2 Binge or Not 2 Binge… ‘Ozark’

This show never interested me before, because I usually couldn’t give two craps about drug cartel stories. Finally, one of my co-workers mentioned how season 3 of ‘Ozark’ is the best season of TV ever, so of course I finally decided to check it out and watch the first 2 episodes to decide if it is worth binging.

‘Ozark’ is about a father, Marty (Jason Bateman), who gets involved in some shady business as a financial advisor/money launderer with a Mexican drug lord and has to pay the price. His wife, Wendy (Laura Linney), and kids, Charlotte (Sofia Hublitz) and Jonah (Skylar Gaertner), also get dragged into his mess, which involves relocating to the Ozarks in Missouri. Right off the bat in the show, the family dynamic is totally established, and you get a real sense of how this family has been functioning. A lot of the parents pretending everything is just fine for their kids, who can see right through it and obviously know better. I am especially drawn to the relationship between Marty and his daughter, because it is a father/daughter relationship that isn’t always explored in TV. Usually in film/TV they either do not get along at all and are always butting heads, or there is a cringe-worthy “daddy’s girl” vibe to their relationship. I like Marty and Charlotte’s relationship so far because it is sort of a mixture of both, which makes it more believable.

Another thing that I am really impressed with is the pacing of the show. The first episode went by incredibly fast and really set up the whole show. It really created the sense of urgency that it seems like they are trying to portray. Jason Bateman is also amazing, and I feel like I have totally been underestimating him as a serious actor. Laura Linney is great as his wife too, and I have a feeling that she is going to have some bad-ass moments later on in the show.

I feel like I have had two great shows to start off my ‘2 Binge or Not 2 Binge’ series with ‘Devs’ and now ‘Ozark’. Obviously I totally can’t wait to keep watching ‘Ozark’ and recommend it for anyone looking for a gritty drama to pass the time.