‘Ozark’: 5 Pivotal Moments You Forgot Happened in the Pilot Episode
Are you gearing up for the new season of Ozark that’s coming in January 2022? You might remember Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) getting forced out of Chicago to start a new life at the Blue Cat Lodge in the pilot episode of Ozark, but there are a lot of subtle details in the episode you might not recall. Let us jog your memory with five things you may have forgotten from the premiere episode of the Netflix series.
The ‘Ozark’ pilot shows Wendy Byrde get caught cheating, Marty fantasizes about doing the same
When we first meet Marty Byrde, he seems preoccupied after finding out his wife, Wendy (Laura Linney), is cheating on him. In the pilot episode of Ozark, Marty gets an email from Bob Lily, the private investigator he hired. In the email titled “Do not open at work,” Marty finds a video of Wendy having sex with another man — a choice that drives a wedge between the couple in the first season.
Later in the episode, Marty watches the video in front of Wendy unbeknownst to her. Then, he takes a ride into the city to meet a prostitute. In reality, this was only a fantasy.
A brochure for the Ozarks stops Del from shooting Marty
The shocking season 1 opener of Ozark dives right into the action as Camino Del Rio (Esai Morales) visits Marty and his colleague, Bruce (Josh Randall), who have been stealing money from one of Mexico’s largest cartels. When the cartel’s enforcer Del comes to town to inquire about the missing $5 million, Randall’s character is killed off almost immediately.
In a moment of desperation, Marty presents Del with a brochure for the Ozarks. Before Del’s arrival, Bruce told Marty they should consider investing in the area — an idea Marty presents to Del as a solution to laundering money for the cartel.
Del’s poetic riddle foreshadows his ‘firing’ Bruce
Before literally firing bullets at Bruce, Del shares a riddle about Aunt Carlotta, a woman Del’s father caught stealing from his business. When asked if his father should have forgiven or fired Aunt Carlotta, most of the men said Del’s father should have forgiven her.
But as Del reveals, Aunt Carlotta’s actions spoke volumes. This wasn’t the first time she had stolen from his father — it was the first time she got caught, just like Marty, Bruce, and their associates.
Del puts a stop to Wendy running away with Gary ‘Sugarwood’ Silverberg in the pilot of ‘Ozark’
While Del may not seem like it, he’s a man of reason who doesn’t believe in infidelity. After Wendy and her lover, Gary “Sugarwood” Silverberg (Bruce Altman), hatch a plan to clear her bank accounts and run away together, Del gets to Gary before he and Wendy can escape.
As Marty goes to confront Gary about taking his money, Del sends him flying off of the balcony. Gary comes crashing to his death in the streets of Chicago. Then, Del demands Marty and Wendy stick together to launder the money in the Ozarks.
Del and the cartel weren’t sure about Marty and his colleagues stealing money
The pilot episode of Ozark is rooted in irony for several reasons. After Marty and his family safely reach the Ozarks, Del visits him to reveal he didn’t know any money was stolen. Del and his associates only suspected money to be missing, but their visit to Chicago confirmed their suspicions.
Del also reveals why he killed Bruce’s fiancé, who seemingly had nothing to do with their scheme. Presuming Bruce wasn’t “acting right” with the cartel’s money, Del shoots his fiancé to get him to talk.
