Summary
- Season 4 of Outer Banks must keep the Pogues in North Carolina to stay true to the show's roots.
- The upcoming episodes shouldn't revive dead characters like Ward and Big John to maintain the series' shocking impact.
- Outer Banks season 4 should introduce a compelling new villain to replace Ward.
Outer Banks is undeniably one of most-watched original series, but season 3 was met with mixed reviews from critics and viewers alike, so season 4 must embrace a few changes to get the show back on track.
The action-adventure teen drama series, created by Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke, premiered in 2020 and became an instant hit, resulting in a season 2 renewal just a few months following its release. The second season performed just as well as the first, so a third one was in order. However, the show partly fell off during the 2023 episodes.
Once viewers finished season 3, some were upset. They believed that the latest batch of episodes' quality was lacking compared to the previous seasons, and they weren't fans of the Outer Banks season 3 ending. However, the teen drama was still one of the most streamed shows in 2023, and Netflix renewed it for season 4 ahead of the season 3 premiere.
So, even though critics gave season 3 mixed reviews and it was divisive among fans, the show would go on. Nevertheless, Outer Banks season 4 must address the complaints and return to what made the series great.
Season 3 didn't include enough time in North Carolina
One of the biggest complaints about season 3 was that it frequently took the Pogues — John B, Kiara, JJ, Pope, Sarah, and Cleo — away from the Outer Banks. The show is called Outer Banks, after all, and its setting is significant to its central story, so it would make sense if most of it took place in North Carolina.
However, the characters traveled to Barbados, South America, and other locations throughout the ten episodes. Season 4 must return to the show's heart, which is the Outer Banks, by keeping the Pogues there for most of, if not all, the episodes.
Outer Banks has had its fair share of fake-out deaths, including Ward and Big John, so it's time for them to remain dead. If a television show revives characters believed to be deceased more than two times, the audience will stop being surprised when dead characters return.
Numerous fake-out deaths take away from the permanent ones since viewers expect them to be alive. So, Outer Banks season 4 can't revive Ward or Big John, who both perished during the season 3 finale, to maintain the teen drama's power to shock the audience.
6 A Complex Villain That Can Replace Ward
If (and hopefully) Ward is gone, Outer Banks needs to find a new villain to replace him, and unlike past antagonists, they must live up to Charles Esten's character's legacy. Of course, Rafe is an adequate choice to take over his father's villainous role, but it might be more interesting to bring in a new Big Bad.
Singh was a dud, and Carla has been severely underused, so her potential as a villain has not been proven. Ward set the bar high, and if season 4 is to return to season 1's greatness, it needs a great and complex antagonist.
5 No Love Triangles
When Outer Banks season 4 comes around, it shouldn't feature any exhausting love triangles — especially between John B, Sarah, and Topper. As fans recall, Sarah and Topper dated in season 1 before Sarah and John B fell in love, and she dumped Topper.
However, Sarah cheated on John B with Topper in season 3, which was undoubtedly one of the season's worst storylines. Of course, the finale ended with John B and Sarah in a seemingly happy relationship, and that's the way it should remain in the upcoming episodes.
4 Explain Why The 18-Month Time Jump Was Necessary
One of the most divisive developments in Outer Banks season 3 was the 18-month time jump during the finale. The last scene was rather abrupt and seemed rushed at the time, so it upset some fans who didn't understand why it was necessary. In the scene, the town was celebrating the Pogues for finding El Dorado (which probably should have happened a year and a half ago or sometime soon after they returned to the United States). Then, a man approached the friend group with a proposition to find Blackbeard's treasure.
Outer Banks season 4 is scheduled to premiere in 2024.
Of course, the ending of the Outer Banks season 3 finale set up future episodes, including what the Pogues' next adventure will revolve around. But it's unclear why it had to happen 18 months after El Dorado instead of shortly after the discovery. Consequently, when season 4 premieres, the episodes must show why the time jump was necessary for the upcoming story.
3 Flashbacks To Show What Happened During The Missing Months
The flash-forward during the Outer Banks season 3 finale briefly updated the audience on what happened to John B, Sarah, JJ, Pope, Kiara, and Cleo during the missing months.
However, it felt like there were a few missing pieces, including the state of JJ and Kiara's relationship, and there must have been some drama in the central friend group in the span of those 18 months. So, season 4 should include a handful of flashbacks to explain what happened to the Pogues from when they returned from South America to the day they were celebrated for finding El Dorado.
2 No More Plot Holes
Outer Banks contains many intricate details, so it is easy for plot holes to develop here and there. However, season 3 featured numerous confusing elements, like JJ walking away from crashing his bike without a scratch on him, and the viewers easily spotted the plot holes.
As a result, the upcoming episodes need to do a better job of making everything that transpires throughout the season's story arc make sense. Nothing takes the audience out of a television show more than mistakes made by the cast and crew, and it's time for the Outer Banks writers to clean up the story.
1 No Rushed Plots
Outer Banks season 3 featured a couple of standout episodes. However, the rushed ending to the treasure hunt and the overall story during the finale left a sour taste in some viewers' mouths. It felt as if the writers had built this complex and exciting plot over the course of nine episodes but then rushed through its conclusion. Hopefully, when Outer Banks season 4 rolls around, the story will be better thought out and have a clear and satisfying beginning, middle, and end.
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