Screenwriting : Ozark by Christine Capone

I haven't seen it, but I have seen trailers for it. It looks awesome, and quite the departure for Jason Bateman. And Laura Linney is in it...and a whole bunch of other great actors.

It certainly has a great team of mega-creatives behind the scenes, too...from writer/creator Bill Dubuque...to Zero Gravity Management...so I'd imagine it has to be really special with all those people involved. No "same old, same old" from those folks.

Dang...I'm not a "binge watcher" type...but I think I might have to go on a little binge with this one. Thanks for the reminder, Christine!

Bill you will love it! (I had to research the brilliance behind the show). It kind of has a slow, disturbing (some scenes) start but it gets better. I binged watched from 10-1am last nite. That's late for me : )

Dan MaxXx: It's extremely well-written and beautifully acted but I couldn't hang with it. I don't like shows where the characters are all unlikable. The beauty of shows like Madmen, Californication and Breaking Bad is the main characters did bad things but I'll still liked them. In fact, even though he was a major screw-up, I loved Hank Moody so much I wanted to be him. And, maybe a bit of Don Draper. If I don't like the characters, I don't care if they win or lose. But bless those folks that do.

Bateman certainly was a revelation but found the repeated talking his way out of serious trouble tiring.

Owen let me know if you get a chance to watch it, I'd be interested to know your thoughts on it.

Dan yeah some of the episodes are less exciting than others. Esai was so good in it.

Phillip that's a good point. Most of them are unlikable but I think that's what makes it so great. For me, it's more about what they do rather than who they are. I do like Ruth and I did like Buddy. Ruth is vulnerable but you just never know what she's going to do next.

Tony he is constantly talking his way out of things and he's good at it! It's his usual quick thinking character.

Christine, he reminded me of Bugs Bunny outsmarting Daffy and Elmer with dialogue. There's an elitist quality to Bateman. His perspective is believing the local residents aren't as smart as him, but they do have a level of intelligence and perseverance. The KC boys he talks down let him get away with it but later blow up his office.

Tony, That's so true! I think he definitely underestimated them which is what makes it so great.

I like it. Love Ruth character...tough, vulnerable, desperate. My only complaint is that the story lines forge ahead a bit too fast. Impossible problems are suddenly solved...on to the next. One of the better ones though.

The pilot script is a good read, I'm not sure of much else about it.

It's a smart script with some great writing in it, but overall it has its problems. The pilot was written like a movie script and is self-contained within itself. Ruth Langmore is also by far the best character in Season 1. I've written a detailed article on it https://secretsofscreenwriting.com/2018/10/23/learn-ozarks-screenwriting.... (don't read it unless you have watched all of season 1)

Hi Owen, cheers. yes, I'm interested and always up for TV/Film discussions...

Jonathan great read! I can really appreciate other writer's perspectives.

And I agree, Ruth is the best character in both seasons. Martin and the kids are pretty boring...typical rebellious teenager like Owen mentioned. Wendy is going to completely take over the whole organization. Some scenes were predictable and I think that Del got killed off too soon. In any case, I look forward to Season 3.

Smartly written, great character dynamics that were gradually strengthened. They allowed for so much to be done in the silence.

I love the series. I think the writing is smart, many of the characters compelling and the story intriguing. I have no problem with the characters being unlikeable because, just like the Sopranos or The Godfather or Breaking Bad, the beating heart of the story is about loyalty to, and love of, family and a willingness to do anything to protect them. The fact that the family is dysfunctional makes Marty's struggle even more touching for me.

I also didn't have a problem with the protagonist/antagonist relationship in the way that S32 member Jonathan Bailey did in the article he posted above. While I appreciate his POV on it, I disagree with how he has interpreted the protagonist/antagonist relationship.

In many action/drama stories like this, the 'big boss' acts as the overarching threat to the hero but only occasionally during the story do the hero and bad guy come face to face. Instead, the bad guy acts like a looming threat. If the hero doesn't achieve what they need to achieve, they know they will have to face him and it won't be pretty. In the meantime, the hero must contend with multiple forces of opposition, either under the direction of the bad guy or from other sources. Thus, for me, when Marty and co arrive in the Ozarks, the layers of conflict created by the Langmeads, the FBI, et al was a natural manifestation of this dynamic.

What happens at the end of S1 also felt like a Game-of-Thrones, red-wedding moment, with the stakes rising and the plot twisting in a surprising and satisfying way.

I know this thread is a little old. For some reason S32 has been showing me threads lately from years ago. But I like threads like this. If you have the time to think about them, they can help you learn and grow as you listen to others and examine your own thoughts. Cheers! :)

I'll be glad when the new season of Ozark uploads. Jason Bateman is terrific in that role.

I like the show for the unusual twist they put on the everyman motif in an unique situation. I also like the fact that I lived a few miles away from the set when when they were filming in Cherokee County, Georgia. Seeing places that I drove thru all the time is pretty nifty. ;)

Thought it was excellent. Like most shows in this narrative they tend to write themselves into the absurd after a certain amount of time. That said it was an interesting twist to change her to the lead protagonist.

Couldn't agree more. Captured by the show from the first episode.

Yes John! Exactly what I thought about her.

I thought it was a great move when the son invited the KC Mob to Buddie's Funeral. Now that was Good Writing. And Laura Linney is perfect like she always is!