Ozark

[Ayahuasca]

There is some mention on the 'Netfilx Gems' thread but I thought it deserved its own discussion.

Very much in the mold of Breaking Bad, combining a 'normal' American family (mom, pop and two teenage kids) with Mexican drug cartels and unspeakable violence - eyes gouged out, bodies dissolved in barrels of acid, etc, etc.

The husband is a partner at a financial adviser firm in Chicago, which it transpires if a front for laundering millions of cartel dollars, and it starts to go wrong very quickly when the cartel discovers that some money is missing...

Cue our normal American family fleeing to the Lake of the Ozarks in deepest Missouri, aka the Redneck Riviera, where they they have to launder eight million dollars in dirty cash (otherwise the cartel will kill them), without upsetting the local rednecks and hillbillys (who will also kill them).

If Breaking Bad is 100, this is a solid 85.

[anonymous-user]

Yeah I agree, I'm about half way through.

What's missing, and it's what made breaking bad so great for me, was showing how normal people can end up being criminals. Thus far, the main character starts off being a criminal unlike breaking bad where we watch Walter's decline.

Very good series though for anyone looking for something on Netflix.

[Jazoli]

I've just finished it, it is very good, its missing something but its well worth a watch.

[Ayahuasca]

I cannot figure out how he expects to launder the cash by inflating purchases though.

To launder cash, you normally inflate sales (as per the car wash in Breaking Bad or Los Pollos Hermanos in Saul).

If he orders 10 aircon units on paper, and only buys 2 in reality, he can show artificially high costs, but how does this help launder his cash? He would have to set up bank accounts in the name of the aircon company and issue himself false receipts, seems a bit of a daft way of doing it...

[DocJock]

I enjoyed it. Will watch S2

ps, Peter Mullan gets everywhere!

[Elroy Blue]

I thought it started well but ran out of steam towards the end. I'd still watch series 2, but it's in danger of becoming a bit of a soap opera

[parabolica]

Started watching this yesterday - currently 7 episodes in and it's awesome; shame it's only 10 episodes long. Fingers crossed this isn't one of those shows that goes off the rails in S2, like Prison Break or similar.

[Mark Benson]

We've been watching an episode a night for the last few days - I agree it's missing a backstory on how he got into money laundering in the first place, they were clearly a 'normal' family in the past.
I do enjoy the monologues when he's talking people out of doing stupid things though, very well written and plotted in that respect.
Funnily enough, I thought of the Breaking Bad comparison last night, watching ep. 4.

[Steamer]

Mark Benson said:

We've been watching an episode a night for the last few days - I agree it's missing a backstory ...

I thought of the Breaking Bad comparison last night, watching ep. 4.

I dont think I'm spoiling anything in saying the back story does come out very slowly in dribs and drabs, and I think there is a danger some viewers might not stick with it long enough for that to come out, the character development is a bit slow too.

As for the Breaking Bad comparison, yes I agree too to a certain extent, but I came to Ozark straight after BB and Better Call Saul - Ozark doesnt have the dark humour, but it is generally darker all round (almost in a Twin Peaks kind of way).

Took a while to get me hooked, but I'm now looking forward to the next series.

[Juicetin1]

Just finished it and loved it. Really well made and I thought Bateman and Linney were excellent. I like Peter Mullan but don't like his American accent, didn't like it in Quarry either.

[Ayahuasca]

Mark Benson said:

We've been watching an episode a night for the last few days - I agree it's missing a backstory on how he got into money laundering in the first place, they were clearly a 'normal' family in the past.
I do enjoy the monologues when he's talking people out of doing stupid things though, very well written and plotted in that respect.
Funnily enough, I thought of the Breaking Bad comparison last night, watching ep. 4.

SPOILER ALERT!



The monologue at the redneck cabin when the rednecks stole his cash from under the bed: 'Are you killers? Because if you take the money you have to kill me. Ask yourself, are you killers..?' etc.

Well, it turns out that they were killers, so why didn't they just kill him then?

[parabolica]

Ayahuasca said:

SPOILER ALERT!



The monologue at the redneck cabin when the rednecks stole his cash from under the bed: 'Are you killers? Because if you take the money you have to kill me. Ask yourself, are you killers..?' etc.

Well, it turns out that they were killers, so why didn't they just kill him then?

I reckon it's because no-one had called them out on it before; and all of a sudden this stranger comes in and correctly assesses them as murderers and manages to make himself just as threatening, so they back off after being a bit taken-a-back.

Finished it yesterday; loved the little twist at the end. Can't wait for S2.

[TX1]

Juicetin1 said:

Just finished it and loved it. Really well made and I thought Bateman and Linney were excellent. I like Peter Mullan but don't like his American accent, didn't like it in Quarry either.

Yes really enjoyed it however out of all the actors Peter Mullan was the only one we struggled to understand.
Terrible accent.

[LittleBigPlanet]

Juicetin1 said:

Just finished it and loved it. Really well made and I thought Bateman and Linney were excellent. I like Peter Mullan but don't like his American accent, didn't like it in Quarry either.

Agreed, thoroughly enjoyed this. Looking forward to Season 2.

[audidoody]

Just finished watching
.
There is one scene in the finale

WTF!!!!!!!!!!

Just happened there?????

I'm on the hook for series 2

[NordicCrankShaft]

Got halfway through the first episode last night and I liked what I saw. I was knackered though so will have to watch again.

[Steamer]

audidoody said:

Just finished watching
.
There is one scene in the finale

WTF!!!!!!!!!!

Just happened there?????

I'm on the hook for series 2

What was that then? Can you put it as a concealed spoiler alert. It all happened in a bit of a rush during the last episode and its been a few weeks since I saw it.

...I thought it was the penultimate episode that had the big WTF moment/s

[JamieBeeston]

Steamer said:

audidoody said:

Just finished watching
.
There is one scene in the finale

WTF!!!!!!!!!!

Just happened there?????

I'm on the hook for series 2

What was that then? Can you put it as a concealed spoiler alert. It all happened in a bit of a rush during the last episode and its been a few weeks since I saw it.

...I thought it was the penultimate episode that had the big WTF moment/s

Guessing the Del meets BoomStick scene!

[Mark Benson]

JamieBeeston said:

Steamer said:

audidoody said:

Just finished watching
.
There is one scene in the finale

WTF!!!!!!!!!!

Just happened there?????

I'm on the hook for series 2

What was that then? Can you put it as a concealed spoiler alert. It all happened in a bit of a rush during the last episode and its been a few weeks since I saw it.

...I thought it was the penultimate episode that had the big WTF moment/s

Guessing the Del meets BoomStick scene!

Plot-wise I think the penultimate episode clarifies the story and presents Del as someone to be properly feared and respected, but the scene in the final ep where.... his toenails are ripped out ...is probably the one that sticks in the mind most (alongside the above).

Good series, well paced and scripted. Looking forward to S2.

[audidoody]

Steamer said:

What was that then? Can you put it as a concealed spoiler alert. It all happened in a bit of a rush during the last episode and its been a few weeks since I saw it.

...I thought it was the penultimate episode that had the big WTF moment/s

Cryptic clue

G. Fring

Edited by audidoody on Wednesday 23 August 11:27