Ozark - Season 3 (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Skylar Gaertner (Jonah) went through a notable growth spurt between seasons 1 and 3. He'll be an adult by the time they get to season 4. I wonder if they'll do a time skip?

First thing I noticed. Boys tend to make the most significant jump in appearance between seasons.

The same thing happened to the boy who played Bran Stark in GAME OF THRONES.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

I have not finished this season yet, but this show so obviously wants to be Breaking Bad... but it's not.

The writing and the acting just aren't there. It's a fun enough diversion and I'm enjoying watching it grapple and unfold, but nothing comes close to how carefully and surprisingly Breaking Bad enthralled.

Just look at the big bad guys: Navarro is almost a cartoonish cliche; he might has well be pulling on a snidely mustache as he rants or screams predictable dialogue such as, "I own you!" to Wendy. Compare this portrayal to Gus Fring, who barely had to move a muscle or raise his voice to convey a menace beyond... beyond.

Laura Linney is a great actress, but Wendy's sudden evolution to a greedy, power mad Lady MacBeth is not justified by the character or the writing. Sure, she's having a field day going full tilt with this new version of the character, but it was a completely unnatural leap this season.

And Jason Bateman... My wife says it every episode: he's a terrible actor. In almost every role he has about two gears: low and neutral. He so deliberately underplays things, but you really don't see the inner work that makes for great acting. Now, as a director, he's pretty good. He's done a great job with what he's handed for this show, and for The Outsider on HBO.

I haven't gotten to the episode where the reason for Wendy's brother's existence is explored (but it should have been by episode 5), but it just reminds me of a GREAT film featuring Laura Linney dealing with her scalawag brother Mark Ruffalo in You Can Count On Me. Check it out if you haven't seen it. Great acting; great story; heartbreaking. The producers may have had something like that in mind casting a wayward brother for her in this series, but so far they can't begin to touch what that film achieved.

I've actually tried to attach Julie Garner (Ruth) in a project; she's a great actress, but they've really left her hitting mostly one 'fucking' note here. I'm staying tuned for what I expect they are going to soften her up for (romance with the brother that goes really bad).

Thanks for indulging my rant; I just had to get this off my chest because it's so obvious, and they are falling so short trying to match BB. Thank God for that last episode of Better Call Saul. The quality, suspense, and twisted soul of Breaking Bad lives!

 

[Greg.K]

It's definitely not in Breaking Bad's league.

And after this season I can't say I care one bit what happens to Marty & Wendy. I'm going to be rooting for Darlene in S4.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

So my wife would never watch The Sopranos because of the murder and violence, but anything there pales in comparison to the level of violence (almost to the point of cartoonish) in this series. Her loss (missing The Sopranos). Here, she finally walks away. Probably the wise choice. But I get a kick out of watching how the showrunners keep trying to up the ante (and lose any rationality). On episode 8.

One other mild rant; there's no way that casino interior fits inside that cosy little steamship. Just no frickin' way.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Episode 9. Well done. Sometimes you don't need a sledgehammer.

Spoiler

Breaking Bad would have the camera slowly sink down from Wendy and Ben talking in the minivan in the 'Warner' Mart parking lot... to the blinking tracer underneath. Because why wouldn't robo hitman have put a tracer on her car? But the fact Wendy turned him in and set him up was better, and we didn't need to see the violent payoff.

Navarro is still a complete cartoon of a bad guy, but they had to sacrifice one big baddie for the season and it was... Jane Lynch... er, I mean, Helen. So at least that was satisfying even if the overall logic of the series and why these basket case civilians would be involved in the first place doesn't make much sense. Hey, it's a TV series, I get it.

No renewal for Season 4 yet, but they are stringing it along.

 

[ChristopherG]

I love this show and I don't know that anything will compare well to Breaking Bad (Including BCS).

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I love this show and I don't know that anything will compare well to Breaking Bad (Including BCS).

I don't know why BREAKING BAD is even mentioned in this thread.

Who said that OZARK is trying to be BREAKING BAD?

On its own, this series has been very good -- especially the third season which I thought was the best of the three.

 

[ChristopherG]

I don't know why BREAKING BAD is even mentioned in this thread.

