Summary

• The Ozark season 4 finale skillfully wraps up key storylines involving the Byrde family and Navarro Cartel.
• The future of Ozark Season 5 remains uncertain, but there is speculation that it could explore the Byrde family's political clout and navigate new threats or challenges, providing a fresh and compelling storyline for the characters.
• Showrunner Chris Mundy hints at potential new avenues for the Byrde family in Ozark season 5 or future projects in the Ozark universe.

Netflix's Ozark concluded its riveting narrative with the fourth season, leaving fans with a bittersweet mixture of satisfaction and longing for Ozark season 5. The series, which premiered in 2017, was acclaimed for its gritty portrayal of a family entangled in money laundering and criminal enterprises and consistently received praise for its intense storytelling and stellar performances.

Its finale was no exception, as the Ozark season 4 ending skillfully ties up several key storylines, including the fate of the Byrde family and their entanglement with the Navarro Cartel. Marty (Jason Bateman) and Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) faced immense challenges, from dealing with the FBI to confronting the ruthless cartel, but managed to survive. The show's immense popularity has led to a clamor for more despite the conclusive tone of the final season. This makes Ozark season 5 a challenging task, but there are still ways it can continue and more stories the Ozark universe can tell.

Ozark Ended With Season 4

The Byrdes Proved They Were The Show's True Villains

In Ozark's very last episode, Wendy and Marty secured funding for the Byrde Family Foundation, making them politically bulletproof. There was tragedy still to come, though. When Camila Elizondro learns Ruth killed Camila's son Javi, the Byrdes turn their heads and allow her to kill Ruth. Camila also takes out Omar Navarro while Jonah executes private investigator and Chicago cop Mel Sattem. The Byrdes help a new dangerous crime lord rise to power, and they ultimately turn out to be Ozark's true villains.

However, despite the conclusive tone of the final season, the show's immense popularity has led to a clamor for more. Ozark's success has sparked a conversation about the potential continuation of the story, with various theories and possibilities, demonstrating the show's lasting impact on its audience.

The Ozark series finale aired on April 29, 2022.

The series finale saw the Byrde family starting their foundation, and a potential new season could delve into the Byrdes' future, where there's also scope for exploring new threats or challenges as they attempt to navigate their perpetually complex lives. Showrunner Chris Mundy has discussed the Byrde family's future in five years and where he thinks they'll be, which paves the way for a fantastic Ozark season 5 story. Here's what Mundy said in full about the Byrdes' future:

[The Byrdes] run to the Midwest, and in some ways, they're going to have the political clout to dictate national politics.

This insight opens up an avenue for a potential continuation, suggesting a shift from their current predicaments to a more politically charged arena. Such a development would not only elevate the stakes but also add a fresh layer to the intricate tapestry of the show. The possibility of the Byrdes leveraging their criminal savvy in the political sphere aligns with the show's theme of power dynamics and moral ambiguity. It promises a new realm of challenges and ethical dilemmas for the characters, ensuring that any continuation of the story remains compelling and unpredictable.

Why Ozark Was Canceled After Season 4

The Creators Always Planned Ozark As A Four-Season Series

The Netflix show was initially planned and concluded as a four-season arc, as Ozark season 4 was an extended season so the showrunners could tell the full story. The creatives also expressed that they've told the story they set out to tell. Mundy explains, "I love this world. But it was really important to me, and all of us who were making the show, to have it be complete and not do anything that would be tilted toward this being set up so we could stay in this world" (via Netflix).​​​​​

How Ozark's Final Season Was Received

Season 4 Had The Second Best Critical Ratings

It is possible that critics were slow to see what Ozark was trying to accomplish. The first two seasons had slightly above-average Rotten Tomatoes scores (70% and 76%), but then season 3 exploded with an almost perfect 98% approval rating. The fourth season dropped somewhat to 85%, but it was still certified fresh on the aggregator site. The audience score was lower at 70%, with fans' main complaints being the lack of believability in the last season compared to what came before.

However, critics mostly loved the final season, with the majority leaving positive reviews thanks to the performances and storyline. With that said, many negative reviews didn't like the show to begin with. An example is THR film critic Daniel Fienberg, who wrote that he hated the second season and thought the third season was average before saying that, while watching the final season, he was "annoyed and rolling my eyes. I was on the edge of my seat wondering if the show would do anything truly surprising."

Critics who loved the show were hanging on to the plot threads right up to the end. Nick Hilton of The Independent wrote, "The result is an ending that’s unbearably tense, obliquely poignant, and some of the best event TV we’ve seen on any streaming service." Critic Lou Thimas wrote for Empire, "In wrapping things up satisfactorily, Ozark had an unenviable task, one other shows have buckled under ... Breaking Bad has new company at the zenith of small-screen drug dramas."

An Ozark Movie & Spinoffs Have Been Discussed

Jason Bateman Wants To Return To Ozark With A New Format

Jason Bateman, the star of the series, expressed his openness to revisiting the world of Ozark, albeit in a different format. The idea of an Ozark movie or a spinoff series has been floated, with Bateman indicating that if the right story came along, he would be interested in returning to the Ozark universe.

The Ozark cast and crew have discussed the possibility of an Ozark movie or spinoff in conversation with Jimmy Kimmel. At an FYC event, Mundy and Bateman stated that, while there's no specific plan, they are open to more projects set in the world of Ozark. Here is a full quote from Bateman regarding the series future:

"It would have to be something that would allow for ghosts, because we’ve got a lot of them we’d want back."

A movie could provide a more focused, high-stakes continuation or conclusion to the story, while a spinoff could explore the lives of the secondary characters in more depth. However, Bateman's comment suggests that the creators need to find a way to bring back Ozark characters who have been killed off, possibly hinting at a prequel or a spinoff or movie that's partly told through flashbacks. This interest in expanding the Ozark universe suggests that while Ozark season 5 might not be on the horizon, the story could continue in new and interesting ways.

Bateman also addressed the fact that he'd want to return to the Ozark world simply because of how satisfying working on the first four seasons was. The actor commented:

Any job or work environment that was positive, and where you loved the people you were working with and you loved the product you were creating, you’d love to return to it. It’s hard to maintain something that is really pleasurable all the time. And we had that with “Ozark.” So I’d do it again in a second, because what we had just doesn’t happen often.

The show could switch perspectives by focusing on the FBI instead of the Byrde family, as one of the Ozark season 4 loose ends is the FBI's investigation into the cartel. Either way, the beauty of Ozark lies in its richly drawn characters and intricate plotting, leaving ample room for creative storytelling in any potential new season, spinoff, or even a movie.