Sometimes, a show knows exactly when to drop the mic. Created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams, Ozark—Netflix’s gripping crime drama—had us all talking about money laundering and cartels as if we were running our own shady business in the Ozarks. From cartels to family drama, Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) sure made running a crime empire look like a full-time job, but in 2022, the Byrdes officially packed up and called it quits.
And oh boy, did it leave a dent!
Fans were hooked from day one, holding their breath as Marty risked it all for his family, all while trying to keep his morally questionable, life-threatening choices in check. But as the show wrapped up, the question on everyone’s lips was: Did it need to end? Or was the final season rushed out the door before its time? Some plotlines got wrapped up with a neat little bow, but others?
The end of Ozark was like being handed a mystery novel with the last few chapters missing—there were still threads that felt unfinished. Some subplots got wrapped up a little too neatly, while others begged for more development. Yet, the creators made it clear they had their reasons for pulling the plug when they did. Was it a calculated move to leave fans salivating for more? Or was it just the Byrdes’ time to get out of Dodge before things got even messier?
Was Ozark Ended on Its Own Term?
Well, sometimes, letting go is necessary, even when you don’t want to, to make room for something better. That’s the beauty of endings, right? They don’t always give us a heads-up, but they provide closure. And that’s exactly what we got with Ozark. The much-loved Netflix show didn’t overstay its welcome or drag its story out. Instead, it ended exactly when it needed to, on its own terms.
Ozark was originally intended to run for five seasons, but when the writers got down to creating the final chapters, they realized that blending the fourth and fifth seasons into a supersized final season was the perfect way to bring the show to a close. Chris Mundy, the show’s co-executive producer, put it (via THR):
We’ve always talked about it as five seasons. It could be four, it could be seven … but that always seemed like a good number to us.
Yes, in the case of Ozark, its ending wasn’t the result of an untimely cancellation or outside pressure. It was a conscious decision by the show’s creators to wrap things up after season four. The decision wasn’t rushed or forced—it was about giving the show the space it needed to end in a way that was both satisfying and true to its narrative arc. As Mundy explained (via Netflix):
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.
Ergo, the showrunners didn’t want to drag things out unnecessarily. After all, a show can lose its momentum if stretched too thin, but when it ends just before it runs out of steam, it leaves us with a lasting impression.
Chris Mundy’s Vision for Ozark: A Satisfying End, Not a Dragged-Out Farewell?
When it comes to Chris Mundy, dragging things out is simply not his style. He had a clear vision, one where the show would wrap up in a tidy and satisfying bow, not with the showrunners holding on until every last drop of drama is squeezed out.
Jason Bateman, who stepped into the role of Marty Byrde, let slip in an interview that Mundy always had an endpoint in mind. It wasn’t just a case of riding the wave as long as possible, but rather about knowing where the story should land. Bateman mused (via Collider):
[Chris] kind of knew, I think, where he would like to eventually land the plane. Somewhere around here, I think there’s always been the presumed area [of] three seasons, four seasons, five seasons, something like that.
When you think about it, it makes sense. There’s only so long you can have Marty and Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) pulling off high-stakes schemes without the danger of it all crumbling to the ground. If they pushed the envelope any further, it would be a toss-up between being carted off to jail or worse—killed off.
But Mundy didn’t want to go out with a whimper. In fact, he’s made it clear from the start that he wanted Ozark to end on his own terms. He shared with The Hollywood Reporter that his aim was always “closure”.
I don’t want to feel messed with. I want to feel like, ‘OK, that was the end.’ So hopefully people will feel closure by the end — whether they like it or not, I don’t know.
It’s about leaving the audience with a sense of finality, where even if the ending isn’t wrapped in a perfect bow, viewers would at least know it was the right conclusion.
Now the question is, will the potential spinoff bring a fresh twist to this tale of crime and consequences?
What is the Possibility of an Ozark Spin-Off?
The world of Ozark certainly left a mark on its audience, compelling us to binge-watch every twist and turn, and to invest deeply in its characters’ fates. The show wrapped up its final chapter, but like a book that stays in your hands long after you’ve turned the last page, fans are hungry for more.
