Ozark: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 401 Ratings

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8.3

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8.3	User Score Universal acclaim based on 401 Ratings

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Ozark

Now Playing: Ozark

Season Details & Credits

Netflix | Season Premiere Date: July 21, 2017

Summary: Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman), his wife Wendy (Laura Linney) and their two kids move from Chicago to The Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri to escape a drug lord (Esai Morales) after a money-laundering scheme goes wrong in this drama created by Bill Dubuque.

Creator: Bill Dubuque

Genre(s): Drama

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E10. The Toll
Air Date: July 21, 2017
tbd
S1:E9. Coffee, Black
Air Date: July 21, 2017
tbd
S1:E8. Kaleidoscope
Air Date: July 21, 2017

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Mark A. Perigard

Jul 21, 2017

The violence is stunning, shocking, messy and unexpected. Bateman, who also serves as executive producer, directed four episodes and is a master behind the camera. His work squeezes the suspense in any scene. The locations are both beautiful and sinister, and the show is superbly scored. Ozark will resonate with fans of “Breaking Bad,” although Walter White has little in common with Marty. Read full review

Uncle Barky Ed Bark

Jul 19, 2017

Ozark makes its bones via Bateman’s solid work, another reliably strong performance from Linney and an intriguing if sometimes over-populated immorality play that tantalizingly firms its grip. Read full review

Rob Lowman

Jul 20, 2017

The good news is that Ozark isn’t all that predictable and develops its own quirky rhythm. ... Even when the series seems to be drifting, it keeps luring you in. Read full review

David James

Jul 7, 2017

It’s not as good as all-time classics like The Sopranos, The Wire and Breaking Bad, but it shares the same enquiring nature: intelligently examining the psychology, sociology and economics that fuel crime. Read full review

Ken Tucker

Jul 21, 2017

The show has an occasionally suspenseful twist. (Electrocution in the water: Watch out!) But as it proceeds, Ozark takes way too long to make a few good points and to showcase a few good performances, most prominently Jason Bateman’s. Read full review

Josh Bell

Jul 20, 2017

The producers have come up with a somber, plodding, almost entirely humorless mix of Breaking Bad and Justified, when they should have made a show about this spitfire of a character, the only one in the ensemble who isn’t bringing everything down. Read full review

UPROXX Alan Sepinwall

Jul 18, 2017

What might have felt like a novel idea 10 or 15 years ago--middle-aged white anti-hero does something terrible to help his family, and only gets pulled in deeper and deeper--is now so tired that it would require sheer brilliance to come out feeling as fresh and untainted as all the money that Marty cleans. And Ozark isn’t up to that challenge. Read full review

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User Score

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8.3

User Reviews

kennygraham

Jul 30, 2017

Good show, and the entire cast is great. It moves along well with you hoping it will turn into a longer series, especially if you've been binge watching!! There are some really bad dudes in this story.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

Lanceuppercut51

Jul 30, 2017

This show is up there with the best on Netflix right now. Great acting, suspenseful. This is easily a 90/100 in my opinion. Don't listen to the negatives. The rating this show received from this site is laughable.

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

I8yourreview

Jul 25, 2017

I was shocked that Ozark, easily the best show set or dealing with rural Americana since Rectify, wasn't rated in the low 90s. This show is highly underrated and that's a real shame. I read many of the negative reviews and some from legendary critics I respect (such as Yahoo!'s Ken Tucker)I was shocked that Ozark, easily the best show set or dealing with rural Americana since Rectify, wasn't rated in the low 90s. This show is highly underrated and that's a real shame. I read many of the negative reviews and some from legendary critics I respect (such as Yahoo!'s Ken Tucker) who IMO really miffed this one.
The best way to go into Ozark is with zero background and no expectations.
I think the worst way to go into Ozark is by comparing it to heavy hitters like breaking bad or weeds. The latter, Weeds no disrespect to Qween Jenji) hit less emotional beats in their last 3 seasons than Ozark does in just 3 episodes. It's laughable how many tv critics repeat the "this show is the new breaking bad" meme, so much so I normally wouldn't dignify them with a response.

However, the comparisons between BB and Ozark highlight a flaw with this show's reviews and contemporary tv criticism at large. "Prestige garishness" is when a show so overtly panders to critics and NATAS that the effort is cringeworthy and often lacks the taste it so craves. And, it's true that miffed Prestige tropes run rampant throughout the so called 'embarrassment of riches' that is the 2017 TV landscape. However A 'Prestige Trope' isn't inherently a bad thing. Bateman (Ozark's star and director) flirts with some basic 'prestige tropes' but instead of falling face first into them, Bateman deftly subverts them. Compare Ozark first season against Breaking bad's slow burn of a first season, and we see two shows with similar premises and thematic elements however these show are vastly different. Obviously BB season 1 wins against Ozark season 1 in most conceivable categories (particularly in style, balance and protagonist character development) however Ozark's first season IMO comes ahead of BB s01 when it comes to pacing, cast wide character development and episode-to-episode entwining of thematic and symbolic elements with their plot.

