Outer Banks Season 2

Outer Banks season 2 was announced a little over a year ago and finally dropped on Netflix July 30th. The action picked up right where last season ended and never let up.

Outer Banks is one of the easiest shows on any streamer or cable network to like because it's the type of show you want to binge. An edge of your seat unpredictable thrilling adventure that features lost treasures and ancient secrets passed down from generation to generation. I described it last summer as Treasure Island meets The Outsiders and it honestly continues to feel that way.

The Pogues (John B, Pope, JJ, Kie) continue to be likable leads while the focal point of the mystery and melodrama continues to centre around the Cameron family and their struggling fortunes and the unraveling of the wrongs they have done. Each member of the cast is likable in their role and even the villains of the story are well displayed and typically done so with conflicting emotions when it comes to family or treasure. The Pogues often come across as the ones causing the trouble but are usually just trying to do the right thing to help one of their friends out. We especially get to see the damage this does to their family members who care about them. Pope's father encourages him to pursue a family secret but at what cost? We see the toll it takes in various ways in the closing minutes of the Finale and it really does flip the perspective for a moment.

It's anchored by the central story of the missing gold and the desire to have that gold. It's not an overly complicated premise but it does tend to try and over explain those easy concepts with new characters that are almost forgotten with every thing going on. It's easy to even forget that most of the central characters are teenagers. It's easy to get lost in who means what to the story especially where it seems like Season 2 is planting seeds for a much larger story whereas season 1 seemed about to be about the mystery. Season 1 focused on the aspect of paying consequences for things you don't truly understand where Season 2 seemed to focus on all the secrets and lies that have been kept for generations.

While I do want to see the show return for a third season I really don't want to see it go too much beyond that. It's already feeling like it's straying from the original story motif and I am not sure how many seasons of death defying action we can see. Every episode they come up with an even bolder scheme that never seems to work. I just don't personally see how they can carry that out beyond one more reason while still attempting to ground the show in realism. All good things must end and it's better to end them before they are unrecognizable.

Netflix definitely seems to have a hit with Outer Banks so I do see a third season happening and perhaps maybe a two season renewal with that being announced as the final season could ease my mind that they won't drag this mystery out for another 3-4 years with production and then release dates. It's a fine series no doubt but definitely one that has a freshness to begin watching out for. We don't want to see it become another show that just fades away especially when it's daring with the way it tells stories. While it's fun it seems like the red herrings are everywhere, nothing seems to stick and there's always that one extra "shocking" moment. I say shocking with quotations because there was literally a moment this season where every major character was on the brink of death or believed to be dead for a period of time. There are only so many times that wave can be ridden before at some point something actually does have to happen.

Outer Banks is not at that point quite yet but definitely needs to go big for season 3 or run the risk of being another show that has big things happen with no consequences to the main characters. That's when a show goes from interesting to boring because the characters begin to feel indestructible. I just don't want to see Outer Banks become that because I really like these characters and their backgrounds. I like the individuality they are all given as people. I don't want that to mean there are no consequences to all the stupid things they decide to do. Netflix needs to play it smart with this hit series and realize everything has an expiration date.