Pam says:
If you’re new to this series (where have you been???), here’s a brief update to get you up to speed with Season 4 Part B, the final season of this intense drama.
The Byrde family have found themselves in the crosshairs of the cartel as they continuously attempt to get themselves out of “the industry.” Back home to Chicago running a legitimate foundation founded in not-so-legitimate ways is the ultimate goal, but of course, the Byrde family is plagued by their past decisions and interactions placing hurdles in front of them the size of Mt. Kilamanjaro. With the Mexican Navarro cartel family at odds with one another, Wendy — the woman who can “fix this” — and Marty are butting heads, pushing each other away. Charlotte and Jonah, the Byrde teens, are just as entrenched with drug trafficking and money laundering as much as their parents. It’s dangerous territory that proves deadly for so many on both sides of the law.
Season 4 Part B picks up with fervor where Part A left off. Wendy’s morals and values continue to devolve at breakneck speed and with Ruth trying to turn things around in her life, the two, with Marty and the kids in the middle, take the story to unpredicted levels. Wendy’s father comes into the Season adding his hypocritical religious bent to things and of course, stirring the already boiling pot. Add. a few drug cartel murders and tortures and you have what begins and ends as a volatilely gripping drama that you can’t take your eyes off of.
It’s interesting how father-daughter issues and religion are key elements of this season as the characters attempt to rectify their past and find a focus through God. This through-line is intricately stitched along every story element to give us a complete picture of childhood and past traumas and how they influence a person’s overall well being.
“Ozark,” with it’s intelligent and concise writing, deft direction, and other-level acting from all the characters both big and small, make it a series that will be the talk of the town long after that finale on May 2.
Watch “Ozark” on Netflix
4 Stars
