I think this show is grade A and season 2 didn't flag at all. The mix of crime and politics is intriguing and yes, they use a lot of shorthand, but I would rather avoid tedium than have everything play out as if it were "real". The show uses reality, it is not real. But the family dynamics, frustrated parents and the children who learn by watching them, come across as quite natural, as did the family's relationships with Buddy. Ruth is multi dimensional and Rachel is frighteningly flawed and I'm invested in both. And while Jason Bateman is doing a good job of playing a very insular guy Laura Linney is one of our top ten actresses, maybe top five. Wendy made a deliberate decision to become a different person at the end of S2 and it was played perfectly. Some of the house cleaning was convenient but makes for a fresh S3. I'll just add that things often happened faster than I expected and nothing felt padded or dragged out and I wish the producers of the Marvel shows would take note.
I agree that Agent Petty would not have let a know violent criminal get the drop on him so easily. These guys are highly trained, wouldn't turn their backs and kneel in front of a known criminal. Yet, this is probably the impetus for season 3: they (the cartel and the Birds) don't know the pressure that is going to fall on them when the FBI come looking for one of their own that has gone missing. If the show blows this off (i.e. the FBI just ignores the disappearance of Agent Petty and don't come around investigating the people he was investigating), then the show is jumping the shark.
I was disappointed to see the character bow out too, but I think the series made clear that he was a narcissistic sociopath well beyond being a Fed. Petty was impulsive, reckless and supremely arrogant, and fancied himself beyond the reach of mere backwoods yokels. This egotistical indifference is perfectly encapsulated in the final scene with Cade Langmore - which becomes Petty's undoing. The back story with Petty's mother was established earlier in the season, and so Byrde's threats were enough to convincingly warrant his retreat from further pursuit. (Note: Petty's penchant for fly-fishing was a keenly observed character touch.)
The bolded is the perfect answer to Petty's death. I was going to say something similar, but not quite. Your answer was better than mine. A piece of my answer, though, is that the unceremonious dispatching of Roy Petty was probably one of the more realistic moments in the show, as Cade didn't drive out to kill him; he just snapped. In the grand scheme of Cade's life that moment encapsulated Cade's lot in life, as well as the "Langmore Curse." The coincidence isn't lost that Cade killed Russ' lover. What's more, as Petty let his guard down to Cade, part of that was him simply being sick of the whole thing; he was venting, as he felt hurt over Russ' death. P.S. - Evidently the showrunners had mother's sickness in mind for awhile, because those scenes were actually in the first season.
Absolutely. Cade's increasing desperation was well paced throughout the 2nd season: we knew he was going to snap, but remained unsure as to where and when. If the Byrdes exhibit the clinical precision of birds of prey, Cade is the veritable doomed rat in a cage. Indeed, part of the fun of Ozark is watching the writers gleefully turn the screws on each and every character with pinpoint accuracy, ruthlessly attuned to their inherent flaws. Or animalistic cunning. Yes, I very much liked those moments where Petty laments his part in the destruction of Russ, which added some significant shading to what (in lesser writing) could have been a very rote character. And the posthumous visitations by Russ also add significant poignancy to his backstory. I binge-watched both seasons over a 2 week period, so - yes! My mistake.
Just found this show. Will come back to the thread after a binge watch but might take a couple of weeks as I just finished episode 1 and have a ways to go. Great first episode!
We just finished season 2. It was very good but not quite as compelling as the first season. I wanted to see more of Marty Byrde's tricky ingenuity. It seems that Wendy is taking over the role of the primary mover and shaker now. We lost a couple of intriguing characters in season 2 but the whole season seemed like a set-up for the KC mob vs the cartel - with the FBI in the wings - which is likely what will drive season 3's plots. I grade S1 an A and S2 a B+. Still a top-notch show.
Posting without reading anything but finished up season 1 Friday. What a great show, if it ended there that would have been a good way to end. But I am looking forward to season 2, maybe I can finish it in a week or less. When I do I'll come back to page one of this thread and catch up. I almost didn't want this show. Someone at work recommended it and I kept putting it off because I have so many other things to do and see. But once I saw the first two episodes of Ozark I put the others on hold till I can finish this. Be back when I finish season 2!
One episode left in season 2. For me it started off slow, ramped up nicely in middle episodes and then nosedived terribly to this last episode. Too bad. Ruth and the Cartel episode was such a highlight. Charlotte...ugh. Baby..ugh. Baby doll...ugh. Rachel..ugh. Casino..ughhhhh. How the f did the Schnells escape that supposed carnage with just one through the shoulder? My newest tipping point. What a completely inept drug cartel. Why be scared of those folks. Drinking game: Marty says " I gotta go".
Meh. I heard about the renewal from a sports radio station yesterday during their "entertainment" portion and one of the personalities was like, "what else are they going to do here?". I tend to agree. I think the story has, easily, reached its logical conclusion. I just steered my dad away from starting the first season due to the 2nd season being pretty lackluster. I don't see why he should invest his time into something that does nothing but become tedious and uninteresting.
Glad it’s coming back. Season 2 wasn’t quite as good as season 1, but I still enjoyed it. Not a lot else I was interested in watching...so I’m good with another season.
As I thought that Season 2 of Ozark was as good as, or perhaps better than, Season 1, I am very glad that there will be a Season 3. I cannot comprehend the comments here about how Season 2 of Ozark was not good. Did you watch the same Season 2 that I did? I thought that Season 2 was fantastic.
I thought Season 2 was pretty good. My only gripe is that in killing Del, Jacob, and Buddy, they got rid of some of the more fascinating characters. Young Darlene was easy on the eyes. More so than her older version.
almost finished with 2nd season..however, my thought is that if the drug cartel knew the FBI agent was staying in a $40 flea bag motel alone, in the Ozarks, the agent would disappear.
Yup, at the end of the episode you think they're goners, and they should have been based on the situation. A jump the tadpole moment.
I don't think so. Why would the person calling the shots at the Cartel want to draw that kind of heat onto them? It doesn't seem smart. If they killed him, it wouldn't stop the investigation, and now the revenge motive by the agency would be strong. Although they are ruthless and brazen in Mexico when it comes to law enforcement, I don't think the Cartel would be anxious to kill FBI federal agents, especially on their home turf.
Agreed. I get that they are likely trying to make Darlene more hatable, since she will likely be the character we can't wait to see get her comeuppance which means she will survive till nearly the end, while also making the show have that "anybody could get killed at any time" factor, but they did it at the expense of great character.
