Netflix Ozark

[Ome]

After a money laundering scheme for a Mexican drug cartel goes wrong, financial advisor Martin "Marty" Byrde proposes to make amends by offering to set up a bigger laundering operation in the Lake of the Ozarks region of central Missouri - and it doesn't go well for them. They have some really quirky/nasty female characters that scare the crap out of me.

 

[James from London]

I watched the first season a couple of weeks ago. Loved it!

 

[Ome]

I finished the third season and there was a real gamechanger that I didn't see coming. Wonderful series with some fascinating characters, especially the females. I remember reading (somewhere) before I started this that it was a slow burner and if that means that each season goes beyond your expectations I understand what they mean. Aside from the great characters and atmospheric feel to the story, I enjoy trying to figure out what lengths certain characters go to get what they want.

 

[Willie Oleson]

They have some really quirky/nasty female characters that scare the crap out of me

Loved it!

and if that means that each season goes beyond your expectations

atmospheric feel to the story

I've surrendered. I'm back in.

 

[James from London]

I'm back in.

Did you start watching it before then?

 

[Willie Oleson]

No I mean back in netflix. And that also means I'm only a click away from NuDynasty season 3 which feels kinda dangerous (although those forum discussions seem more fun than the other Dynasty forums).

 

[James from London]

I'm only a click away from NuDynasty season 3

I've sort of forgotten about it (although re-watching Season 1 for versus purposes is probably enough New DYNASTY to be getting on with).

 

[Alexis]

No I mean back in netflix. And that also means I'm only a click away from NuDynasty season 3 which feels kinda dangerous (although those forum discussions seem more fun than the other Dynasty forums).

 

[Richard Channing]

I am coming to the end of season 3 and I'm loving it. Been binging and episode every night.

I remember reading (somewhere) before I started this that it was a slow burner and if that means that each season goes beyond your expectations I understand what they mean.

Yes it is a slow burn, although there is quite a lot going on from the get go too. But it took me a while to get invested in the characters.

She is scary as hell. She looks like Jackie from 'Roseanne' on meth. In fact at first I even thought it was that actress.

I finished the third season and there was a real gamechanger that I didn't see coming.

Ok, I'm nearly there. Season 3 has been so good and a recent episode that starts with a showdown between Marty and Wendy at the therapists house was amazing TV. Really great performances.

Who knows how long we'll have to wait for season 4. Not too long I hope.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Eventhough there are no spoilers in this thread, I think I had already "decided" what kind of show it was going to be and I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that I felt somewhat underwhelmed after the first episode. But now I think I was subconsciously fighting the nature of the show i.e. all those things that actually make it look good.

In the second episode I realized that it was played as straight drama with an offbeat undertone. That moment when Wendy is about to send that very dramatic email (thinking her husband is already dead) felt very similar to that scene in Twin Peaks when they told Leland Palmer (and Sarah on the phone) that they had found Laura's body.
There's nothing specifically odd about these scenes and yet it feels uncomfortably funny.
Same with his farewell to his son, it just seems a little bit too much, and come to think of it, maybe the cliché Escobar guy is supposed to look cliché.

Is it really going to be a beautiful and subtle parody, or am I looking for comparisons because I'm watching this instead of my planned Twin Peaks rewatch?
Two episodes, two completely different opinions. I don't trust myself and I certainly don't trust Ozark. At this point, anything is possible.

I do feel they missed out on a great character when they killed off Bruce.

 

[Ome]

But it took me a while to get invested in the characters.

Yes, I remember that the first season took some time with a few of the characters and I wasn't totally into them straight away, in fact, a couple of them annoyed me to start with. Then it just clicks and you know you've found a little gem.

She looks like Jackie from 'Roseanne' on meth.

Ha, I hadn't picked up on that - until now.

Really great performances.

Absolutely!

Let me know when you finish this season.







Please do not open this spoiler if you haven't finished the third season.

For you Richard

She is scary as hell.

There is scary and there is this.

Spoiler

 

[Ome]

I felt somewhat underwhelmed after the first episode.

There is something to be said when you start a new show and you've read great feedback on it. It feels like a show you would love, it feels like a show you don't want to miss out on, it feels like a show that could fill that gap that seems to be getting slowly bigger, where you haven't found a show as good as the last great one.


So, then you jump in looking forward and already your expectations are higher then they should be. I could throw in a few things that I didn't like, but I'd rather enjoy the best part of it all, over picking on the bits that didn't work for me.

It is a slow burn and it can have that 'Twin Peaks' vibe a little, it can be compared to a few other shows, but, hopefully, as you stick with it, you will find your own expectations starting to happen and enjoy it, in all its glory. It's a great story, but it's the characters that truly rule this one for me.

 

[James from London]

straight drama with an offbeat undertone.

There are a lot of unusual characters that in other shows, even really good shows, might be depicted as just a bit "kooky" and "eccentric", but I feel like in this show everyone is more three-dimensional. No-one is just "the stroppy kid" or "the country bumpkin" or "the determined law enforcer".

Rather than Twin Peaks, I got more of a Fargo or Justified vibe, but even those series feel more self-consciously comedic and/or glossy in comparison.

I certainly don't trust Ozark.

Having Jason Bateman, who I only know from comedies like Arrested Development, as the lead character is really, really interesting. Not only does he play the whole thing completely straight, but he doesn't even care about being likeable. He doesn't keep a secret stash of twinkly Hollywood charm up his sleeve. He's deadly serious, which of course you'd have to be in his situation. And as his wife, Laura Linney is missing a whole layer of artificial TV glamour. She's not lit in an especially flattering way; she looks like what a real middle-aged woman up to her neck in crap looks like. So there aren't any of the familiar TV touchstones to fall back on.

