First, this review will contain spoilers. Second, I was very impressed by the ending because the writers took chances that we usually don't see in tv dramas.
(Spoilers begin here.)
I was floored that the bad guys win. All of them (perhaps Omar). Even in Scarface or The Sopranos or Breaking Bad the main character gets killed (it's heavily implied in Sopranos and BB does it outright). I took film classes in college and especially in America we're conditioned that the bad guys in movies either die or get jailed (which isn't as impactful). The show runners of Ozark set up foreshadowing that at least the kids would be in mortal peril, if not the entire family. We're lead to believe we'll get the catharsis of one or all of the Byrde's biting the dust or being jailed or both.
...And it doesn't happen. The Bad Guys win. They get away with their crimes. All of them. And Ruth, the only reoccurring g character that has some morality left, gets shot and killed. And if that's not a gigantic risky move I don't know what is. It's a hell of a risky move and why the reviews on here are so mixed. But I thought the ending was brilliant because I never, ever expected that to happen.
(Spoilers begin here.)
I was floored that the bad guys win. All of them (perhaps Omar). Even in Scarface or The Sopranos or Breaking Bad the main character gets killed (it's heavily implied in Sopranos and BB does it outright). I took film classes in college and especially in America we're conditioned that the bad guys in movies either die or get jailed (which isn't as impactful). The show runners of Ozark set up foreshadowing that at least the kids would be in mortal peril, if not the entire family. We're lead to believe we'll get the catharsis of one or all of the Byrde's biting the dust or being jailed or both.
...And it doesn't happen. The Bad Guys win. They get away with their crimes. All of them. And Ruth, the only reoccurring g character that has some morality left, gets shot and killed. And if that's not a gigantic risky move I don't know what is. It's a hell of a risky move and why the reviews on here are so mixed. But I thought the ending was brilliant because I never, ever expected that to happen.