Who said that OZARK is trying to be BREAKING BAD?

On its own, this series has been very good -- especially the third season which I thought was the best of the three.

Look 3 and 4 posts above mine. I agree with you season 3 was amazing and exhausting.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Look 3 and 4 posts above mine. I agree with you season 3 was amazing and exhausting.

Yeah, I saw that. I totally disagree this show is trying to be BREAKING BAD.

First of all, if it were, it would be about a guy cooking meth.

Second, that's a pretty high bar to beat.

I judge this show on its own merits, and it's definitely not trying to rip-off another franchise.

 

[Tommy R]

It’s so different from BB in many ways. I can only see a comparison to the effect of “Oh, you might like Ozark if you like BB.” Nothing really more than that.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Don't know why I have to defend this, but even the showrunners admit they are going after a BB vibe. The entire theme of the show is how some ordinary folks are... breaking bad. Especially Laura Linney's character, who is now Lady MacBeth. Plus the up-the-ante violence and now the... Mexican cartel. Give me a break, even the creators admit they were going after this, but the writing and directing (plus some really absurd logic disconnects here) can't touch what it is attempting to copy.

 

[Tommy R]

I have no idea what the show runners have said specifically, but outside of having a very basic similarity I just don’t see it as trying to copy BB nor do I think it has the same vibe. Every character on Ozark is different, the plot and development is different, and the whole tone and feel of the show is different. At least that’s how I see it. The only thing it has in common with BB are drugs (and not even the same kind) and the cartel. BB didn’t invent either. I’d guess you could say “family” is a commonality as well, but the dynamic is so vastly different between the shows, that it just opens up to so many examples of how different the shows are. In particular, I don’t see the Byrdes as having “broken bad” nor as ordinary in their pre-cartel days, but as already well off people whos greed gets them WAY in over their heads.

This is just all the way I see it, though. I think BB is one of the best tv shows there has ever been, but I really dig Ozark as well.

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

Not dissing Ozark (here) , and the only reason I brought up the BB reference is because I remember reading the trades when it first sold and it was pitched to Netflix as an Ozark BB, otherwise I never would have brought up the comparison (but the people who sold it did).

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I never read that the show runners were trying to copy the BB vibe. Not saying that they didn't say that, but I really don't want to sit here trying to do a Google search on that and try to determine how it was phrased.

The Mexican Cartel is not a blatant rip-off. How many other drug cartels are there that border The United States?

It's all good in the end. Just me, personally, I would never go into a show like this and judge it based on Breaking Bad.

 

[SamT]

3x02 Civil Union

I have seen 2 episodes and I'm enjoying it a lot. Loving the music. I don't know if they are using it more or better but I'm noticing the score a lot more in this season.

So the conflict is between the 2 main protagonists? This is going to be heartbreaking. Maybe I'm being extreme but I feel like one is going to kill the other.

 

[ScottH]

Not sure if the show is trying to be Breaking Bad, but it does certainly seem like it's trying really hard to reach the intensity/shock level of Breaking Bad but the writing/storytelling/acting (Laura Linney notwithstanding) is not good enough to make it work most of the time.

That said, I enjoyed season 3 for the most part. It seemed to at least be more focused than the first 2. I am also one that didn't really buy into the full Wendy Lady Macbeth transition. I was also kind of let down because I heard rumblings of a "shocking" ending so I had pretty much convinced myself that one of the Byrd's would be killed.

 

[SamT]

Just finished season 3. Amazing season. Enjoyed it more than the previous 2 seasons.

 

[SamT]

Full spoilers for everything.

I was completely shocked at the death of Helen. Didn't see it coming and I'm constantly supposing everyone is going to die. However I need an explanation, I don't get it. Why she was terminated? She did everything that she was supposed to do. Why would the head of the drug cartel risk and kill the one person who is loyal?

 

[Hollywoodaholic]

I got that it was a demonstration of Navarro's power to keep the Byrds in line, and he didn't need Helen anymore if he's dealing with them directly. Plus hadn't she been compromised.

 

[SamT]

Helen was a major asset and player. She knew what and how things needed to be done. You don't kill a major asset of yours to pass a message to others! Makes no sense.