Upon reopening Netflix on Nov. 7, I was secretly predicting that the second half of Outer Banks season four would be strikingly similar to the first one: a whole lot of action, and just a little bit of time to cool down from it all.
I was, thankfully, completely mistaken.
Released just under a month after the first five episodes, the new culmination began focusing primarily on the show’s household name, JJ Maybanks (Rudy Pankow), and his apprehension towards the turn of events he was presented with in prior instances. Motivated by his deep-rooted frustration and anger, his pure wrath lights a fire under the Pogues to even more tenaciously pursue the lost treasure of Blackbeard, while simultaneously acknowledging the unfathomably high-stakes situation of the matter: at any given point, their lives were all on the line.
I went into the latter of this season under the guise that it would, in both an appreciated and repetitive manner, follow the traditional OBX format: treasure hunt, fighting, a fight between a couple, and a heroic ending, and in conjunction with unlikely miracles and the occasional villain death. The season would end, and I would go on and find something new to watch over the expansive sphere of the internet.
In the best way possible, I was wrong.
Never have I seen a season of Outer Banks with such depth before. While the progression of both the plot and storyline seemed somewhat stagnant in the former half of this season, the vivacity, profundity, and overall viewer connection skyrocketed with these most recently released episodes. Every scene was rooted in empathy, every line transcended the walls of my television, and every tear and smile was equally shared between my favorite characters and me.
All that being said, my prayers for a deeper dive into character introspection and sincerity were wholeheartedly answered. While the first half of the season was action-packed to the brim, episodes six through ten were impeccable at furthering the gaiety of character relations. One significant plot line that experienced moving depth was that between the main characters John B. (Chase Stokes) and Sarah Cameron (Madelyn Cline), when an unexpected plot twist left them unwaveringly bonded to each other and heartwarmingly devoted to their future. While the couple had not been emotionally tested before this half of the installment, the decision to implement a new, gripping element into their plot was, in my opinion, a thousand times more thrilling than any of the fist fights and shootouts that had occurred in prior episodes.
This season also features arguably the biggest turning point in show history. While I have encountered many claiming that this shock was “unnecessary” and angered avid viewers, I find that it fits perfectly with the trajectory of the show heading towards its fifth and cumulative season. Without going into potentially spoiler-dropping detail, a truly good show is a rollercoaster; soaring highs and crushing lows. If anything, the misery many watchers experienced in the final episode was a testament to just how engaging and evoking the show has been over its course.
While I was initially dubious of how this season would tie into the next one, season four did a similarly astonishing job at painting a picture of what is to come while also leaving room for interpretation. On one side of the spectrum, viewers have a concrete understanding of some aspects they can expect going forward. On the other hand, this season placed perfect plot holes and ended in an impeccably abrupt fashion, which stirs up the perfect pot for increasing anticipation, buzz, and excitement over the last installment of what has been Netflix’s most successful shows of this decade.
I, for one, am already waiting for the Pogues to grace my screen once more, and am beyond ecstatic to see what will be left when the dust clears on their final adventure.
