Ozark Is Over — What To Watch Next?

Now that Netflix's Jason Bateman-Laura Linney drama Ozark has scared you out of ever going anywhere near Branson, a quite natural question arises: What to watch next?

Netflix is happy to recommend other Netflix shows to you. But Primetimer's editors, who are not algorithms or paid by streaming platforms, have some suggestions that might work better.

Defending Jacob (Apple TV+). This 2019 adaptation of the bestselling crime novel is not as sordid or seedy as Ozark, but this twisty tale of a teenager whose parents will do anything to clear his name has a satisfying end. Read our review.

The Night Manager (Prime Video). Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie circled each other in an improbable cat-and-mouse spy game.

The Night Of (HBO Max). Stellar casting and writing set apart this multiple-Emmy-winning series about criminal justice.

Your Honor (Showtime). If you watched Ozark, then it probably goes without saying that you devoured Breaking Bad. For many it was their introduction to intense cable-TV drama — not to mention our introduction to a side of Bryan Cranston we'd never seen before. The success of Breaking Bad also launched Bob Odenkirk into a dramatic direction, and started a trend of comedic actors being cast against type (hence, Bateman in the starring role of Ozark). In one of Showtime’s biggest hits in years, Cranston plays a judge covering up a crime by his son.

Aaron Barnhart has written about television since 1994, including 15 years as TV critic for the Kansas City Star.