Lupin: What It Does Better Than Money Heist (& What Misses The Mark)
Netflix has two hit shows on their hand with Money Heist and now Lupin. While the basis of the shows are somewhat similar, they are different in their approach. Money Heist is focused on the planning and coordination of a job. Lupin focuses on the revenge factor with not as much detail to the planning. Comparing the shows are like night and day.
Money Heist has a loyal following and four seasons under their belt. Lupin is new to the scene and has just five episodes for their catalog. It's clear that Lupin is targetting to accrue a similar fanbase to the Money Heist crowd but can they pull it off?
10 Better: Redemption
Money Heist has a great story but what set Lupin apart from the highly successful show was Assane's acts of vengeance. While viewers can feel the passion that The Professor has for the job, it does come across as self-serving in a way. For Lupin, it's all about redemption.
He knows that his father is innocent and still, after 25 years, he wants his father's name cleared. The personal arcs are more entertaining but they also come with a greater risk.
9 Misses The Mark: Not Enough Action
Action is the name of the game in Money Heist. The robberies are so well-planned out that action is not supposed to be necessary but each character is not afraid to draw a gun and shoot if need be. The main characters have been killed with a strong possibility of more in season 5.
It's almost as if the creators of Lupin watched Money Heist and decided to do the exact opposite. But is there really a need for violence in Lupin? At this point, Lupin, unless the writers have a serious change of heart, will be wise to keep the storyline going the way it's been. Money Heist strives off violence so no need for Lupin to change its course.
8 Better: Two Man Team
While a larger team means more people to watch your back, it could also spell more issues down the line. A team of 8 has a better chance of pulling off a job but a team of two has a better chance of getting away. Assane and Benjamin are great together. Fewer secrets and more honesty between the two friends.
In Money Heist, each character is always looking over their shoulder for the double-cross. And the mere fact that they were all strangers before the heist is not lost amongst the viewers. Go smaller, the better chance of success.
7 Misses The Mark: Unbelievable Scenes
There is not a show or movie that doesn't have a scene or two that's just not believable. It's the way things are made today. Although The Professor is smart, he seems to know everything and how to get out of every situation. But Lupin, well, some of their scenes just are unbelievable and not in a good way.
How does a man break into a prison? Not jail, but a prison, stay there for a few days, fakes his death, and then vanishes with no one looking for him? The idea was a great one but the execution was way off. One of the few times viewers felt a slight disconnect from the show.
6 Better: Relationship/Family
Another theme that Lupin engaged with which Money Heist only toyed with is the essence of family. Assane is doing all this for his father and even the villain in the show has his daughter by his side. Think back, one of the best scenes in Money Heist was when the cops used Nairobi's son to lure her out.
Assane is teaching his son the same morals his father taught him at a young age. Their bond and even that of his and his ex-wife are what gives Lupin that personal touch in which Money Heist has been missing over their four-season run.
5 Misses The Mark: Storyline
Money Heist has a direction and it was clear from season one. Lupin is about revenge but it missed the mark on a few occasions. One of the main ones is his family. Assane has been distant from his ex-wife and son and viewers still have not received the backstory. Just five episodes in, there is more to come but something still isn't right.
Assane gave his ex a large sum of money at the coffee shop. It appeared, at the time, that he was down on his luck and that was all he could provide. But look at his living arrangements and how he's able to move the way he does. So, stealing people from people is more important than taking care of responsibilities?
4 Better: Tough Main Character
The Professor is smart and calculating but what he isn't is tough. Assane can hold his own in a fight and that makes his character that more appealing. Assane has been in a few pretty decent fight scenes and it's only been five episodes so far. The Professor is not for confrontation.
Assane will fight his way out if backed into a corner whereas The Professor will try to devise a plan or talk his way out of a situation. Characters, such as Rio and Tokyo, are better suited for physical contact. Lupin has done a great job of making their main character a badass.
3 Misses The Mark: Lack Of Planning
One thing that makes Money Heist so good is The Professor and his pinpoint planning. He can see moves before they're made and plan accordingly. He knows exactly what the cops are thinking and knows exactly what his team is doing at all times. His plans are what makes Money Heist so fun to watch.
Lupin falls short in this area. Assane, while smart, is too focused on revenge and even with his planning, it all comes across as spur of the moment. Nothing is as planned out as what The Professor does and for that, Assane will find himself in tons of trouble moving forward.
2 Better: Comedy
Viewers can probably count on one hand the times they actually had a good laugh or chuckle while watching Money Heist. It's an action-packed show where the moves are well thought out and the scenes are meant to be suspenseful to pull you in. There are not many moments where laughter is needed.
Lupin proves that some suspense mixed with a bit of humor can be just as impactful. For instance, take the scene with the dog who only barks at the mention of Pellegrini. Or, the scene in the early stages when they were trying to steal the necklace and the chloroform from the spray bottle was not working.
1 Misses The Mark: Suspense
At any given moment, something could go terribly wrong in Money Heist. As much as The Professor loves to plan, it's still hard to predict the unpredictable. Take the death of Nairobi. She could have been saved but her rage added the suspense that fans have come to love with the show.
With Lupin, the vibe is more playful and not enough suspense. When Assane's son was kidnapped at the beach, viewers saw it coming a mile away. They let him go off by himself and you just knew what was coming next. Where was the big suspenseful build-up?