Women Are the Ones Who Knock on ‘Ozark’
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As Netflix continued expanding its library of original programming, the 2017 debut of Ozark followed in the footsteps of House of Cards and checked off an essential box for the streamer: the antihero drama. The series premiere finds mild-mannered accountant Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) staring down the barrel of a gun after his business partner is caught skimming money off a Mexican drug cartel, and then saving his own life by proposing a money laundering operation in the Lake of the Ozarks. And so Marty uproots his family from Chicago to Missouri, where he soons discovers that an act borne out of self-preservation might actually be a secret calling: Turns out, he enjoys breaking bad—pun very much intended.
In the Mount Rushmore of television’s male antiheroes—Tony Soprano, Walter White, Omar Little, Don Draper—Marty’s amoral trajectory most closely resembles that of Heisenberg. But while Ozark shares plenty of surface-level similarities with Breaking Bad, the show adds its own unique touches. For starters, Marty’s wife Wendy (Laura Linney) becomes complicit to the money laundering scheme from the jump, and it takes all but three episodes before their kids, Charlotte (Sofia Hublitz) and Jonah (Skylar Gaertner), are let in on the secret. It’s not exactly smooth sailing, but the Byrdes adjust to their new normal. The family that launders money together, stays together.
But one other tweak to the formula is what truly separates Ozark from Breaking Bad, and the antihero subgenre as a whole. Even though Marty proves to be resourceful, he’s mostly content to just run the numbers. The Byrde patriarch isn’t anyone’s idea of a good person, but he also isn’t getting his own hands dirty. Instead, the compellingly corrupted soul of Ozark is Wendy, whose Lady Macbeth act becomes more gripping—and reprehensible—with each season.
Far from being horrified by Marty’s actions in working for a cartel, Wendy becomes the public face of their operation and all that it entails. With a background in Chicago politics, she transforms the legitimate side of the business, including a riverboat casino, into a reputable local institution before forming a political foundation in the family’s name. Wendy’s big-picture view is using the capital from money laundering to influence national politics, but the character’s justification that doing the wrong thing now will lead to the right outcome down the road conceals an insatiable craving for power at any cost. Wendy has signed off on multiple assassinations in the series—including against her own brother, Ben (Tom Pelphrey), marking a harrowing point of no return. Ozark might’ve begun with Marty as its Walter White analogue, but heading into its endgame, Wendy is the one who knocks.
Subversion has long been a characteristic of the antihero drama, and by giving female characters like Wendy a spotlight historically reserved for men, Ozark is subverting the genre itself. That storytelling choice extends to the series’ answer to Jesse Pinkman. Upon arriving in the Ozarks, the Byrdes cross paths with Ruth Langmore (Julia Garner), a local whose family is routinely mixed up in petty crimes. But Marty sees potential in Ruth, taking her under his wing and showing her, if not a better way of living, then a more forward-thinking life of crime. The series’ X factor and undisputed MVP, Ruth’s unassuming appearance—she’s short, baby-faced, and sports curly blonde hair—belies an explosive temper and arguably the foulest mouth on television. But what has made the character truly resonate is the fact that beneath her profane bark, Ruth is extremely intelligent—her anger stems in part from knowing that she’s been dealt a poor hand in life—and in her own way, full of empathy. Ruth is fiercely protective of her comparatively innocent cousins and sees the good in people even if they can’t see it themselves—including Ben, whom she falls in love with in Season 3 before Wendy has him killed. Of Ozark’s three Primetime Emmy wins, two belong to Garner for her breakout performance, and it wouldn’t be surprising if she added a third for herself later in the year.
While Marty remains a central figure in Ozark’s final season, Wendy and Ruth continue to occupy the show’s most fascinating real estate. Following the revelation of Ben’s death—and Ruth, iconically, referring to Wendy as a “fucking bitch wolf”—Marty’s former protégé has decided to forge her own path by teaming up with local heroin producer Darlene Snell (Lisa Emery). (Darlene is yet another example of Ozark’s uniting philosophy—a secondary villain also happens to be a woman, and who seizes control of a drug empire by poisoning her husband for being too soft.) But switching jobs isn’t liable to end well when your old employer is a cartel, and one of the people standing in your way was willing to kill her own brother.
The ongoing tension between Wendy and Ruth—and the other characters needing to choose their allegiances—has propelled Ozark to thrilling new heights as it enters the first half of its fourth and final season. Without future seasons to worry about, it feels like anybody could end up in a body bag—or, more likely given that the Byrdes own a funeral home, tossed in a crematorium to avoid an evidence trail. (This is not a joke: For the second year in a row, the only spoiler note Netflix gave out for press was to not reveal “all character deaths.”)
