Netflix's 4-Part 10/10 Psychological Thriller Simply Can't Be Beat

With the freedom to include darker and explicit content, no restrictions regarding running time, and the ability to gauge the interest of A-list talent, Netflix helped shape modern streaming. Ozark became one of the platform's biggest hits, standing out as unflinchingly nasty, cynical, and pulpy compared with shows like Stranger Things, One Piece, and The Crown, and it accomplishes more in its opening half than many series do across early seasons.

Jason Bateman plays Marty Byrde, a mild-mannered accountant who secretly works for a Mexican drug cartel. After his partner is killed and Marty must quickly raise a large sum of cash, he moves his wife Wendy (Laura Linney) and their two children to the Ozarks, where his double life remains hidden.

The show broadened its scope with a sprawling ensemble cast and a breakout performance from Julia Garner as Ruth Langmore. Rather than a conventional anti-hero arc, Marty is presented as irredeemable almost immediately: he has sacrificed moral principles for profit and drifted away from Wendy.

United States, Ozarks

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