After a sensational run for four seasons, Ozark has finally come to an end after 5 years. In order to give the show a proper conclusion, the fourth season was made into 2 parts. The first part was released on January 21, 2022, while the second was released on April 29, 2022.
What is Ozark?
Ozark is an American Drama series for Netflix, created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams. The cast includes Jason Bateman and Laura Linney as Marty and Wendy Byrde respectively. Bateman has also helmed some episodes as a director and executive producer for the series. Ozark’s 1st season was released on July 21, 2017; the second season was released on August 31, 2018, and the third season was released on March 27, 2020. It was announced that Netflix renewed the series for a fourth and final season, which will have a total of 14 episodes split into two parts of seven episodes each on June 30, 2020.
What is Ozark about?
Ozark follows the character named Marty Byrde, a financial advisor who gets trapped by the doings of his colleague in a money laundering scheme. When things turn to hell, Marty relocates himself and his family from Chicago to a small town in Missouri, where he must work to keep his family alive from a Mexican drug cartel, setting up his base of operations in the Ozarks.
Followed by the first season, the second season follows the central characters Marty Byrde and his family as they navigate the dark and gloomy paths of life within a dangerous drug cartel. With Del out at the end of the first season, the crime syndicate part of the cartel sends their attorney Helen Pierce, who is ruthless, to let them know who is in charge just as the Byrdes are finally settling in. Marty and Wendy find it hard to balance their family because of the escalating dangers presented by their thin line partnerships with the Snells, who know the town like the palm of their hand, the cartel, and their new deputy, Ruth Langmore, whose father Cade has been released from prison. The stakes are raised like never before and the Byrdes soon realize they have to go all in before they can get a ticket out.
The third season picks up six months after the events of the second season. The casino is a legit business and things are looking good on the outside, but Marty and Wendy are fighting for control of the family’s fate. Marty wants to keep the status quo. With the help of Helen and drug cartel leader Omar Navarro, Wendy plans for expansion without Marty involved. But everything changes when Wendy’s brother Ben comes into town and everyone’s lives are thrown into a spiral.
The fourth season, divided into two parts, marks the final chapter in the Byrde family’s journey from Chicago life to their criminal base operation in the Ozarks, after the conclusion of season three. Every season of Ozark makes you feel like you have seen it all, but time and time again the stakes have always gotten bigger and better. Wendy and Marty are lucky enough to survive and are now working for the Navarro Cartel. The FBI is under the loop this time, Wendy is heavily focused on making the Byrde Foundation a political thing that works for the greater good, and Marty is just trying to stay alive and maintain peace with all the parties involved - be it Wendy’s ambitious goals, Ruth’s tantrum, Omar’s greed to be able to fly above everyone, and finally his kids who have accustomed to their parents’ work but grow tired by the day.
But things reach a higher pitch this season as political plays are involved, not just the country’s politics but in the cartel too. As Omar’s sister Camila and nephew Javi come into the arena, Wendy and Marty are trying to figure out how to balance power between them, if not at least let things be in their favor. Meanwhile, Wendy is dealing with Jonah getting really tired of his mom and her ways, and she has to deal with Nathan, her dad, as well as an investigation into Ben’s death. Not to forget Darlene pissing off everyone, killing all who disrespect her, and being on the fence with the Byrdes, Ruth, and even the Kansas City Mob. It’s all the drama-filled chaos that you expect and may have built expectations for, taken to the next level.
Did Ozark have a satisfying ending?
It’s always been a difficult task to have a satisfying end to any show. Ozark being in the limelight for too long has to go beyond and deliver. You have to decide whether it will end on any contextual clues, which can leave the door open for more seasons down the line, or make an absolute ending that destroys any chance of continuing the story. Ozark went with the first option, and unfortunately, it wasn’t when the Byrde family found their luck had run out, but when they reached a whole new platform. We believe Ozark season 4 is worth binging, even if the decisions made for an average final season. Ultimately, it demonstrates and shows what it means to have the privilege of being white in America.
FAQs
Q. Why was Ozark canceled?
A. It was a culmination of both creative and ultimately Netflix's word, which is why we won't be able to return to the Ozarks spiral of crime and chaos.
Q. What happens to Ruth in Ozark?
A. Major spoilers ahead! Ruth gets killed, she was shot and killed by Camila Navarro, the new cartel boss.
Q. Why was Ozark split into 2 parts?
A. Showrunner Chris Mundy explained that the final decision to split the final season in half was the result of trying not to overstay their welcome and the final word came directly from Netflix.
Q. What did the ending of Ozark mean?
A. The showrunner Chris Mundy says, Jonah shot only the Sattem and added that Jonah's murder of Sattem showed "the family being brought back together through this act of violence." But that killing isn't shown to the audience, so is ultimately left open ended.
