Most of us are probably unlikely to participate in an armed robbery at a large organization. Therefore, one could not claim that our love for movie heists – see “La Casa de Papel”– explained by a possible identification with the characters.

  • So what is it that makes a theoretically “evil”, delinquent character so endearing?

Why are we so attracted to guys who make math look like a game, live every moment to the extreme, and are always ready to blow up or shoot anything and anyone who gets in the way of their plans? Maybe because it’s about anti-heroes with a lot of style.

And yes, a heist has action, suspense, it excites you. But what happens next? Nobody ever tells us. Where do you hide when Interpol is after you? How long will you survive? And how can you spend the loot without being spotted?

These are exactly the questions that “Culprits” comes to answer, the series presented on the Disney+ platform and tells the story of a group of robbers after the attack. The robbers, separated now, live their lives, quietly and far from each other. They are only reunited when they are chased by an assassin. They don’t trust each other, but if they want to survive, they must join forces.

  • How is Culprits different from other heist stories?

A heist series is by no means original (see Money Heist, Lupin, Kaleidoscope and others). What makes Culprits special is that it tells the story not so much of the heist itself, but of the aftermath. From the cast, he undoubtedly stands out Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Candyman, Genera+ion, Misfits), who plays David Marking, a family man and restaurant owner, living a quiet life in Washington. David’s guilty past is in danger of being revealed. Before the killer reaches America, David must track down his former associates so they can all face the common enemy together.

If Culprits has one good thing, it’s that it stays true to the heist formula, taking a safe theme and “teasing” its timeline. The heist at its core is the classic ‘one last job’. Of course, the plan will backfire. Of course, the leader has an ace up his sleeve and of course the developments will be disruptive. Secret encounters, high-speed chases and coded messages are all on the menu.

Following in the footsteps of “La Casa de Papel”, the series takes itself seriously, trying to keep the action closer to reality than any movie Mission Impossible.

  • Time jumps: Pros and cons

By choosing to narrate the aftermath, the series does not live exclusively in the present, but jumps into the past to also recount the heist. The director has worked hard to keep the action alive through these time shifts. Of course, time jumps have their weak points, and the main thing about this series is that we already know what has happened, even if only approximately. The time jumps also make it difficult to get to know the other characters beyond David because most of the plot takes place after the crime. In any case, if you are a fan of heist series and looking for something different, Culprits is the next series to watch.