‘Outer Banks’ Season 4 Part 1 Review: The Pogues Are Back and Better Than Ever

Season 3 of Netflix’s teen drama Outer Banks ended with a slight air of finality. After the Pogues — a group of treasure-hunting teenagers — discovered the lost city of gold known as El Dorado, they were seemingly welcomed in by their rival community of Kooks (the Outer Banks’ rich folk). It appeared there was nowhere else for this story to go, no other treasure for the Pogues to painstakingly search for. That was the case; until a man with a logbook from the famed pirate Blackbeard approached them with an enticing offer.

Enter Outer Banks Season 4, where the story of the Pogues and their continued search for buried treasure continues in wonderfully unexpected ways.

‘Outer Banks’ Season 4 Part 1 Is a Return to Form for the Series

One of the glaring downsides of Season 3 was how a grandiose story sacrificed the initial charm of the series. In Season 4, Outer Banks returns to its roots and provides a story with high enough stakes for the viewer to get invested. However, they never become so large that the viewer stops suspending their disbelief.

The majority of the first episode’s runtime is dedicated to the Pogues opening up their own surf and bait shop, as per the suggestion of the level-headed Pope Heyward (Jonathan Daviss). Watching the group make the life for themselves they always longed for is a treat — it gives the Pogues a solid emotional core that they had been missing for a while.

While this episode might come off as too much exposition to some, the slower pace is a welcome change for those who missed the laid-back vibes of the first season. Nothing lasts forever, though. When the infuriatingly impulsive JJ Maybank (Rudy Pankow) makes some horrendous financial decisions on the Pogues’ behalf, the Pogues are thrust back into the treasure-hunting life, which is when the story really takes off.

The Search for Blackbeard’s Treasure Is Surprisingly Enticing

With the establishment of an emotional core for all of the Pogues in Episode 1, they are all equally as important to this season’s plot. This was not always the case for Outer Banks. For example, the return of John B’s (Chase Stokes) father in Season 3 largely affected John B, his girlfriend Sarah (Madelyn Cline), and his longtime best friend JJ. However, a character like Cleo (Carlacia Grant), who joined the group in Season 2, is somewhat left behind in this integral storyline. Because of this, the Pogues never felt as united as they could have.

In Season 4, however, no Pogue is left behind. Even if some characters have more of a connection to Blackbeard himself or the treasure than others, every Pogue plays a vital role in the hunt. It’s a refreshing change that keeps the viewer invested at every turn, no matter which Pogue is taking up screen time.

‘Outer Banks’ Leaves the Kooks Behind — to Its Detriment

While the Pogues are given equal importance to the overall plot, the stuck-up group of Kooks gets a B plot that is lacking, especially in comparison to the storylines they were given in previous seasons. The biggest victim of this is Sarah Cameron’s older brother and fan-favorite Rafe (Drew Starkey), who takes a backseat this season.

While Lightner (Rigo Sanchez), this season’s main villain, is responsible for some of the show’s most heart-pounding moments, it was often Rafe who would play the same role in seasons prior. His position as a foil worked well, as his familial connection to ex-Kook Sarah always added an interesting emotional layer. While Outer Banks did set up Rafe’s direct involvement in Part 2 of Season 4, his looming presence over the Pogues was sorely missed in Part 1.

The other Kooks, such as Topper (Austin North), are given more of a comical bully role rather than a legitimate antagonist role. While Topper hasn’t always been given the best material Outer Banks has to offer, Topper and his new girlfriend Ruthie (Mia Challis) are given such unserious moments that the show becomes a bit too juvenile, even by teen drama standards.

Bring It On Home, ‘Outer Banks’

So far, Season 4 of Outer Banks has a lot to love, especially for fans of the series who may have been left disappointed by Season 3. With a group of Pogues that feel more like family than ever, stakes that keep the viewer interested, and summery vibes reminiscent of Season 1, Outer Banks Season 4 Part 1 is the best the series has offered since its first season. It also provides some solid plot twists that are sure to shake up the Pogues’ adventures in Part 2.

With that said, it remains unclear if Outer Banks will keep up this hot streak in Part 2, as the story once again might become too large in scale for our ragtag group of treasure hunters. Let’s all hope that they truly “bring it on home.”

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