SREE NITHISH .

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S20190010166
 MONEY HEIST

I chose to write on this topic as this series called Money Heist has been one of the most
trending shows all over the world and has been creating headlines ever since the release of its
fourth season on April 4, 2020. And, this series could set a perfect example demonstrating a
snowball effect.

The basic storyline of the first part is that, a mastermind who goes by the name “The
Professor”, who can hit the nail on the head has a perfectly organized plan to pull off the
greatest recorded heist in the history, to print and escape with almost 2 billion Euros in the
Royal Mint of Spain. To successfully carry out his plan and to cut the mustard the Professor
recruits and trains eight people with certain abilities who are being already looked out for their
previous crimes leaving no stones unturned by the Interpol . This group of eight also hold
hostages at the Royal Mint of Spain to help in their negotiations with the Spain authorities who
strategize to come up with a way to arrest the Professor. As more time passes by, the thieves
prepare for an ultimate showdown with the police.

A major part of the appeal lies in treating the heist group not as mere thieves but as rebels
taking on the State. They are the men and women abandoned by the government and its
politicians picking pockets of the common man to fill their own. The backstories of the
characters reveal their reasons for throwing caution to the wind. The idea is that they are not
robbing the public but the government by printing money and distributing it among
themselves, trying to give the government the taste of their own medicine . Though, the
impact of inflation on the economy is not considered or shown.

During the heist, they are dressed in red jumpsuit and Dali masks representing the marginalised
underclass. With every passing episode, as the authorities enforce a stronger measure to
capture them, their revolutionary elements become stronger and clearer. They also sing “Bella
Ciao”, an Italian folk song which has turned into a global anthem of freedom and anti-fascist
resistance. Hence, instead of criticizing them, we end up in cheering up for them.

People familiar with these heist dramas know that the sensation lies in tackling the bolt from
the blue of the heist plan and hadling well a perfect storm. But in this storyline, they are either
a red herring or a twist that the Professor has already somehow foreseen in his complicated
plan. It also adds up to the suspense by including a cliff hanger at the end of almost every
episode. This group seems straight of out of a comic book, where the members have
extraordinary skills and personalities, making up an explosive combination. There is plenty of
interpersonal drama that go around too.

The bickering between the thieves, hostages, the cops and with more clouds on the horizon,
does get tiresome and with their heroic acts and self sacrifices, Money Heist slips in and out of
a fairytale. We might think that it has overstayed its reception, but most of the people are
already discussing the possible theories for what the Professor and his gang might have in store
for the upcoming season 5. But, after all it’s a cutting-edge escapist fantasy especially during
these quarantine times.
 LIST OF  PHRASAL VERBS USED IN THE ABOVE ESSAY

1. Goes by - to use a particular name for yourself that is not your real name 

2. Pull off - to succeed at what you are trying to do 
3. Carry out -  to do a particular piece of work
4. Looked out - be especially vigilant for 
5. Come up with - to think of something such as an idea or a plan
6. Passes by - to happen without being noticed or acted upon by
7. End up – to reach or come to a place, condition, or situation that was not planned or
expected
8. Cheer up - to become happier
9. Add up - increase in amount, number, or degree
10. Make up - complete an amount or group
11. Go around – move or spread from person to person
12. Slip in and out - to include (slip out – exclude) especially without warning or in a way
that is not obvious

LIST OF  IDIOMS USED IN THE ABOVE ESSAY

1. snowball effect – Events have momentum and build upon each other
2. hit the nail on the head – get something exactly right+
3. to cut the mustard – comeup to expectations, reach the expected standard, to do a
good job
4. leaving no stones unturned – look everywhere
5. throwing caution to the wind – take a risk
6. giving the taste of their own medicine – treat the way you have been treating others
7. bolt from the blue – something that happens without warning
8. a perfect storm – the worst possible situation
9. clouds on the horizon – coming troubles
10. cutting-edge – very novel innovative