‘Ozark’ Season 2 Episode 4 Recap: “Stag”

By
Alison Helms
-
Ozark Season 2 Episode 4
Laura Linney in ‘Ozark’ season 2 episode 4 (Photo Credit: Netflix)

Netflix’s Ozark season two episode four opens with Agent Roy Petty (Jason Butler Harner) in a repeat cycle watching old crime dramas, fly fishing, eating alone at the diner, and driving. Back at his motel, he listens to the recording he has of Rachel and Marty. A motel worker comes and tells him people are complaining about the noise.

And once again it’s back to him watching crime dramas, driving, etc. He meets with a drug dealer who denies he has any drugs to sell. Petty beats the man until he gets the drugs he needs.

Wyatt (Charlie Tahan) notices the bobcats are gone and Ruth lies and says maybe someone stole them. He’s mad they’re gone because they belonged to his dad and uncles.

Sam Dermody (Kevin L. Johnson) holds a motivational seminar, although it’s not much of a seminar with six people in attendance and one getting mouthy. Wendy (Laura Linney) stands in the doorway and after it’s over, she helps him clean up. She asks if he’d like to have a supplemental income.

Charlotte (Sofia Hublitz) is at the Blue Cat clearing dishes when Rachel (Jordana Spiro) arrives. Rachel asks Marty (Jason Bateman) why Charlotte’s working there and he confesses it’s better than the alternative where she quits the swim team and gets high all day. Rachel takes the opportunity to take a jab at Marty, “So, you thought it would be better to include her in your family business?”

As Marty’s leaving, he passes Agent Petty sitting at the bar. Rachel also sees Petty. After ordering a Corona and lime, he asks if she knew Marty was coming in this morning. She didn’t. Petty informs her that from now on she’s going to be wearing a wire all the time.

Wendy’s in the office looking for bugs when Marty walks in asking where she got that idea from. She informs him it was from Wilkes. Marty doesn’t seem to be happy about that, suggesting maybe Wilkes is working with the Feds. Wendy doesn’t think so and believes the person who could be working with the Feds is still out there. He doesn’t think they should trust anyone.

Tom Beecher (Victor McCay) from the gaming commission meets with Wendy and Marty and asks what their partners do for a living. He lets them know it doesn’t look good that all their operations were cited on the same day. Marty remarks that he can’t imagine everyone’s happy about the opening of a new casino. Tom reminds Marty that it’s not open yet. He knows Rachel Garrison runs the Blue Cat and wonders who runs Lickety Splitz.

Cut to a not-so-happy Ruth (Julia Garner) giving Sam a tour of that very strip club. Referring to Sam as Mr. Rogers, she asks if he’s ever been in a strip club before or even tended a bar. She wonders what he did before this and he answers with real estate agent and motivational speaker. While Ruth’s going over the details, one of the strippers comes over to talk to them. Sam seems interested in her.

Wyatt’s getting high while playing a Nirvana song on his guitar. He misses a cord and begins to see his dead father who helps him out. Russ takes the guitar from him and starts to sing and play. After giving the guitar back, he suggests Wyatt try again. Wyatt holds onto the guitar, letting his father know he really wishes he were here. Wyatt asks him why he was going to the Blue Cat. Russ stops him and asks, “Was I going there to hurt Charlotte’s dad? No sir, I’m not in the business of hurting people.” (We know that’s a lie, but hey this is Wyatt’s fictional conversation with his dad after all.)

Ruth comes in and interrupts Wyatt’s hallucination by handing Wyatt a beer. She tells him to just drink it because she had a crappy day. He asks if she really thinks what happened to his dad and Uncle Boyd was an accident. She lies and says she does. Changing the subject, she tells him she reread his essay. Ruth admits she doesn’t know anything about good essays and thinks he should write it how he wants to write it. She also tells him to get good recommendation letters.

After handing her a pamphlet, Wyatt says he doesn’t need any recommendation to go there. She asks him what about Mizzou and he replies, “F**k Mizzou.” He reveals that when he met with his school counselor, she gave him that pamphlet.

Wendy pulls up to the Blue Cat and spots Rachel. Petty’s in a car listening in when Wendy asks Rachel where she went. Rachel lists off all the places she’s been and Wendy wonders why she came back. Rachel suggests Wendy knows why she came back. Rachel apologizes for taking their money, and Wendy informs her she isn’t mad about anything. Marty called her at least 30 times to come back so why now? Rachel replies that she felt bad about abandoning Tuck. But Wendy keeps pressing and asks, “But you didn’t feel bad about that when you left?”

Rachel pushes back and reminds Wendy people are entitled to a change of heart. Not stopping there, Rachel adds, “Like, at first, I thought you and your husband were cool. And now I think you guys are pieces of sh*t.” That doesn’t seem to faze Wendy. She tells Rachel she knows the Feds are involved in shutting them down. This seems to get Agent Petty’s attention. Wendy thinks it feels too coincidental she’s back while this is happening.

Wendy chooses to end the conversation by calling Charlotte out of the Blue Cat. As they’re leaving Charlotte asks her mom what that was about. Wendy’s honest and lets her know Rachel stole money from them. Charlotte asks her mom if she wants her to keep an eye on Rachel. Wendy gives her the okay to do so.