Marty’s passive attitude—or at best, apathy—to the ugliest aspects of his family’s line of work underlines the series’ uniqueness. Historically, audiences have had a prickly (and at times toxic) relationship with certain female characters in antihero dramas, primarily for the “crime” of reacting like any rational person would after discovering that their husband was, say, cooking meth. But Ozark flips the script by not just making sure that female characters aren’t overlooked, but by largely having them be responsible for the shocking narrative developments that make these kinds of dramas so irresistible to watch.
Of course, the life-or-death stakes in Ozark’s final season will seem quite familiar for television viewers with even a passing knowledge of The Sopranos or The Wire. But by embracing complex, morally conflicted female characters in various positions of power, Ozark has forced the antihero drama to evolve. There’s no reason why breaking bad should be a boy’s club—not when standout characters like Wendy Byrde and Ruth Langmore are just as willing to scheme, shout, and kill their way to the top.
Is Frank Jr alive in Ozark? How did he survive? Joseph Sikora teases big twist
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Ozark: Netflix teases fourth season
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Ozark is one of Netflix’s most successful long-running crime dramas that has drawn in fans from the very start. Unfortunately, it’s almost time to say goodbye as the streaming service confirmed last year that series four would be its last. One storyline which will be further explored in the remaining episodes is to do with Kansas City gangster Frank Cosgrove Jr (played by Joseph Sikora).
WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Ozark.
Fans of Sikora’s will know him best for starring as thug Tommy Egan in all six seasons of Starz drama Power. Sikora is also going to be getting his own spin-off show entitled Power Book IV: Force which is set to premiere in February. Before filming wrapped up on the original Power series though, Sikora made an appearance in the third series of Ozark. He was the aggressive criminal who worked under his dad and spent a lot of his time at the casino. READ MORE: Emmerdale exit for Ryan Stocks as deadly secret exposed?
Ozark season 4: Is Frank Cosgrove Jr still alive?
Ozark: Frank Cosgrove Jr viciously attacked Ruth Langmore.
READ MORE Christopher Dean issues warning to Dancing On Ice star While he was at the casino, he had a public argument with Ruth Langmore (Julia Garner) which led to him leaving the building. However, little did she know that Frank Jr was waiting for her outside where he viciously attacked Ruth. When Darlene Snell (Lisa Emery) found out what happened, she was far from happy and wanted her revenge - especially as the Byrdes failed to exact revenge of their own. So she did what any sane person would do: grab a shotgun and shoot him below the belt in his car at close range.
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Ozark: Darlene Snell shot Frank Jr under the belt in revenge for Ruth.
Ozark: Actor Joseph Sikora will return as Frank Jr in season 4.
Fans assumed that this was the last they would see of Frank Jr but actor Sikora has since confirmed this is not the case. In fact, the consequences of this revenge attack could play a big part in the final season of Ozark. Speaking to EW, Sikora said: “It’s an incredibly tough spot. But when you have a writer that is as gifted as Chris Mundy, the showrunner of Ozark, you can do anything. “The old expression that comes to mind is sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. He’s able to write fiction as truth.”
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Sikora continued: “So people are going to be incredibly excited at season four of Ozark, the finale season. “I think that the audience will really enjoy the twist of how Frank Jr shows up, why he shows up, and how did he survive? Everything will be explained.” Will Frank Jr now turn his attention to Darlene, hoping to seek his own justice for maiming him? Luckily, there isn’t too much longer to wait before subscribers can find out.
What to Stream This Weekend: ‘Ozark,’ VHS Horror, ‘Last Duel’ & Teen Comedy
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This weekend, Cheddar’s staff is recommending money laundering capers in the Missouri Ozarks, a horror/mystery hidden on videotapes, a dark drama set in medieval France, and a “book smart” teen comedy.
Ozark, Season 4, Part 1 - Netflix
Picked by Producer Lawrence Banton
Netflix’s hit series Ozark is making its return to the streaming giant this weekend as the final season gets underway. The story follows Marty (Jason Bateman) and Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) who relocate from Chicago to Missouri’s Ozarks after Marty’s business partner, and fellow money launderer is caught skimming millions of dollars from a Mexican drug cartel. The series follows the Byrdes as they grow their laundering operation to save their own necks. But you know what they say, “more money, more problems.” With the cartel breathing down their necks and being forced to deal with locals who saw them as threatening competition, things got out of hand — and fast! This season, it looks like the couple will be taking on a bigger role in the drug and money laundering business as they become the big boss’ direct line to the Ozarks. I’m ready for an intense ride to say the very least. The final 14 episodes will be split into two parts, with the first seven available on Friday.
Archive 81 - Netflix
Picked by Digital Editor Mike Nam
Ah, the days of analog, so much creepier in light of all the digital crispness that surrounds us today. Archive 81 is an evocative new series on Netflix based on a found-footage horror podcast of the same name. The show revolves around a video archivist investigating a trove of tapes from a mysterious building fire back in the ’90s in New York City as he becomes increasingly obsessed with the incident and the graduate student who had been recording her research of the odd community that lived there. After the first episode, so far it has the feel of dark, weird, and surreal works like Twin Peaks or the modern video game Control.
