Netflix's 'Ozark' ends as a thrilling, yet disappointing take on a criminal family

Netflix's 'Ozark' ends as a thrilling, yet disappointing take on a criminal family

Transcript¹

It is an odd thing, to write an appreciation² for a series when you're not entirely³ sure if it is a great television show.

And yet, here I am, dissecting⁴ the complicated legacy⁵ of Netflix's Ozark, which drops its final seven episodes on the streamer today.

I've been a fan of the show since its very first episode in 2017, when Jason Bateman offered a compelling and resonant⁶ portrait of a man under serious pressure: Marty Byrde, a financial manager and secret money launderer⁸ for a Mexican drug cartel is forced to move his family to the Ozarks after his business partner tries ripping off their boss and gets killed for his trouble.

TELEVISION

Jason Bateman Embraces His Darker Side In 'Ozark'

But now that we are near the end of that journey, it's likely Ozark will be remembered more as a clever thrill ride – a captivating collection of showcase scenes for a cadre of superior actors – than a series with a coherent message.

And that's a shame, because the difference between good and great for this series can be measured in the way it has morphed from an intriguing⁹ character study into a series of escalating¹⁰ and increasingly outlandish threats to a family sinking into a morass¹¹ of criminality. Kinda like "Breaking Bad: The Family Edition."

If you're getting ready to watch the final episodes of Ozark, here's what to know about how the last batch¹² of episodes left off and what's left to resolve.

Marty's mission early on was to launder⁷ $500 million in five years, to prove he was indispensable to the cartel and uninvolved with his partner's skimming. When the show first began, his kids were clueless about what their father really did for a living and his wife Wendy, played by a resilient, acerbic¹³ Laura Linney, was mostly focused on holding the family together.

What a difference four seasons can make.

A family steeped in criminality

As the show's final episodes drop today, the Byrde family is fully¹⁴ immersed in a complicated scheme to free cartel leader Omar Navarro from federal custody¹⁵, neutralize¹⁶ his smart, ruthless nephew Javier, establish themselves as powerhouse (completely legitimate) philanthropists and repair a rift¹⁷ between Wendy and the kids caused by her decision last season to engineer the murder of her brother, Ben.

There's more: Julia Garner¹⁸'s tough-as-nails Ruth Langmore – a character who started as Marty's sometime assistant, before falling in love with Ben and splitting with the Byrdes over his death — is distraught over the murder of her cousin Wyatt by Javier, vowing¹⁹ revenge against him and the Byrdes.

It's a lot – even on a show known for giving viewers quite a lot.

Netflix released every episode of this final batch to critics in advance, so I have seen the series finale. To be honest, I didn't like it as much as I hoped I would. Shows which have as many plotlines in motion as Ozark can feel rushed in their final episodes as they plow²⁰ through circumstances to reach the finish line.

This is especially true for Ozark, because so much of its appeal springs from the kinetic²¹ pace of deadly obstacles thrown at the Byrdes. In just one episode from earlier in the season, Wendy and Marty recover from seeing Navarro's lawyer shot in the head (washing her brains and blood out of their hair), only to meet Javier, who heads to the Ozarks and kills the local sheriff, just as a private investigator²² shows up looking for Navarro's now-missing attorney.

When one of the biggest attractions of a series is its forward motion, any move toward a conclusion can feel anticlimactic²³.

Ozark's frenetic pace also keeps you from thinking too much about how nonsensical the plotlines have become. Consider this storyline from the final batch of episodes: To keep her children from leaving town to live with her father, Wendy checks herself into a mental hospital.

But she's already noted²⁴ the family is days away from a big gala intended to establish their charitable foundation and can't afford to spook big donors²⁵ with any whiff of scandal. So why is she willing to risk news getting out that the organizer of the foundation checked herself into a mental hospital just before a huge event?

In another moment, Marty threatens to tell a cartel bigwig something about Ruth that would get her killed – exactly what is a bit of a spoiler — unless she steps in to help convince their kids not to leave with Wendy's father. After Ruth takes action, Marty visits her again and the two share a laugh over their bizarre history – even though she still partially²⁶ blames the Byrdes for her cousin's death and also blames Wendy for having her father killed.

