dream41-blog1

[dream41-blog1]

Rant about The Outer Banks season 4 : The thing about Season 4 is that even JJ's death didn't redeem his character. He was so out of character on the ship and beyond that. And what he said to John B? Crazy. I get it—he’s coping and distressed—but they didn’t make it believable. It ended up making him look like Luke. Also, his moments with Kiara seemed rushed and lacked a genuine boyfriend-girlfriend connection, barely even feeling like a close friendship. The plot involving his biological father being an even worse person than his stepdad felt irritating and uninteresting. It would have been better if they made the biological dad unreachable because he was on the run because of what happened on the night JJ's mom died, and when he comes back he tries to tempt JJ with the Kook lifestyle because JJ resents him so much for leaving him. I wanted him to be like Ward—obsessed with his kid, not caring about anything else, maybe even clinging to JJ because the people hunting him killed his wife. He could have discovered that Luke saved JJ from drowning and took him in, only just finding this out when he has no where else to run then back to his life in Outer Banks. I wanted JJ to be tempted by the wealth and easy life, which would add depth to his character when he inevitably chose his found family.

As for Sarah and Rafe, their storyline was so rushed and inconsistent with their established characters. If they wanted to redeem their sibling bond, they should have started in Episode 1 of Season 4, not just hinted at it through long glances. And don’t get me started on the pregnancy plot—so unnecessary. If they wanted a season focused on family, they should have emphasized John B’s struggle to let go of his obsession with gold, trying to change for Sarah, who wants to settle down and rebuild the family she lost. They could have explored her search for her sister, interacting with Rafe because of it, or efforts to make John B leave treasure hunting behind.

Regarding Pope, I’m lost for words. That scene where he pushes the cop was so unnecessary. His plot should have centered around how Cleo brings out his bravery, helping him envision a future outside of the medical field—maybe as a business owner. He has already shown how business-savvy he is with the Pogue business. His storyline could have been about standing up to his dad, rejecting the conventional path set by his family. If the goal was to demonstrate his loyalty to JJ, he could have joined the treasure hunt without being left with no good options.

Cleo, on the other hand, was treated just as poorly. They should have given her and JJ a reason to bond, delving into her past and her father. When he’s killed, JJ could have been the one to comfort her, understanding what it’s like to love a father who wasn’t conventionally good.

Kiara’s character development was nonexistent. She became a side character for a boy who barely showed he cared about her. If the theme of the season was family, they should have made her confront her parents. Show how her actions affected them. Show her parents realizing how little they know about their daughter. Let them see JJ’s real father, how JJ reacts to the news that all the pain he suffered was unnecessary, let the audience witness their reaction to seeing a “no-good Pogue” looking like a scared, confused kid. This would confront their preconceived notions, having labeled him as trash from the Cut.

Then, tie in the subplot about the Cut disappearing due to new developments. Make Kiara and her parents, the Kooks, protest against more luxury apartments being built, and in return hurting their business losing customers. JJ’s real dad could then reveal that he's hiding from some bad people and that's why he came back to Outer Banks in the first place, he needs to run because the mercenaries are on the island and he wants JJ to come with him, he can't leave his kid again, but JJ can't leave his friends. He’d only agree to go if getting the crown meant saving Kiara’s parents’ business, Poguelandia, and the Cut. He could tell JJ about the treasure map he stole from the mercenaries who in turn killed JJ’s mother. Show JJ struggling, with his friends worried, instead of throwing a pregnant Sarah into the water and that being the reason John B says he's like a blood brother.

Finally, make JJ the heir of Goat Island. With the crown money, have him build affordable housing for Pogues being outbid by Kooks. Let Pope be in charge of the project, giving him a future outside of medicine. Allow Cleo to finally have a stable life with Pope. Let John B settle down and realize that the gold killed his father, and that Sarah and the Pogues are his true treasure. Have Kiara’s relationship with JJ end with her being proven right: that JJ has a good heart. Let her say, “I told you so,” to her dad as her parents accept JJ, and JJ forgives his father, starting to build a stable relationship with a father figure.

As for Rafe, send him to therapy. Let him reconnect with his sisters and be invited to John B and Sarah’s wedding on Goat Island, where Kiara opens a marine life rescue reserve. Let Sarah finally have a full family, and if they insist on including the pregnancy plot, end the final episode with it. Show them all at the spot where John B’s burned-down house once stood, having a campfire. Pogues who became Kooks, but stayed Pogues all the same. This current storyline? It’s just some Kook bullshit.