User Reviews

This is an especially solid episode, filled to overbrimming with all the themes that make "Ozark" such a good show. The FBI closes in on both the Byrdes and the Snells. Tensions flare at the kids' high school. The Brydes lose a critical ally. Charles Wilkes makes an indecent proposal. Marty once again maneuvers their criminal enterprise out of yet another jam, and Rachel Garrison reveals a hidden secret to Marty. Jonah delivers a touching (and somewhat creepy) eulogy. A whole lot of tension flows in this episode, and sudden turns in story lines abound.

BUT, a nit (and a spoiler): How does Marty manage to substitute the bones he unearthed from an old Snell grave for the bones that the FBI dug up in the Snells' poppy fields? Online recaps shoot past this question, but there is no scene depicting how the swap is accomplished. I re-watched the episode specifically looking for that, and ... nothing. Just how easy can it be expected to be to bribe a lab technician under FBI supervision, which would be absolutely key to relieving the legal threat against Jacob Snell? But no such scene is presented in the episode. I strongly feel we should have seen such a scene, and more of Marty's slick-talking, tersed-lipped brio.

Maybe it was filmed, but got cut; as it was, this episode was longer than normal. But that really bugs me, because this show has so far been so careful in its attention to plot details. Drama, tension, paranoia, violence, subterfuge, deception, risk, panic, depression, intrigue ... depictions of all those things are what makes this show so good, but the structure wilts if you make a script continuity error like this one. How Does Marty Orchestrate the Swap-Out of the Bones? C'mon, now. I know that may seem like pointless nit-pickery to some, but if not for that gaffe, I'd have given this episode a 9.

The tempo of this episode is really slow and has no tension compared to the previous episode. Everything goes as expected which is a bit surprising if you consider the fact that the previous episode had many unexpected turns in it which could have gone either way. A great episode, for sure, but I am disappointed that the show didn't take the risk for something different than we all could expect. Additionally, I really like the development of the character Jonah. At first, he was really dull and weird but with his funeral speech, I decided that he became an interesting character. I can't say the same for the Charlotte though. At first, the show had lots of potentials to make her become a really interesting character but with every new episode the character's screen time, dialogues and importance lessens.

Well, at least the character made it to this point, but Ozark will not be the same show without his presence.

This second season is solid, but very few episodes blow me away. I think the internet tends to give the show a bit more praise than it warrants because there was a chance for this to be a special episode and we didn't get it.

For once, an episode of Ozark starts off on a rare endearing note. Wendy and Buddy drive back from the Snells. They bond, with Wendy telling him about the town in Australia she and Marty plan on escaping to someday. As she describes such tranquility, Buddy slips away and dies. Cut to Ruth, who is having a much harder time finding peace. She's falling apart at the seams, outright weeping in the shower. At the Byrdes', Buddy's body is taken away. What peace there was in the beginning of the episode is gone. The air is heavy.

Speaking of bodies, Petty combs the Snell farm for Del's corpse. He also pushes about the fire, but the Snells lie. When Marty comes to the farm, Petty won't let him in. The cadaver dogs have found something. At the funeral parlor, Wendy plans a mausoleum for Buddy. As she works, the screen flashes back and forth between the two Byrde men, each dealing with the death in their own ways. Marty lingers by Buddy's corpse, clearly feeling something. Jonah explores Buddy's basement and sorts through his memories. After, Wilkes comes by the house. He demands full honesty from Wendy, as Petty is set to question him. Meanwhile, Marty visits Ruth. He's surprised she's working, but she bucks at his checking in on her. Perhaps everyone should be a bit more worried though: the dogs find a skeleton on Snell property. Subsequently, Petty arrests Jacob. Darlene comes immediately to Helen and the Byrdes. Instead of help, she gets a fight, as Helen insists on knowing whose bones they've uncovered and Darlene is still mad about the poppy fields. In a particularly moving and haunting scene, Jonah comes home from the funeral and takes out Jacob's buck head. He sets it out on the water and lights it on fire. Goodbye, old Jonah. In our final scene, Marty shares a drink with Rachel. He remembers Buddy fondly and, maybe it's the sentimental mood, but he offers for Rachel to go to his PI in Chicago for protection if things go south for him. She kisses him suddenly and he kisses her back. Isn't that moment troubling enough? Nope. She reveals to him that she's wearing the wire.

This show is wonderful. The cast, the story, the scenery, the camera, the dialogues everything is just perfect. We can sense the unique general theme of this series as dark, real and the faint blue effect of the camera. I rated the series a straight 9 but this episode in particular a 5, you know why?

Laura linney's performance when Buddy passed away is just wrong, the facial expressions the dialogue, everything. We knew he was gone die but not like that, so after he burned down that field he got the juice back and felt all mighty back in the game then dies? one last run is that it? Although he did not have that big of a role in the series but god do we love him, he lives in the same house keep watch sees and hears , he cares he protects he is there. . He could have been around for more, he has a role to play and he could very much continue to do so. Old tough guy back in the days probably did things killed people straight balls ready to die kind of character. You could have used that more and the way he went? Lenny's reaction? the kids reaction? I am not really speaking of emotions here but objectively talking wrong decision.