The first episode of "Bank Under Siege," titled "Everybody Down!", kicks off with a gripping introduction to the political unrest in Spain following the death of dictator Francisco Franco. The series sets the stage for the tumultuous events of 1981, beginning with the failed coup attempt on February 23rd and leading up to the dramatic bank heist on May 23rd. The episode wastes no time in plunging viewers into the heart of the action, as a group of masked robbers storm the Central Bank of Barcelona, taking everyone inside hostage.
Maider Garmendia, a fresh-faced journalist, is introduced as she joins a popular Spanish daily newspaper, eager to make her mark on the Crime Beat. Her first day on the job quickly turns into a baptism by fire when she receives a call about a coup underway at the Central Bank. The caller informs her that the robbers have left their demands in a telephone booth, setting the stage for a high-stakes game of cat and mouse.
Maider, accompanied by her photographer Bernardo (Berni), rushes to the bank, where the tension is palpable. Inside, the robbers are not just after money; they're after a file from one of the bank's lockers. Their true intentions become clear when they demand the release of key figures involved in the February coup, including Pedro Mas Oliver, Colonel San Martin, General Torres Rojas, and Antonio Tejero. This is not a simple robbery; it's a political statement.
As the governor and president are informed of the robbery, the authorities scramble to respond. Captain Lopez, the first responder, attempts to establish contact with the robbers, leading to a tense negotiation. The robbers, led by a man referred to as Robber 1, agree to release 50 hostages in exchange for food and tobacco, with the stipulation that the Red Cross provide the meals and an ambulance be sent.
Maider and Berni, frustrated by the lack of information and action from the police, create a disturbance, leading to their temporary confinement in a police van. It's here that Berni offers a candid assessment of Maider's character, suggesting that her goodness may not serve her well as a journalist in such a cutthroat environment.
Meanwhile, the robbers' demands are not yet public knowledge, but the same woman who placed the envelope in the telephone booth calls a radio station, which broadcasts the news immediately. This act sets off a chain reaction, as the robbers begin to release the elderly, women, and sick hostages. When the remaining hostages start to protest, Robber 1 fires a warning shot into the ceiling, then takes a young, healthy hostage and shoots him in the leg to maintain control.
Maider and Berni manage to escape their confinement and capture the chaos unfolding outside the bank. The question on everyone's mind is whether the robbers are from the Civil Guard, a suspicion that gains traction when General Pajuelo, the regional director of the Civil Guards, arrives on the scene. He is certain that the men inside are not Civil Guards, but upon listening to phone recordings, he is shocked to recognize the voice of Gil Sanchez Valiente, a Civil Guard who had disappeared after the failed coup. This revelation sends General Pajuelo rushing to Barcelona to take control of the situation.
"Everybody Down!" is a thrilling start to "Bank Under Siege," setting the stage for a season that promises to delve deep into the political intrigue and moral complexities of a nation in crisis. The episode expertly balances the personal stakes of its characters with the broader implications of the heist, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats as they await the next development in this gripping tale.