That's part of what makes Ozark so tough to swallow, sometimes. Characters often act in ways that don't make a lot of sense, mostly to move the plot from one point to another, or to get two characters together in a powerful scene.

It's also a by-product²⁷ of storytelling in the age of Netflix, where producers expect fans to consume multiple episodes at one sitting, requiring a steady stream of revelations and twists across a great span of installments²⁸ to keep things moving along.

The story 'Ozark' is really telling

There are some big deaths in the series' finale (again, saying who would be a spoiler). And it's true that Ozark's high death toll²⁹ has turned watching the series into a guessing game about who gets whacked³⁰ next – including what happened after the family got in a massive car crash, a flash forward that kicked off the current season.

TELEVISION

Laura Linney Tackles Morally Flexible Opportunism In 'Ozark'

But those deaths also serve to concentrate the show's focus on the family. Ozark has a lot of in common with Breaking Bad, but one place where it diverges³¹ is in the impact of criminality on a family. On AMC's legendary³² hit drama, Bryan Cranston's Walter White justifies³³ his turn from high school science teacher to methmaking mastermind by insisting he was doing it to secure his family – until he was forced to admit his actions atomized his family and he did it all to validate³⁴ himself.

Ozark is telling a different story. Here, I think criminality ultimately unites the Byrdes – you'll see how, when you watch the final episode – sending a message about how some people can succeed in the face of rampant³⁵ wrongdoing that feels depressingly true to our times.

Alfonso Herrera as cartel leader Javier.

Netflix

I'm also troubled by the show's treatment of characters of color. Nevermind that all the Latinx characters are murderous cartel members — in particular, Alfonso Herrera's magnetic take on handsome, smooth-talking psychopath Javier reflects an emerging character trope I've also seen on Breaking Bad spinoff Better Call Saul, in Tony Dalton's handsome, smooth-talking psychopath cartel leader Lalo Salamanca. What few Black characters the show has had are basically sidelined in this last batch of episodes, limiting the range of people we see in odd ways.

In the end, right down to the final scene – which feels like a bit of a callback to The Sopranos finale, I'll be honest – I did still care about these characters. I wanted to see who lived, who died and how their stories ended, regardless of all the reasons I had to dismiss what was going on.

That's a tribute to the actors, including an increasingly powerful Linney as the most ruthless member of the Byrde family and Garner, whose reveals of the emotive heart underneath³⁶ Ruth's spitfire fa?ade have been particularly captivating this season. (A special shout out to Richard Thomas, who TV fans will know as wholesome³⁷ John-Boy Walton from the '70s-era family drama The Waltons, who excels here playing Wendy's hypocritical and secretly abusive father.)

Let's also tip a cap to all the great actors whose characters got whacked along the way, from Esai Morales' cartel underboss Del Rio to Janet McTeer's ill-fated attorney Helen Pierce and Tom Pelphrey's woefully overlooked turn as Ben – a character with bipolar disorder³⁸ who saw the true horror of the Byrde family business clearer than any of them.

These actors and the wonderfully delicious circumstances producers put them in, kept me watching every second of every Ozark episode, even when aspects of show didn't quite meet the definition of exceptional TV.

And it's also why I'll miss the series, which somehow found a way to make a family's descent into ruthlessness entertaining, compelling and telling, all at once.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

3 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

4 dissecting   

v.解剖（动物等）( dissect的现在分词 )；仔细分析或研究

参考例句：

• Another group was dissecting a new film showing locally. 另外一批人正在剖析城里上演的一部新电影。 来自辞典例句
• Probe into Dissecting Refraction Method Statics Processing under Complicated Surface Conditions. 不同地表条件下土壤侵蚀的坡度效应。 来自互联网

5 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

6 resonant   

adj.(声音)洪亮的，共鸣的

参考例句：

• She has a resonant voice.她的嗓子真亮。
• He responded with a resonant laugh.他报以洪亮的笑声。

7 launder   

v.洗涤；洗黑钱（把来路可疑的钱弄得似乎合法）

参考例句：

• She wore a freshly laundered and starched white shirt.她穿一件刚刚浆洗熨烫过的白色衬衣。
• The gang launders the steal money through their chain of restaurants.这帮匪徒通过他们的连锁饭店洗赃款。

