Ozark‘s leading husband and wife money-laundering duo Marty and Wendy Byrde are no strangers to dropping surprise after surprise in the Netflix series. But now showrunner Chris Mundy has dropped a revelation of his own regarding the hidden meaning in the pair’s names and how it affects the drama. Let us have a look at the real meaning behind the Byrdes’ last name in the series Ozark:
Marty (played by Jason Bateman) and Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) have faced more than their fair share of exhilarating and near-death experiences during their time on the Netflix drama. Whether it be the threat of Darlene (Lisa Emery) and Jacob Snell (Peter Mullan) or the backstabbing ways of wicked lawyer Helen Pierce (Janet McTeer), the Byrdes have managed to escape from each and every threat thrown their way so far. And the reason for this could be hidden in the pair’s surname according to Ozark showrunner Mundy.
During a panel celebrating “Ozark” at the 2020 edition of PaleyFest, Mundy was asked about the Byrdes’ last name and if there might be more to it than meets the eye, and he explained how the initial metaphor quickly morphed into something more dangerous. He said:
“Bill Dubuque wrote the pilot, so Bill named them. I’m speaking for him, but I think I can speak for him on this one. [The answer is:] definitely. I think for him, they had literally taken flight. But what we ended up doing in season one when we started talking about it, is talking about the Byrdes as an invasive species in the Ozarks. Look at everything, what would have – all the people that would still be alive, all the things that would still be OK, if these people had never picked up and moved here. So we sort of used the analogy, took it from wherever Bill was thinking and used it as that, as this invasive species in this area, and look at the sheer havoc they’ve wreaked – and at the same time, the tiniest bit of good every once in a while.”
One of the reasons why Ozark has managed to keep viewers hooked even after more than three seasons is its attention to detail. For instance, season 3, episode 9, “Fire Pink,” hints at Ben’s fate by positioning the word “END” on his t-shirt for a few frames. In a similar way, Ozark teases a viewer’s curiosity by setting up several little visual metaphors throughout its runtime and then relentlessly doling out answers until the credits start rolling.
That original “Byrde/bird” connection makes a lot of sense when thinking about the first two episodes and Marty scrambling to keep his family alive by ushering them out of Chicago, but once the family settles into an unfamiliar environment, the concept of the Byrdes as an invasive species becomes far more apt and adds even more layers to this dark, deadly, and blue-tinged series.
As Ozark evokes almost every emotion out of a viewer and further snowballs its dramatic anxiety, it’s hard not to wonder what the future holds for the Byrdes. Knowing that the dire consequences of their actions are far beyond amendable, it seems unlikely that they’ll fly off into the sunset anytime soon. Regardless of what happens, Ozark, as always, will never leave a dull moment and keep viewers guessing with its subtle clues and slow-burn narrative.
Premiere Date of Part 2 Season 4 and Episode details
We finally know when we’ll be headed back down to Missouri and the mysterious Ozarks. While the first half of Season 4 dropped on January 21, the second part is due on April 29, 2022. If you thought Netflix was going to make you wait a long time, this is good news. Seasons 1-3 featured 10 instalments, but this time around, you’ll be able to tune into even more dark, moody episodes. Along with the confirmation of a Season 4, Netflix also announced that it would expand to 14 episodes in order to wrap everything up, in the final instalment of the series.
After knowing the real meaning behind the Byrdes’ last name, what was your reaction? Share your reaction with us down in the comments
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