OneApple TV+show seems to be the perfectOzarkreplacement, and, surprisingly, it already seems to be on the path towards repeating one of the darkest twists from the Netflix show. ConsideringOzark’s legacy and ability to captivate viewers throughout its runtime, it can be hard to find a show that even comes close to being as tense and relentlessly unpredictable.
Even the Apple TV+ series in question does not have the same shock value asOzarkand even avoids taking the same no-holds-barred approach towards character deaths as the Netflix show. However, when it comes to its overarching themes and story progression, theoriginal Apple TV+ showshares many intriguing parallels withOzark.
Although the show is yet to matchOzark’s brilliance, it seems to have the potential to get there with its future installments. Interestingly, one major story beat in the Apple TV+ series seems to suggest that it is going to repeat one of the darkest narrative elements from Ozark, which will further highlight the parallels between the two shows.
Mel’s Story In Your Friends & Neighbors Will Likely Be Similar To Wendy’s From Ozark
InOzark’s earlier arcs, Wendy is not actively involved in Marty’s criminal endeavors, even though she is aware of his money-laundering operations and agrees to move to the Ozarks with him. However, things take an interesting turn in the Netflix series when she, too, starts embracing their growing criminal empire.
LikeOzark,Apple TV+‘sYour Friends and Neighborswalks through the gradual descent of man into a world of crime. Just like Marty launders money for a dangerous cartel, Andrew Cooper fromYour Friends and Neighborssteals from his affluent neighbors to be able to sustain his lavish lifestyle.
Cooper almost ends up losing everything in the beginning, like Marty. However, towards theending moments ofYour Friends and Neighbors, Cooper manages to have his family back on his side and learns to embrace his crimes instead of hiding from them. The show also paves the way for his wife, Mel, to join him in season 2, just like Wendy becomes Marty’s equal partner inOzarkseason 2.
With its commentary on consumerism and capitalism,Your Friends and Neighborsnever comes off as a direct rip-off ofOzarkor any other renowned crime dramas. However, if its main female character ends up joining her husband in his criminal endeavors in season 2, it will have many fascinating narrative overlaps with Netflix’sOzark.
The Apple TV+ Show Features Fewer Character Deaths & Is Less Grim In Tone
Image via Apple TV+
In its four-season runtime,Ozarkdoes an incredible job of keeping viewers white-knuckled with its unpredictable twists and character deaths. The show does not even shy away from having a dark, polarizing ending that highlights how the corrupt and morally compromised do not always face the consequences of their actions.
WhileOzarkhas a Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 82% after four seasons,Your Friends and Neighborsboasts a score of 78% on the platform.
Despite having many similarities withOzark,Your Friends & Neighborsis far more light-hearted. TheApple TV+series only features one major death in its first installment and adopts a more comical tone. It can still come off as a decentreplacement forOzark, but it stands more as its own thing, blending clever suburban satire with gripping crime drama.
Ozark
Ozark is a crime drama series released in 2017, focusing on a financial adviser who relocates his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks. He must launder $500 million within five years to satisfy a drug boss, navigating the challenges and dangers of his new environment.
Your Friends and Neighbors
Cast
A hedge fund manager, struggling after job loss, turns to burglary to uphold his family’s lifestyle. The series explores the complexities of his double life and the precarious balance he strives to maintain, ultimately leading to unforeseen consequences when he targets the wrong home.
