Ozarkwas Netflix’s grisly answer toBreaking Bad, but the dynamic between the criminal husband and his complicit wife completely flipped Walt and Skyler’s relationship from the original series. In the wake ofBreaking Bad’s groundbreaking five-season run, every network wanted their ownBreaking Bad. Amazon hadSneaky Pete, HBO hadBarry, andNetflix hadOzark.
Ozark, muchlikeBreaking Bad, is about an ordinary family man who gets swept into business with a Mexican drug cartel. Where Walt was a high school chemistry teacher who became a meth cook,Marty Byrde was a corporate financial advisor who became a money launderer.Ozarkhad a lot in common withBreaking Bad, but also changed a lot.
Marty & Wendy Have A Different Relationship Than Walt & Skyler
One of the most important relationships in bothBreaking BadandOzarkis the central antihero and his long-suffering wife. In both cases,the husband gets himself in over his head in a dangerous life of crime and the wife eventually comes in as an accomplice. ButOzarkhandles that relationship very differently thanBreaking Bad.
All seasons ofOzarkare available to stream on Netflix.
In the first couple of seasons ofBreaking Bad, Walt does everything in his power to hide his secret double life from Skyler.When Skyler eventually found outWalt was in the drug trade, she reluctantly agreed to become his partner-in-crime, but it was a very uneasy alliance. She mostly committed herself to making their front business seem legit.
Getting involved with the cartel unlocks Wendy’s dark side; she’s much more Walt than Skyler.
ButinOzark, the husband-and-wife dynamic is flipped on its head. When Wendy becomes an accomplice in Marty’s criminal scheme, she turns out to be the more morally bankrupt character. Marty is mostly just trying to survive, but Wendy has a real sadistic streak. Getting involved with the cartel unlocks Wendy’s dark side; she’s much more Walt than Skyler.
Marty & Wendy’s Relationship In Ozark Was One Of The Best Parts Of The Netflix Series
Marty and Wendy’s tumultuous relationship was one of the most compelling parts ofOzark. It’s an extreme example of two people staying together for their kids. There was a lot of mutual respect between them, and they had some shared interests, but they also had an excruciatingly toxic and contentious marriage. Theypushed each other to become worse and worse.
Wendy & Skyler Are Both Hated, But Wendy Byrde Is The More Interesting Character
Laura Linney Gradually Peeled Back The Layers To Reveal Wendy’s Evil
Wendy and Skyler are both widely disliked by their shows’ respective fans, but Wendy is the more interesting character. Anna Gunn gave a fantastic performance as Skyler, and she was a fascinating foil for Walt, but Wendy is a more three-dimensional role. ThroughoutOzark’s run,Laura Linney peeled back the layers to show that Wendy was truly evil.