I do feel they missed out on a great character when they killed off Bruce.

I assumed he would be a major character so when he was killed, it was all the more shocking. That's the thing -- pretty much everyone is treated as a major character so no-one is safe. (Conversely, those characters who initially seem minor actually turn out to be more significant than you expect.)

At this point, anything is possible.

Yeah, I felt that way all through the first season. It's kind of stressful! (Not Walking Dead stressful, but close.)

 

[Ome]

Laura Linney is missing a whole layer of artificial TV glamour. She's not lit in an especially flattering way; she looks like what a real middle-aged woman up to her neck in crap looks like

Yes, unquestionably!


I am finding it hard with so many dramas where the characters have to be like they are on the set of NuDynasty, everyone is trimmed and preened to perfection, even when they've been shot at, bitten, stabbed, run over. I've been having a friggin dance-off with shows like VIKINGS, THE LAST KINGDOM, OUTLANDER, MEDICI, SPARTACUS and REIGN, but, most of the male characters have wonderfully trimmed facial hair, while the women look glamourous without looking (DYNASTY) glamorous. The make-up and perfectly fitting clothes all stand out, hell even Corrie in the 90s didn't have perfectly fitting suits and dresses for the characters.


But that aside, I've thoroughly enjoyed each series.


And back on track, this "she looks like what a real middle-aged woman up to her neck in crap looks like" is one of the many strengths I see with OZARK

 

[James from London]

Double post so here's a clip from Arrested Development:

 

[Ome]

Arrested Development:

That was different. Kinda like finding out Brian Cranston had comedy history when all I knew him from was BREAKING BAD



I had heard of Jason Bateman but thought he was famous for being a hunk in some 90s TV show (just shows how far some ignorance will go), now looking at what he's been in, there is only JUNO that I have seen and I'll struggle to name anyone from that film it was that long ago.

Needles to say, I'm loving him in this show.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I had heard of Jason Bateman but thought he was famous for being a hunk in some 90s TV show

I thought he was Bud Bundy, but he's not! Bud Bundy's TV sister's Dead To Me S2 is also in my to-watch list.

Episode 3 had yet another vibe, more of a conventional dramady. Ruth, I feel, is a character I've seen in many other shows: the surprisingly shrewd cookie amongst her fellow white trash inhabitants, and I'm sure they're going to surprise me with a softer and more vulnerable edge.
Rachel is weary but not excessively cynical (and could there be a romance between her and Marty?) so I'm going to pin my hopes on her.

I've only seen Laura Linney in Tales Of The City and she's very, very loveable and at the same time it's fun to see her suffer (like Diane from Cheers).
Comedic actors also make for the best villains, and episode 3 already revealed a bit of that menacing side when she showed up at the Langmores.

Obsessed FBI agent Petty also makes me think "where have I seen this before" (Boardwalk Empire?) and the river and sexy boats looks like a Miami Vice in the country.
So, all in all, it looks as if they've plucked bits and bobs from many other tv series and put it in a blender.
A bit of religion (always a great theme) has wormed its way into episode 3 and I hope they'll expand on that.

No werewolves or superheroes as of yet, so that's very promising.

 

[Richard Channing]

Yes, I remember that the first season took some time with a few of the characters and I wasn't totally into them straight away, in fact, a couple of them annoyed me to start with. Then it just clicks and you know you've found a little gem.

Yeah, in the beginning I kept watching because it had been recommended and I had a feeling it was gonna get good, but for the first few episodes I wasn't really hooked.

Let me know when you finish this season.

I am watching the finale tonight so I won't look at your spoiler till after. I must say the actor who plays Ben has really knocked it out of the park this last few episodes. His acting is really superb.

Yeah, I felt that way all through the first season. It's kind of stressful!

Indeed, and it only gets more stressful as the seasons go on. There is this constant tension and sense of impending doom that has me on edge pretty much every episode.

I've only seen Laura Linney in Tales Of The City and she's very, very loveable and at the same time it's fun to see her suffer (like Diane from Cheers).

Yes there is something almost sickly sweet about her, her smile is so cute, so it's actually great to see her playing a role like this.

 

[Willie Oleson]

There is this constant tension and sense of impending doom

It's too over-the-top miserable for me to feel any real tension.
The Byrdes are like that cute National Lampoon couple who accidentally ruin everything for everyone.
Sheriff Nix? Hillbillies versus Rednecks? Building a church is their new hope? Wendy's brother was a high school spree-killer? *howls with laughter*

Many viewers compare it to Breaking Bad, but with so many bad guys fighting for their position it feels more like True Blood or Banshee.
Episode 5 introduces more characters while other characters get a more established position (Ruth as the club manager) and then some relationships start to develop, so it also feels more soapy than the previous episodes. This is definitely a good thing for me.

Oh and they stole the dying person on oxygen from Bates Motel.

 

[Richard Channing]

it also feels more soapy than the previous episodes. This is definitely a good thing for me.

And I think it gets more soapy as it goes on. They introduce some great characters that really spice things up.

I finished the third season and there was a real gamechanger that I didn't see coming.

Just finished season 3, and wow, that was one hell of a season finale. That's how a season finale should be done.Season 3 has been such a rollercoaster, really kick ass. It just gets better every season and I can't wait for the next one.