Inversely I foresee the potential for underestimation to mislead many a-viewers to overlook this wonderful series--thinking this is anything like bloodlines (yuck, I get bored and a bad taste in my mouth just saying it). While Ben Mendelsohn is acting gift from the TV gods, bloodlines is a steaming pile of boredom. I almost skipped Ozark because I assumed from a trailer that Ozark would just be a snarkyer Bloodlines with high caliber actors. I was thankfully very very wrong. Ozark May make you want to grab a triple beam scale or a graphic calculator but I guarantee after watching you'll never climb out of water and onto a dock the same way again.… Expand

23 of 25 users found this helpful232

rodericrinehart

Aug 21, 2018

We LOVE IT. Me and my wife's two favorite shows ever are Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones. We enjoy dark and gritty shows. Comparing it to Breaking Bad - a show I admire on so many levels - is actually fine. It's not quite as good (and that's not a knock), but Ozark is refreshing for a darkWe LOVE IT. Me and my wife's two favorite shows ever are Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones. We enjoy dark and gritty shows. Comparing it to Breaking Bad - a show I admire on so many levels - is actually fine. It's not quite as good (and that's not a knock), but Ozark is refreshing for a dark show and really had my attention throughout and Bateman is just amazing.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

HannibalB

Oct 25, 2018

This show has its little problems, but the characters are good and generally behave in believable ways (well, they can handle a lot more stress than most real people), and there threats are always piling on. Sure they get out of some situations that seem impossible, but that's the thingThis show has its little problems, but the characters are good and generally behave in believable ways (well, they can handle a lot more stress than most real people), and there threats are always piling on. Sure they get out of some situations that seem impossible, but that's the thing about a good show: when it does cheat, you don't mind so much because most of the time its both believable and interesting. The casting is very good. This show stands out in the sea of illogical and uninteresting crap that fills the TV world today.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Calfaro17

Aug 25, 2018

My first impression so far of “Ozark” is pretty good and I’m looking forward to actually watch season two. It’s a show with a different take on crime and drama mixed together to envelope a dark picture of the struggles that the Byrde family faces. The plot revolves around a middle classMy first impression so far of “Ozark” is pretty good and I’m looking forward to actually watch season two. It’s a show with a different take on crime and drama mixed together to envelope a dark picture of the struggles that the Byrde family faces. The plot revolves around a middle class suburban family in Chicago and Marty Bryde the main protagonist technically puts his family in danger with the mexican cartel. This leaves Marty forced into a corner but Marty pulls a literal get out of death card by showing Del a pamphlet of the Ozark’s. This leads to the Byrde’s driving all the way from Chicago to Missouri and the family ends up progressively changed by the town they live in.
Each character that is apart of the Byrde family is affected by Marty’s laundering business in different ways. To be short, Jonah becomes fascinated with birds and their methods of “seeking” out prey. Charlotte literally comes of age into a changed young adult after a couple mature descisons. For the sake of Wendy, she adapts into a slight and important mirror of her own husband Marty Byrde. Last we see an expansive amount of character development with Marty up until the very last episode. Even though Marty may seem like a calm and collected character at all times we see Jason Bateman make use of his face to speak loud for his emotions.
In total there are two total minor issues and the first is the family of the Snells who repeat their lines in bible verses to end with verbal or physical punchlines. Second, my question is why didn’t the Byrde’s rat Marty out if it was putting the kids in danger. The way the Byrde kids react is sometimes unreal and almost loosens the grip of reality. But my warm thoughts about this series is the camera work. From the first shot of Ozark, I could tell already that this show was going to be gritty considering Chicago and the Ozarks always seem cloudy without any sunny days. Every scene even when the sun shines it seems like there is no hope for the Byrde family. Since the writers of the show worked on the gritty movie “The Accountant” they took shooting elements and put it into this show. But the difference is that the Byrde family is fairly average and seem almost real at times in the way they argue and live. It’s not a bad show and it’s not great show but it lands in the middle of mild action, a consistent story line and has a thoughtful amount of character development.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

millyera

Sep 11, 2018

Ozark or, as I've begun to call it. ODark, is compelling and has intriguing characters, but I'm finding it VERY DIFFICULT to watch a show that is soooo DARK that you can't see it. We've adjusted the lighting on our TV as friends have recommended and it's a bit better but still almostOzark or, as I've begun to call it. ODark, is compelling and has intriguing characters, but I'm finding it VERY DIFFICULT to watch a show that is soooo DARK that you can't see it. We've adjusted the lighting on our TV as friends have recommended and it's a bit better but still almost unwatchable. When it comes time for filming awards, whoever thought filming a show in darkness for whatever symbolic reason should go elsewhere and receive a score of 10 out of 100 Please improve the lighting or I will not strain my eyes for another season. Take note that the trailer is filmed in the dark as well - I am no fan of this type of presentation.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 96 REVIEWS

Seasons & Episodes

66

Series Overview
Season 3

77
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: March 27, 2020
Season 2

59
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: August 31, 2018
Season 1

66
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: July 21, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E10. The Toll
  Air Date: July 21, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E9. Coffee, Black
  Air Date: July 21, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E8. Kaleidoscope
  Air Date: July 21, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E7. Nest Box
  Air Date: July 21, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E6. Book of Ruth
  Air Date: July 21, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E5. Ruling Days
  Air Date: July 21, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E4. Tonight We Improvise
  Air Date: July 21, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E3. My Dripping Sleep
  Air Date: July 21, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E2. Blue Cat
  Air Date: July 21, 2017
- tbd
  S1:E1. Sugarwood
  Air Date: July 21, 2017