The TV show Ozark is renewed for season 4 at Netflix, which will be its final season. The crime drama has taken viewers on a wild ride for the past three seasons, following the Byrde family’s move to the Ozarks after their money laundering scheme went awry. The series has been one of the most critically lauded shows in Netflix’s history of producing original content, making its sudden ending a bit of a surprise to those who haven’t been following the show closely.
Ozark is just three months removed from the release of season 3, which debuted on March 27. While the season had its share of issues – the sidelining of the Byrde children being a significant one – it still reached new heights from a critical perspective, largely on the back of Laura Linney’s praised performance as Wendy, who emerged in season 3. The season currently holds a 97 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, far and away the highest approval rating for any individual season of the show.
Season 4 will be the last opportunity for Ozark to hit those heights. Netflix confirmed Ozark has been renewed for season 4. In addition, Netflix revealed the next season would be the show’s last, and that it would consist of 14 episodes, four more than each of the first three seasons had. The show’s final season will be split into two different releases, with the first seven episodes released, followed by the back half of Ozark season 4 at a later date.
Netflix has made somewhat of a habit of separating their final seasons into multiple releases. For example, Lucifer season 5 was thought to be its last and has been split into two parts, with the first half expected to come out in August. However, Lucifer was renewed for season 6 and will continue on beyond season 5. Additionally, Netflix’s Fuller House released its final season in two different sections. With each release of Ozark season 4 consisting of seven episodes, it may almost feel like two full seasons of the show coming out, which will extend the experience of the final season.
While it’s probably bittersweet to hear Ozark is ending, having that information before a fourth season has even gone into production gives star and executive producer Jason Bateman, along with the rest of the creative team, time to craft the right ending for the show. Arguably the biggest question is when that ending will come, as production restrictions remain across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. That said, expect the final season of Ozark to kick off some time in late 2021.
