PLOT: After finding the gold at El Dorado, the Pogues return to the OBX and commit to having a “normal” life. They’ve built themselves a new haven, officially dubbed “Poguelandia 2.0”, where they live together and run a fairly successful bait, tackle, and charter tour shop. But after some financial setbacks, John B, Sarah, Kiara, JJ, Pope, and Cleo take Wes up on his offer, drawn back into the “G” game for a whole new adventure.
REVIEW: There are few shows that Netflix has seen greater success with than Outer Banks. With its hot young cast and focus on fun over logic, it’s proven to be a great escape for many people. Following a group of friends known as The Pogues, each season has a different treasure to hunt down. Having already found the gold of El Dorado Now starting its fourth season with an 18-month time jump, there’s a new goal in its sights: Blackbeard’s sunken treasure.
I will be 100% honest: I’m not a day one Outer Banks fan and only was acquainted with the show over the last month. So I’m sure there’s going to be some subtle stuff that I miss or things that long-term fans care about, that I may simply not. And as much as I’m a big horror guy, I also have a soft spot for teen TV dramas so I’ll still give it a fair shake. And as a millennial, the clear comparisons to The OC made this one easy to digest.
Season Four picks up with the Pogues trying to put their lives back together and decide what to do with the money they earned from El Dorado. So they decide to open up a bait and tackle stand along the beach. Not sure how big of moneymakers those tend to be but they felt confident putting their million-plus reward into it. Pollyanna McIntosh is the season’s Big Bad, though we mostly see her right-hand man, Lightner (Rigo Sanchez). They’re properly over the top in their evilness. They’re also after Blackbeard’s treasure but, given the motivation of money, it’s hard to root for the Pogues either. I’d rather the treasure just not be found by either group.
Hilariously, one of the big conflicts for the season is that The Pogues have to get enough money to pay their property taxes on the business. You’d think they’d already have enough money left over from their treasure hunting expedition but that’s explained away through a lost beach race. The writers constantly have to put self-imposed roadblocks just to keep the characters’ backs against the wall. It comes across as extremely lazy writing. Most of the dramatic elements feel really silly and the show has a hard time presenting hard conversations. When things are lighthearted and fun, it’s a good time. But it can be a bit eye-roll-worthy when they try to do something more serious story beats. But I will give them credit, they handle romance well. For the most part.
John B. and Sarah Cameron tend to be the “A couple” but this season they take more of a backseat. Who’s to say if this was always the plan or just a logistical solution? I’ve always had a fascination with the fact that Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline had a very public breakup, yet have still had to perform as a couple on the show. It’s something I can’t help but notice in each episode, whether it’s body language or a lack of scenes with the two of them. There’s no doubt that it’s affected the trajectory of this couple on the show, but they don’t seem to be hinting at any trouble in paradise. So kudos to the actors for being so professional. But it means John B and Sarah are just kind of…there during the events this season.
Kiara and JJ have really taken over as the main characters of the group. Sure, the show still does a good job of balancing between all of the Pogues, but they seem to have the most interesting plotlines. Even during a heated moment on the beach, Sarah and John B simply stay behind, allowing Kiara and JJ to have a big dramatic standoff with the Kooks. They have the most to do and have some of the more dramatic reveals of the season. Pope and Cleo are paired off but mostly feel like characters used for plot advancement. Need exposition or an info dump? Use Pope. Need a damsel in distress? Use Cleo. Their characters feel a bit shortchanged because of it.
The first half of the season ends on quite the cliffhanger, with JJ’s parentage finally being addressed in a more concrete way. There are clearly going to be some interesting revelations in the second half of the season. I think your enjoyment is going to hinge on just how much you can suspend your disbelief. One big issue with Netflix splitting up their seasons (in an effort to stretch out subscription lengths) is that the narratives feel cut off at the knee. Just as the season is getting into the swing of things, it’s already over. And honestly, not a whole lot even happened. Sure, the Pogues have their new mission, but everything is still developing to the point where it’s hard to tell where the second half will even end up. But the first half was very average, devoid of any major plot developments save for a brief moment to intrigue viewers for Part 2.
OUTER BANKS: SEASON FOUR PART ONE STREAMS ON NETFLIX ON OCTOBER 10TH, 2024.