"" (English title: " Do as Planned ") is the pilot episode of the Spanish television series La Casa de Papel ( Money Heist ). The episode originally aired on May 2, 2017 , on the Spanish network Antena 3 . Following Netflix's acquisition of global distribution rights, the episode was re-edited and re-released internationally on December 20, 2017, as part of Part 1 (Volume 1).
As police arrive outside, the robbers intentionally trip the alarm system to draw the authorities closer. Tokyo and Rio exit the front doors carrying bags of cash, pretending to flee. When the police order them to stop, Rio hesitates, and officers open fire. Enraged, Tokyo fires back with an M16 assault rifle, wounding two officers. They retreat inside, but the firefight complicates the Professor's plan to win public sympathy.
The Professor recruits Tokyo into a group of eight specialists to execute a heist "of drastic proportions". He brings them to an abandoned hunting estate in Toledo, where they undergo five months of intensive training. To maintain anonymity, the robbers adopt aliases based on major cities: The impulsive narrator. Berlin: The sophisticated but ruthless field leader. Moscow: A mechanical expert. Denver: Moscow's hot-headed son. Rio: A young, expert hacker.
The series premiere was conceived by Álex Pina, who wanted to create a heist narrative with strong melodrama and distinct cinematic qualities. The decision to use a female narrator (Tokyo) was made during the writing process to offer a warmer, counter-balanced perspective to the cold, calculated nature of the heist.
The episode opens with Silene Oliveira, a bank robber on the run after a botched heist resulting in the death of her boyfriend. As police close in on her, she is rescued by a mysterious man known only as "The Professor." He offers her a chance to participate in the biggest heist in history: robbing the Royal Mint of Spain in Madrid to print 2.4 billion euros. la casa de papel 1x1 wikipedia
The team enters the Royal Mint disguised in red jumpsuits and Dalí masks. They take 67 hostages without firing a shot, though Berlin fires a warning round to assert control. The episode contrasts The Professor (outside, coordinating from a mobile command center disguised as a silver camper van) with Inspector Raquel Murillo (Itziar Ituño), the lead negotiator. Their first phone call establishes a psychological chess match: The Professor demands no police intervention under the threat of executing one hostage every hour.
This structural choice creates a highly engaging pacing rhythm. Whenever a complication arises during the live heist, the episode cuts back to the classroom sessions, showing how the Professor anticipated the exact scenario, establishing his near-mythic status as a strategist. Visual Metaphors and Symbolic Design
The robbers retreat inside and lock the heavy vault doors. The episode concludes with the revelation that the shootout was entirely planned by the Professor. By locking themselves inside with the hostages, they have not trapped themselves; instead, they have locked the police out while they begin printing their own untraceable currency. Outside, Inspector Raquel Murillo arrives on the scene to take charge of the police negotiations. Cast and Characters The Robbers
Álex Pina & Esther Martínez Lobato
The episode received positive reviews from critics, with many praising the show's originality, characters, and plot twists. The success of "La Casa de Papel" led to the production of four seasons, with the final season concluding in 2021.
(Andrés de Fonollosa): The narcissistic, terminally ill on-site commander.
The show's cinematography is noteworthy, with a blend of dark colors and stylish visuals that create a captivating atmosphere. The score, composed by Iván Cester and Miki Núñez, adds to the tension and excitement of the show.
Following the Netflix re-edit, the pilot garnered a on Rotten Tomatoes (aggregate for Part 1), with critics consensus stating: "La Casa de Papel’s premiere throws convention out the vault door, blending telenovela melodrama with airtight heist mechanics." "" (English title: " Do as Planned ")
While the story is set at the Royal Mint of Spain, the institution denied filming permission due to security concerns. The exterior scenes of the Mint were filmed outside the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) headquarters in Madrid. Interior scenes were constructed and filmed on soundstages in Colmenar Viejo. Cast and Characters Úrsula Corberó as Tokyo / Silene Oliveira Álvaro Morte as The Professor / Sergio Marquina Itziar Ituño as Raquel Murillo Pedro Alonso as Berlin / Andrés de Fonollosa Alba Flores as Nairobi / Ágata Jiménez Miguel Herrán as Rio / Aníbal Cortés Jaime Lorente as Denver / Daniel Ramos Paco Tous as Moscow / Agustín Ramos Darko Perić as Helsinki / Yashin Dasáyev Roberto García Ruiz as Oslo / Radko Dragić Recurring and Guest Cast María Pedraza as Alison Parker Enrique Arce as Arturo Román Esther Acebo as Mónica Gaztambide Juan Fernández as Colonel Alfonso Prieto Fernando Soto as Ángel Rubio Reception and Impact
The pilot episode sets up the most famous heist in Spanish television history. It shows how the team forms, the plan to rob the Royal Mint of Spain, and the start of the 11-day standoff. Plot Summary Recruits and Code Names
The pilot establishes a distinct visual identity that eventually became a global cultural symbol of resistance and pop culture iconography.