8 launderer   

[医]洗衣工

参考例句：

9 intriguing   

adj.有趣的；迷人的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的现在分词)；激起…的好奇心

参考例句：

• These discoveries raise intriguing questions. 这些发现带来了非常有趣的问题。
• It all sounds very intriguing. 这些听起来都很有趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

11 morass   

n.沼泽，困境

参考例句：

• I tried to drag myself out of the morass of despair.我试图从绝望的困境中走出来。
• Mathematical knowledge was certain and offered a secure foothold in a morass.数学知识是确定无疑的,它给人们在沼泽地上提供了一个稳妥的立足点。

12 batch   

n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量

参考例句：

• The first batch of cakes was burnt.第一炉蛋糕烤焦了。
• I have a batch of letters to answer.我有一批信要回复。

13 acerbic   

adj.酸的，刻薄的

参考例句：

• His lyrics are as acerbic and poignant as they ever have been.他的歌词一如既往的犀利辛辣。
• He sent back an acerbic letter.他回复了一封尖刻的信。

14 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

15 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

16 neutralize   

v.使失效、抵消，使中和

参考例句：

• Nothing could neutralize its good effects.没有什么能抵消它所产生的好影响。
• Acids neutralize alkalis and vice versa.酸能使碱中和碱，亦能使酸中和。

17 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

18 garner   

v.收藏；取得

参考例句：

• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals.他的提议得到了广泛的支持。
• Squirrels garner nuts for the winter.松鼠为过冬储存松果。

19 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

20 plow   

n.犁，耕地，犁过的地；v.犁，费力地前进[英]plough

参考例句：

• At this time of the year farmers plow their fields.每年这个时候农民们都在耕地。
• We will plow the field soon after the last frost.最后一场霜过后，我们将马上耕田。

21 kinetic   

adj.运动的；动力学的

参考例句：

• There exist many sources of energy both potential and kinetic.存在着许多势能和动能的能源。
• The kinetic theory of gases is the best known example.气体动力学理论就是最有名的例子。

22 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

23 anticlimactic   

adj. 渐降法的, 虎头蛇尾的

参考例句：

• Everything after the discovery of the murderer was anticlimactic. 找到谋杀者之后，人们对所有事情的兴趣都突减了。
• The conclusion of the movie was anticlimactic. 电影的结局真没劲。

24 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

25 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

26 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

27 by-product   

n.副产品，附带产生的结果

参考例句：

• Freedom is the by-product of economic surplus.自由是经济盈余的副产品。
• The raw material for the tyre is a by-product of petrol refining.制造轮胎的原材料是提炼汽油时产生的一种副产品。

28 installments   

部分( installment的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The first two installments were pretty close together in 1980. 第一次和节二次提款隔得很近，都是在1980年提的。
• You have an installments sales contract. 你已经订立了一份分期付款的买卖契约了。

29 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

30 whacked   

a.精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• She whacked him with her handbag. 她用手提包狠狠地打他。
• He whacked me on the back and I held both his arms. 他用力拍拍我的背，我抱住他的双臂。

31 diverges   

分开( diverge的第三人称单数 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳

参考例句：

• The beam of flashlight diverges, but it can be refocused with lenses. 一个发散的闪光灯束可以用透镜重新聚焦。
• At the end of the wood, the path diverges to the left. 在树林的尽头，小路向左拐去。

32 legendary   

adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）

参考例句：

• Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
• Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。

33 justifies   

证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护）

参考例句：

• Their frequency of use both justifies and requires the memorization. 频繁的使用需要记忆，也促进了记忆。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• In my judgement the present end justifies the means. 照我的意见，只要目的正当，手段是可以不计较的。

34 validate   

vt.（法律）使有效，使生效

参考例句：

• You need an official signature to validate the order.你要有正式的签字，这张汇票才能生效。
• In order to validate the agreement,both parties sign it.为使协议有效，双方在上面签了字。

35 rampant   

adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的

参考例句：

• Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
• You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。

36 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

37 wholesome   

adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的

参考例句：

• In actual fact the things I like doing are mostly wholesome.实际上我喜欢做的事大都是有助于增进身体健康的。
• It is not wholesome to eat without washing your hands.不洗手吃饭是不卫生的。

38 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。