The popular Netflix crime-drama Ozark has quickly become one of my favorite recent television series after its first three seasons, continually amping up in shock and suspense. It’s a harrowing, atmospheric story of corruption and crime, and is supported by some stellar performances. Season 4 of Ozark had the challenge of furthering that upward curve and bringing the series to a rousing conclusion, which it managed to do.
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Ozark Season 4 shows the Byrde family struggling to find an escape from the firm grip of the cartel and the sulking presence of the law while trying to keep their family bond intact. Once again, there are great performances from Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, and Julia Garner. The final season continues to find ways to escalate the stakes and push the Byrdes and their cohorts to the edge of desperation.
The antagonists of the series continue to pose as intimidating threats, but it was always interesting to see the dynamic between Wendy, Marty, Ruth, and the rest of the supporting characters get continually tested. Coupled with the iconic score and darkened aesthetic, Ozark maintains its sinister overtones.
Yet, it pains me to say this is the weakest season. It’s not bad, but the writing does start to look a bit less sophisticated and more bare-bones. Coupled with some questionable creative decisions (dream sequences, hallucinations, editing), much of the season felt more rinse-and-repeat than anything else. It would have benefited the final moment of the series if the rest of the season had slowly and subtly culminated towards that bold moment.
Instead, I felt like time was wasted going through similar emotions and including scenes that were ultimately extraneous. That said, the significance of the ending stands true to the overarching theme of the show, even if it could have been done with more precision. Ozark: Season 4 may be the weakest season, but it was a proper send off to a great Netflix series, giving phenomenal performances, a thematically enriching plot, and moments of raw suspense and thrills.
‘Ozark Season 4’ Rating – 3.25/5
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