Ozark

Marty Byrde is a straight-laced financial adviser whose life unravels when a laundering scheme for a Mexican cartel goes disastrously off plan. To save himself and his family he uproots them from Chicago to the isolated Missouri Ozarks, where he tries to set up legitimate fronts for illicit cash while keeping the cartel at bay. As Marty builds businesses, cuts deals, and manipulates local power structures, his wife Wendy grows more active in the enterprise and their children struggle with a new, dangerous reality. Tension builds around small decisions that spiral into violence and compromise, and the show stays focused on survival, risk, and how ordinary family dynamics warp under criminal pressure.

Premiering in 2017, Ozark was created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams for Netflix. Jason Bateman not only stars as Marty Byrde, he also executive produced and directed multiple episodes, helping shape the series' stark visual tone and deliberate pacing across its seasons.

The series received significant Emmy attention, including multiple nominations across acting, directing, and writing categories. Julia Garner earned particular acclaim, winning several Emmys for her portrayal of Ruth Langmore, and both Jason Bateman and Laura Linney received major awards recognition for their lead performances.

Critics generally praised the show for its tight plotting, bleak atmosphere, and strong performances, especially from Bateman, Linney, and Garner. Reviewers noted how the series focuses on moral erosion, the logistics of money laundering, and the corrosive effects of crime on family life. Its slow-burn approach emphasizes consequences over spectacle, and recurring themes include power, survival, and the cost of pragmatic choices.

Ozark helped cement Netflix's lineup of adult, serialized crime dramas and boosted Julia Garner into a breakout star. Ruth Langmore became a cultural touchpoint for complex antihero characters, and the series' imagery and mood influenced other recent shows that blend domestic drama with organized crime, sparking discussions about ethics, ambition, and the high price of keeping secrets.