The Last Duel - HBO Max
Picked by Reporter Alex Vuocolo
The 84-year-old director Ridley Scott astonishingly had two major releases in 2021: House of Gucci and The Last Duel. The former, starring Lady Gaga, is a high-fashion crime saga. The latter is a two-and-a-half-hour drama about a sexual assault in medieval France. You can probably guess which one did better at the box office. But don’t let Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s outrageous pre-modern haircuts — or the sordid subject matter — scare you away. The Last Duel is wildly entertaining as a big-budget period piece, while also delving deeper than most contemporary films into the contested nature of justice and truth and how people skew the world to match with their perceptions. If you needed any more convincing, this is the first time Affleck and Damon have written a script together since Good Will Hunting.
Booksmart - Hulu
Picked by Sr. News Editor Dina Ross
I recently got to watch Booksmart, a 2019 teen comedy starring Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein. It’s not the straight-up goofy look at high school like we’re used to seeing (I’m looking at you ‘He’s All That’), but there are plenty of immature laughs to be had in the flick directed by Olivia Wilde. As the age-old storyline goes, two teens decide to let loose on their last night of high school. The BFFs hit up a bunch of parties all over town in an effort to find their secret crushes. Hijinks ensue, of course, but there’s a loving undertone between the friends that carries throughout the story. If you want to catch a fun teen movie with a little more class, Booksmart might be just what you’re looking for.
Looking for more to watch? Check out our recommendations from last week and the week before.
Where Did We Leave Off on ‘Ozark’?
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Who is Alfonso Herrera dating? ‘Ozark’ star sparks rumors post-divorce
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A new year and we have yet another romance on the cards! From Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader to Tom Holland and Zendaya, Cupid has struck many and it looks like one of the arrows hit a member of the Netflix family.
While ‘Ozark’ may be making waves with tension and thrills packed in the newest Season 4, one of the cast members is making waves of his own. Alfonso “Poncho” Herrera who plays Javi Elizonndro on the hit Netflix thriller shocked fans with his rumors of dating ‘Narcos’ actress Ana de la Reguera and audiences have mixed reactions. Barely a month following his split with his wife and mother of his sons, the actor seems to have moved on pretty fast and got together with a new lady love, so read on to know what is swirling in the rumor mill!
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Alfonso Herrera announces split from wife Diana Vázquez
On December 6, 2021, the ‘Ozark’ star announced the news of his split with his wife of five years, Diana Vázquez. The divorce comes after being together since 2016. The duo has two sons, Daniel and Nicolás. In his announcement on Twitter, the actor had written “Diana Vázquez and I have long since decided to continue our lives along different paths. This situation occurs by mutual agreement and on friendly terms. We continue to be great friends and allies for the beautiful family we have formed. Diana became my accomplice on the journey and with her we have given life to our beloved children. She is an exceptional mother, a strong woman and has a huge heart”.
His now ex-wife was also quite open about the split but may have shared a different sentiment as she shared Twitter post on the “characteristics of a toxic person in a relationship,” which many assumed was about her ex-husband. She also tweeted, “An important reminder for psychologists, therapists, and people in general: Couple relationships must be analyzed from a gender, violence, and machismo perspective.”
(L-R) Alfonso Herrera and Diana Vazquez attends the La Carmencita Celebrates Its Grand Opening on June 29, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images for The Brand Agency)
Is Ana de la Reguera his new lady love?
Barely a month has passed by since the split and it looks like the ‘Rebelde’ star has a new love in his life. Mexican TV outlet TVNotas reported that Herrera was in a relationship with fellow Mexican actress Ana de la Reguera, after they reconnected on the set of their movie ‘Que viva México’ last year. Although the rumors haven’t been confirmed as of yet but an alleged friend of Herrera told the publication that Ana most likely asked him to divorce his wife since she would not like to be the ‘other woman’ in the relationship.
The source said, “I know that Ana wants them to live together in the United States where she has an apartment and he is very interested in growing with his career, so it is likely that he will go with her,” and also added, “Poncho says he is madly in love with Ana.”
Seems like Ana may have been the primary cause behind the breakup and fans had their own opinions on the rumored romance saying “I would have divorced anybody for Ana de la Reguera,”. But there are town sides and one person wrote, “Omg noooo I love Ana de la Reguera. I hope it’s just rumors and she’s not involved in this mess.”. Not much is known about the rumors and only time will tell if there’s any truth to the allegations.
(L-R) Ana de La Reguera and Alfonso Herrera attend the La Carmencita Celebrates Its Grand Opening on June 29, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images for The Brand Agency)
Disclaimer : This is based on sources and we have been unable to verify this information independently.