Diksha Sundriyal
“Never let a good crisis go to waste,” says Wendy to her husband who had lost his wish to remain in the business six months ago. It was because of her that he was forced to stay; because it was her who felt more confident about their situation and thought they could make a life for themselves in a place that they had hated ever since they stepped foot in it.
But that was two seasons ago, that was when Wendy had absolutely no control over anything. Back then, she had lost faith in her marriage and she was even ready to leave behind her husband, who would have surely died had the cartel not caught up with her and her lover first. Back then, she was not heard and her opinions were not valued, and it was the mess that her husband dragged her and their children in.
In the second season, everything changed for Wendy when she got more involved, and in turn, realised that the career she thought was over a long time ago could actually blossom in this new life again. But as she started liking the thrill of her job, Marty became more adamant to leave it behind. In the finale of the second season, she had made it clear that they are not going anywhere. And with the beginning of the third season, she makes it clear why she stayed behind and why, perhaps, she should be the one in charge now.
Ozark Season 3 Episode 1 Recap
Marty Byrde had planned to ditch the Ozarks the moment the work on the casino would start. Whatever problems persisted after that wouldn’t be his to solve. He had considered all the factors, but the one thing that he failed to take into account was the change in his wife. Now, six months later, he finds himself working at the casino, trying to find a way to launder the money without getting caught by the FBI. He is sure of the fact that of the hundreds of people he has hired, someone works for the Bureau, which is why he has to be more cautious going forward.
The cartel, however, doesn’t understand patience, especially after the war in Mexico has escalated and a lot of people of the Navarro cartel are getting killed. This is a crisis, and Wendy has found a way to make the most of it. She comes up with a new business opportunity, one that will not only allow their employer to have a share in a more legitimate business but also give the Byrdes a stronger foothold in the politics of the community. As far as she can see, if this is pulled off, they won’t have to depend on the likes of Charles Wilkes to get their work done. They will have enough power and influence of their own. They could run the place.
Ozark Season 3 Episode 1 Review
Never to waste time, ‘Ozark’ jumps into the conflict right in the first episode of its third season. The problems that had persisted at the end of the last season continue to build in this one and we find the dynamics shifting in the Byrde family. Charlotte chooses to stay back, but she has her conditions. One of which is for her parents to go to therapy. Of course, Marty and Wendy have come a long way since their affair and it is a thing of the distant past now. But they still have problems, the kind of which threatens to tense their relationship even further and perhaps, tear them apart eventually.
In the beginning, it was Marty who came up with all the plans. He was focused on the job, and no matter what the pressure, he always found a way to slip out of the situation. Now, Wendy has become more proactive on that front. Marty wants to stay as is, but Wendy plans to expand. The current positions of these characters show just how far the series has come, which promises an intense clash in the coming episodes. It also creates a contrast between them, focusing on the reasons they chose to stay in the business, which is what will further influence their decisions in the future.
Just like Wendy understands the opportunity of a good crisis, ‘Ozark’, too, has found its own chaos to serve as its ladder. Previously, the Byrdes had to be on guard against the threats from the outside. It was either the cartel, or the Snells, or the mob, or the FBI. But all these troubles slide into the background when power struggle ensues within the family itself.
