Ozark Series 1 and 2.
Reading Time: 3 minutes
‘Ozark’ is a television series about Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) a Chicago money launder for the second largest Mexican drug cartel, who incurs a debt to his employers and consequently almost pays with his life. He manages to persuade the ruthless cartel boss Camino del Rio ( portrayed convincingly by Esai Morales) to give him a chance to repay the money he owes, by money laundering in the out of the way holiday City of Lake Ozark located on the shore of Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks. Prior to leaving Chicago, Marty also discovers that his wife Wendy (the fabulous Laura Linney) is having an affair with their lawyer. Accompanying them in their move to the Ozarks are their children, 15 year old Charlotte (played memorably by Sofia Hublitz) and their somewhat eccentric 13 year old son, Jonah (Skylar Gaertner).
Both series concern their attempts to pay off the debt they owe the Cartel within the tight deadline. However the show is about so much more. Naturally, one ongoing theme concerns Wendy and Marty’s fragile marriage and the ability of the family to stay together in their new surroundings and under pressure and threats from the cartel, a troubled, menacing rouge FBI Agent Roy Petty (Jason Butler Harner) and powerful local redneck poppy farmers, Jacob and Darlene Snell (Peter Mullan and Lisa Emery). This creates a sense of continuous tension and fear.
The Byrdes open or take over a number of businesses in town, including a bar, a hotel and a gentlemen’s (pole and lap dancing) club. Wendy talks her way into real estate sales and used her electoral campaign experience to lobby for a casino licence. These activities facilitate the introduction of numerous sub plots and diverse characters.
Among the many fascinating characters we encounter is the 19 year old Ruth Langmore (portrayed in a standout performance by Julia Garner) a dominant character torn between loyalty to her ‘hobo’ criminal family and making the most of the opportunities presented by working with Marty.
Part of the package for their bargain priced lake side house that the Byrde’s purchase is that Buddy Dyker (Harris Yulin), an old terminally ill man remains as tenant for as long as he lives. In later episodes Buddy’s role grows to become much more than passing light relief in later episodes.
Other cast members worthy of mention include Janet Macteer who is frightening in her portrayal of Helen Pierce, the efficient, emotionless, and ruthless cartel lawyer.
I’ll mention one more character, Pastor Mason Young (Michael Mosley) who conducts religious services on the water, preaching to a congregation attending the service and remaining in their boats. I mention him simply because he is unwittingly central to one of the most inspired and original methods of supplying and distributing heroin.
Ozark has a number of other superbly scripted characters in this dark and ever tense show, which however also manages to inject regular, original comedy (albeit, usually black).
The casting is such that it is difficult, if not impossible, to think of actors better suited to play the many demanding roles in Ozark.
If you enjoyed ‘Breaking Bad’, then ‘Ozark’ is most definitely for you. As you may gather from the above description, there are a number of comparable themes. If anything, Ozark is probably even less predictable than Breaking Bad and just as violent.
The two series that currently make up Ozark are most definitely candidates for binge viewing.
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