Jason Bateman Teases the ‘Ozark’ Series Finale: “A Happy Ending But They’re Limping”

Things might not be all bad for the Byrde family when Ozark drops its final batch of episodes later this month.

Series star Jason Bateman dropped by The Tonight Show on Friday, where he and host Jimmy Fallon discussed what’s in store for fans of the Emmy-winning Netflix drama that focuses on money launderers Marty Byrde (Bateman) and wife Wendy (Laura Linney), along with their partner Ruth (Julia Garner). After the first seven episodes of the fourth and final season were released Jan. 21, the remaining seven episodes will be available to stream April 29.

When Fallon asked if there’s any chance that the dark narrative could have a happy ending, Bateman explained that he and showrunner Chris Mundy would chat ahead of each season to discuss the general themes, along with where the story might be heading.

“With the final season, the whole thing was like, ‘Well, how are we gonna end it?’ Should the Byrde family pay a bill, you know? Like, should they get away with it? Should they not?” Bateman recalled. “And so he said, ‘I want it to be a happy ending, but there’s got to be a little of a, Well, is it happy for them?’”

The star mentioned that the show’s team didn’t initially know how things would end when the series first launched in July of 2017. He continued about the finale, “Hopefully the audience will think, ‘Ah, they’ve kind of threaded the needle between a happy ending — but they’re limping.’”

During an interview earlier this year with The Hollywood Reporter, Mundy said he wanted viewers to get closure and added, “Hopefully, the back half will still be fun and exciting, but also really emotional for the Byrdes and Ruth.”