Ozark has a fantastic range of characters throughout its three seasons which all help to make it a fantastic series. However, it is Marty Byrde who is undoubtedly the lead role of this Netflix sensation. Played perfectly by Jason Bateman, the character is gripping to watch as he deals with the consequences of his money-laundering ways.
Marty is incredibly intelligent and that makes him a very fun character throughout the show, mainly because he is constantly analyzing situations and he always gets to the right conclusion. He comes out with some brilliant quotes over the course of the three seasons.
“People deserve a second chance, just like businesses.”
Marty Byrde is someone who likes to provide opportunity and chances to everyone he can, regardless of their circumstance. A great example of that is how he treats Ruth Langmore, with Marty being one of the only people willing to give her a chance at the start.
He has a great mind for people skills while he also has a strong mind for business, which is why he manages to make a mark in the casino field. This quote shows just how happy is to help people out whenever possible, while still relating things back to business, as he always does.
“The satisfying sound of your lover smacking the pavement is the only thing that gets me to sleep.”
This quote comes early on in Ozark, but it proves just how ruthless Marty can be when he needs to. Firing back at his own wife who is complaining about their situation, Marty makes it crystal clear that he has no regrets and doesn’t care about the fact her lover ended up being killed.
He dies in a brutal manner by being launched off a balcony to smash on the concrete floor, and that is something that Marty is clearly not bothered by in the slightest. The fact that it’s actually something he appears to be proud of is what really proves early on he has a true instinct to cause problems.
“Okay. Money laundering 101.”
Another early quote is a fantastic one minute speed lesson in exactly what money laundering is. Considering it plays such a major part in the series, it makes sense that the show would explain exactly what it is and how it happens, and this is done by Marty explaining it.
However, the way he kicks off this epic speech is classic Marty. Just a simple “Okay,” as he then gets down to business is absolutely perfect and it really is a great moment from the show.
“Hypothetically, scale of one to ten, how difficult would it be for someone to disappear?”
One of the big problems Marty Byrde suffers throughout the series is that he ends up stuck with nowhere to go. He gets into certain problems, mainly being involved in money laundering in the first place, and one of the ways he thinks of avoiding it is by escaping.
This quote perfectly sums up Marty. Because while he has thought of a potential solution and a way out of his issues, he still has to analyse the potential pros and cons of everything, which is what he does for every decision he makes.
“Money is not peace of mind.”
Despite the fact that Marty Byrde is incredibly good with money, and always ensures that the Byrde family is living in a comfortable home with all the luxuries they could want, he knows it doesn’t answer all potential problems.
This quote is the ideal one to exemplify that because Marty knows that despite the fact that they have money, they aren’t able to solve any of their issues. It’s an important life lesson for people and one that Marty proves here.
“Most people just have a fundamentally flawed view of money.”
Money is something that provides a major talking point for Marty and it is the real core principle for the entire show in general. This is yet another quote of Marty discussing money, which proves why he is so good at dealing with it and fiddling it.
Marty might not be an expert with money himself as he does end up in a tough spot because of how he deals with things prior to the show beginning. However, he knows that other people are a lot worse at handling it and that leads to a lot of problems for them, which they can take advantage of.
“If I want to put all $7,945,400 into a hot tub, get buck naked and play Scrooge McDuck, that is 100% my business.”
Sometimes, when Marty Byrde completely loses his cool, it leads to the greatest moments. This is a perfect example of that as he demands to try and take his money from the bank, he goes off on a huge tangent and that leads to this amazing quote with Marty comparing himself to Scrooge McDuck.
It’s an amazing moment where he takes power and makes his point perfectly clear and it is absolutely hilarious to see. He is always great when he is in this mood and it really is the reason that many people find him the best character on the show.
“I bought a strip club.”
On its own, this quote might not seem that interesting, but when the context is added in it is very clear why this is one of his best quotes. With Wendy berating him about not doing enough for the family, she asks what he had done that day for his family.
When Marty responds with “I bought a strip club,” it showcases the full turn that the family has taken. Him buying a strip club being something that could be considered to be normal is absolutely hilarious, yet it is also something he says as a method of really proving his point.
“We are not husband and wife anymore. We’re just business partners. And our job is to raise those kids.”
Marty and Wendy may end up agreeing to work together, but the love between them certainly disappears throughout the show. They have huge arguments and struggle to agree on anything, however, they end up working together to both raise the children and try keep up the family image and be successful with their money laundering.
This quote perfectly sums up what is going on with them as a duo. They want nothing to do with being romantic with each other, but they just want to earn money and get out of the situation they are in, despite the fact they constantly backstab each other anyway.
“Sometimes people make decisions, s**t happens, and we gotta act accordingly.”
While Marty is normally very calm, at points he does lose his cool when the pressure builds. This is a great example of that, snapping and losing his cool, making it clear that decisions happen and it’s important to go with the flow.
Marty does make some poor decisions throughout the series, mainly the one which lands the family in the situation in the first place. However, he does always push on, despite what anybody says or whatever adversity he is under.
