An (Unfortunate) Reminder: We're Not Getting 'Ozark' Season 5
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
This story contains spoilers for Season Four, Part Two of Ozark.
After following Ozark for five wonderful, anxious years, I'll share with you what my mom—my Ozark watching buddy, through and through—texted when the credits rolled on the series finale:
NO WAY!!!
Is that it? The end?
I hate to say it, both to her, as well as all of the Esquire readers who have followed along with our coverage of the show. But that's it. That's the end. Four months after Ozark's final episode! Still. The. End. It's my journalistic duty to inform you that anyone and everyone with a hand in Ozark has repeatedly stressed that Season Four would be its last. Hell, the cast even made a melodramatic farewell video. But we're going to do two things. First, let's briefly run through what Ozark show-runner Chris Mundy and star Jason Bateman have said about where they think the Byrdes will go after the finale. Then, we'll do the only thing we can do in a situation like this—dream up a way (or two) Ozark's story can continue. You know, as a treat.
“I think they’ve gone on,” Mundy told Vanity Fair. “They got everything they think they wanted. But I think they’re dragging around a curse, to be honest.” In that same Vanity Fair feature, Bateman had much more to say. “I would bet you that they’ll go up to Chicago and they’ll test this theory of Wendy’s, which is, Have we acquired enough political capital to put into play some things that will help folks?" he said. "Acquiring that capital was messy, but will the ends justify the means? My assumption is that, while they’re smarter now than when we first met them, I still feel like their hubris and arrogance will continue to trip them up. I think humility would probably guide them towards some better decisions, but I don’t think they’re there yet, unfortunately.”
All right, it's speculation time. If we received the miracle of all miracles and Netflix renewed Ozark for a fifth season, you'd have to think that future episodes would be business as usual. Let's assume that Jonah shoots Mel. The Byrdes, at least during that point in time, would be free from any trail leading to their ordered hit on Ben. But that's definitely not the last of their problems. Since Camila Navarro kills Ruth Langmore (we're still broken up over this one), the Byrdes would likely face a major obstacle in laundering money through the casino. Since I'm not privy to the fine print on the Missouri Belle's legal documents, wouldn't Rachel take full ownership of the business? Please, correct me if I'm wrong. Obviously, Rachel wouldn't let the Byrdes bully her again.
Meanwhile, on the cartel's end, the Byrdes would have to acclimate to yet another boss's quirks, as Camila Navarro is seemingly far more bloodthirsty than she originally appeared. Aside from the continuation of the Byrdes going back to their antics, and the Navarros Navarro-ing, there are a couple stray characters left in Ozark-land. Mainly? Zeke and Three. The last two members of the Langmore (or Langmore-adjacent) tribe have been left to fend for themselves. Instead of more Byrde and Navarro bullshittery, why can't we get the baby Zeke and Three spin-off where they take Ruth's inheritance and travel the world? After the darkness we saw in Ozark's finale, a warm-hearted road trip would hit the spot. But we doubt the series creators would be up for it.
Anyway, take all the time you need to decompress. We'll keep this space updated with any further updates on the future of Ozark. (But remember: there isn't one.)
You Might Also Like
