Bachelor in Paradise – Sept. 28 on ABC

Favorites—and least favorites—from the Bachelor franchise get together in paradise for another shot at love in the 9th season. Jesse Palmer hosts as Wells Adams returns to the bar. Brayden Bowers, Brooklyn Willie, Jess Girod and Kylee Russell, Blake Moynes, Rachel Recchia, and more will hit the beach. 

House of Villains – Oct. 12 on E!

The tagline iconicly states: “What if you put 10 of reality television’s most iconic and infamous supervillains together under one roof?” The series, hosted by Joel McHale, aims to do just that as it brings together 10 contestants considered villains like Jax Taylor, Omarosa, and Tiffany Pollard into direct competition for a cash prize and the title of America’s Ultimate Supervillain. 

FBoy Island – Oct. 16 on The CW

After Max canceled the season after just 2 seasons, it’s getting a new life on The CW. It’s described as an “innovative and modern twist on the reality dating genre,” and finds three women in paradise joined by 26 men, with half who consider themselves “nice guys” looking for love and half as “Fboys” who just want some money. Can the romantic leads figure out whose who? The series is hosted by Nikki Glaser. 

Weakest Link – Nov. 16 on NBC

You are the weakest link… goodbye. In its 12th season total, and third on NBC, the series hosted by Glee’s Jane Lynch finds 8 contestants who are strangers working together to bank the most amount of money in each round. They take turns answering general knowledge questions to build chains of correct answers, with incorrect ones breaking the chain and costing them. At the end, they vote to eliminate the contestant they deem is “the weakest” link.