In the chat with The Hollywood Reporter, Chris Mundy dropped a tantalizing tidbit, hinting that a spin-off could be in the cards.
It’s certainly something that’s been floated by various people. Never say never, but right now we want to make sure we land this one as well as we possibly can.
Now that the main series has come to an end, we can’t help but wonder: What’s next? Is the Ozark universe truly closed for business?
Fans have speculated endlessly about which character might carry the torch for a spin-off. Julia Garner’s Ruth Langmore has been a fan favorite, with many hoping she would lead the charge into new storylines. But with Ruth’s shocking demise in the series finale, those dreams were dashed.
Still, the Langmore legacy lingers in the air. A prequel exploring Ruth’s early days could be an intriguing choice, but let’s be honest—could we really picture a young Ruth getting up to the same mayhem?
So, what other options are left? The most compelling and perhaps unexpected choice might be Jonah Byrde (played by Skylar Gaertner). Jonah’s final moments in Ozark are chilling, as he takes a life in a moment that feels completely at odds with the boy we watched grow up.
Then the decision to kill Mel Sattem, an act that seemed to come from a place of quiet, deep-seated rage, is a pivotal moment that could send Jonah spiraling down a dark and unpredictable path. His journey could easily evolve into a complex narrative about the cost of violence, the weight of family legacy, and the question of who he really is after all he’s witnessed.
With so few characters left alive who could carry a spin-off, Jonah’s (played by Skylar Gaertner) arc feels like the only logical continuation. But for now, we have to wait.
Will There Be Ozark Season 5?
For five nail-biting seasons, Ozark had us glued to the chaos that was the Byrde family. After months of anticipation, the final credits rolled, and we couldn’t help but say: NO WAY!!! Is that it? The end? We felt the pain; how do you wrap up a show as intense as Ozark without leaving us with a few questions, maybe even a bit of hope for more? But, here we are!
In case you missed it, the show’s creators and cast have made it crystal clear—Season Four is the last. And while we love to dream up what-ifs, we know the curtain has fallen on the Byrdes’ story. But before we close the book entirely, let’s take a quick look at where Chris Mundy and star Jason Bateman envision the Byrdes’ future.
Mundy believes the Byrdes got what they wanted, but it comes with a heavy price. “They think they have everything they wanted”, he told Vanity Fair, adding:
But I think they’re dragging around a curse, to be honest.
That curse, it seems, is the weight of their actions—the mistakes that will continue to haunt them, even as they bask in their so-called success.
Bateman’s take? “I would bet they’ll go up to Chicago,” he said, speculating that Wendy and Marty would try to cash in on the political capital they’ve built. But, like always, their arrogance will be their undoing. While they’re certainly wiser than when we first met them, Bateman is doubtful that humility will ever guide them toward better decisions.
But here’s where things get a little tricky for fans hoping for more: Ozark was made clear from the get-go that Season 4 was its last. Netflix made an official announcement, and even the cast made a heartfelt farewell video that left us all misty-eyed.
The final season, split into two parts, wrapped up all the chaos, crime, and tension that had us hooked from the very first episode. We watched as the Byrdes survived—and in some ways thrived—against all odds, but after the last episode, Netflix made sure to drive the point home: No more Ozark.
Still, as fans, we can’t help but dream about what might come next. The Byrdes may have found their freedom, but there’s still plenty of room to imagine what could’ve been!
While the odds of an Ozark Season 5 are slim to none (Netflix’s decision is clear), it’s hard not to feel a little nostalgic. After all, this is a series that made us believe in redemption—at least, for a while. And sometimes, that’s the best way to end things—without overstaying your welcome, but leaving enough behind for us to keep talking about it long after the credits roll.
The Ozark creators seem content with the story they’ve told, leaving us with a fitting yet haunting conclusion. For now, let’s take a breath, process, and accept that we may never know what’s next for the Byrdes.
And as we wipe away our tears and say goodbye, just remember—while Ozark may have ended, we can still dream about what could have been. So, let’s hold onto those “what-ifs” for a little while longer.
Ozark is available now on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
