Netflix’s successful adventure series, Outer Banks, released part one of its fourth season Oct. 10, with each of the five episodes having a running time between 42-72 minutes. The show, which debuted its first season in 2020, was an instant success. The exhilarating plot, filled with mystery and adventure, feels like a dream quickly turned into a nightmare.
Outer Banks’ director Jonas Pate originates from North Carolina where the series takes place, making the series all the more realistic, as well as nostalgic. Pate’s past works are all dark mysteries which, similar to Outer Banks, feature quite a lot of violence. Outer Banks follows the lives of main character John B. (Chase Stokes), his girlfriend Sarah Cameron (Madelyn Cline), his best friend JJ Maybanks (Rudy Pankow), and the rest of his friend group known as “The Pogues.”
Set in Outer Banks, North Carolina, John B and his friends initially discover clues into a treasure John B’s father had been researching before his disappearance. They spent the three previous seasons on an expedition searching for the gold supposedly hidden in the buried city of El Dorado, fighting off other enemies also after the gold.
The season four storyline picks up after the pogues return from their El Dorado treasure hunting, discovering they have acquired one million dollars worth of gold. While celebrating their discovery, a mysterious man invites them to his estate, offering them a hefty sum of money to find the infamous English pirate Blackbeard’s cursed amulet. The pogues agree to take on the challenge, getting caught up in their newest treasure hunting adventure.
The show continually follows the rivalry between the rich “kooks,” who live on the touristy side of the island, and the “pogues” living on the “cut,” the poorer end of the island.
This division between classes creates conflict that is prominent throughout the whole series. The rich kooks continuously act inhuman, committing horrifying acts of violence without justification other than to create difficulties for the pogues. Season four showcased many scenes to this degree, one specifically involving animals that was disgusting and aggravating to watch for viewers.
Despite creating a compelling plot this season, the writers had some hiccups with progressing the plot. The new season’s treasure hunt had absolutely no connection to the previous one, and on top of losing all the gold they had spent the last three seasons chasing, made everything feel a bit pointless. The cast also fell flat on their character development, furthering this issue and making this season feel repetitive.
However, the season did hit the nail on the head with its action scenes, as always. Many stressful moments filled episodes with tension and decisive combat scenes, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats. Outer Banks is a classic adventure TV show and stays loyal to what brought it success from the beginning.
Outer Banks garnered significant attention for its incredible soundtrack throughout its first seasons with blues, reggae, and rock influences that add to the southern summer atmosphere. The new season features some exciting classics, such as Funkadelic’s “Can You Get To That,” as well as more modern songs, such as “Remember Me” by Tame Impala. The show’s composer Fil Eisler also did a phenomenal job with the instrumentals, adding eerie energy to the season and increasing the tension of scenes with slow, dramatic, and dark music.
Overall the first five episodes of the Outer Banks fourth season earn three out of five feathers. With the inclusion of many side plots and cliffhangers, the storyline boasts depth and complexity, which viewers are excited to see wrap up in the second half of the season. Though not as impressive as the previous seasons, this season still has five more episodes left to redeem itself, coming out Thursday, Nov. 7. at 12 a.m PT.