Meanwhile, Rachel’s with Petty, freaking out. She thinks Wendy knows everything. Petty thinks she’s just being paranoid, that Wendy was simply fishing. Rachel informs Petty that Marty comes in every night with a blue mesh bag and locks himself in the office. He doesn’t tell her about anything. Petty changes the subject and asks what she knows about the Byrdes’ marriage. She reveals she knows Wendy had an affair. Petty tells Rachel to use that and have sex with Marty, if she has to. He also tells her to start working on Charlotte. Rachel asks Petty if he’s forgetting something and he gives her more pills before she leaves.

Ruth meets with the high school guidance counselor to discuss the pamphlet she gave Wyatt. Ruth lets her know it feels like a blow-off and it would be great if she could write him a recommendation letter to Mizzou. The counselor attempts to explain she gave that to him because he has already missed several days. Ruth reminds her his dad just died and asks the counselor to cut Wyatt a break. The counselor suggests that community college would be best for him. Ruth wants her to put her ego aside for a second, explaining Wyatt isn’t like the other Langmores.

The counselor isn’t listening and tries to get Ruth to leave, which only angers Ruth. Ruth questions if she’s been hit in the head or something. The counselor seems very offended and says she’s not going to take advice from someone who couldn’t even pass the 10th grade. Ruth acts on impulse and slaps her across the face. Realizing what she did, Ruth runs out of the office.

Buddy (Harris Yulin) and Jonah (Skylar Gaertner) are heading out the door when Wendy asks where they’re going. Jonah informs her they’re going for a walk. The two don’t make it very far when Buddy collapses on the ground. Jonah frantically calls for his mom.

Wyatt confesses to Charlotte that sometimes he talks to his deceased dad. She tells him she thinks it’s good he talks to his dad, and he admits he can’t help but question if there was anything he could do to stop it. Charlotte lets slip she’ll never forget that night at the Blue Cat. (She slips up because they’re getting high). Wyatt seems surprised she was there and questions that. She explains she wasn’t at the docks; she was helping her dad pack.

Buddy was rushed to the hospital and isn’t happy to be there. He asks Jonah to help get him out. When Wendy sees Buddy trying to leave, she asks what he’s doing. He thinks if he’s going to die, he rather it be in his own bed.

Beecher calls Marty letting him know he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to make the recommendation for the bid. He informs Marty he feels their application isn’t complete. Before hanging up, Beecher tells Marty he’ll be at the Golden Ridge Hotel. Petty’s with him listening in. After he hangs up Beecher asks Agent Petty, “Now what?” Petty replies, “You do what you always do. You take the bribe.”

Marty returns home and tells Wendy that Beecher needs more information before he can do the recommendation. Wendy asks if that’s code for a bribe. Marty changes the subject and asks how Buddy’s doing. Wendy reveals the doctor doesn’t think he’ll last much longer and that Jonah’s down in the basement reading to him.

Wendy goes down to check on them and hears Jonah reading a smut book to Buddy. She quickly tells Jonah to go to bed. After Jonah leaves, she halfheartedly scolds Buddy about the book. She asks how he’s doing, and he returns the question. She insists she’s fine and continues where Jonah left off, reading more of the smut book to Buddy.

Rachel’s sitting at the bar drinking at the Blue Cat when a man strikes up a conversation. She has sex with the stranger in the bathroom while Petty’s listening in, thanks to the wire he’s making her wear at all times.

Ozark Season 2 Episode 4
Julia Garner in ‘Ozark’ season 2 episode 4 (Photo Credit: Netflix)

When Rachel returns to the bar Ruth’s there, drinking. Ruth knows what she was up to in the bathroom and has something smartmouth to say about it, suggesting it might be more sanitary to have sex behind the dumpster. Rachel calls her out about playing “badass b**ch” all the time. She thinks it’s partly an act, but more power to her. Rachel lets Ruth know Tuck thinks the world of her so she can’t be that bad.

After admitting that, Rachel changes the subject and asks Ruth if she still works for Marty. Ruth nonchalantly replies, “Managing the best fake tits on this side of the lake.” Rachel wonders how she likes working for him. Ruth responds that he’s cool, but he has his moments. They then both agree he’s a prick.

Ruth comes home and her dad (Trevor Long) and Three (Carson Holmes) give her a hard time about slapping the guidance counselor at Wyatt’s school. She apologizes to Wyatt for her actions. After she walks away, Cade asks Wyatt if he’s still hanging out with Blondie (Charlotte). After admitting he is, Wyatt tells Cade that Charlotte told him her family was at the Blue Cat the night Russ and Boyd died. Cade tells him if he has questions to go get the answers.

The next day Wyatt heads down to the Blue Cat’s dock to look at the electrical system. He storms up to the bar and asks Charlotte if her dad’s there.

Marty hears him and asks Wyatt what he needs. Wyatt points out he knows Marty was there when it happened and wants to know why he didn’t talk to the police. He also lets Marty know he read the police report. Marty lies and says he wanted to get his family home. Wyatt asks if he saw their bodies. Marty admits he did. Next, Wyatt wants to know what he did with the guns. Marty insists he didn’t know they had guns.

Wyatt continues questioning Marty, asking if he gave them some type of job to do. Marty assures Wyatt he doesn’t have the answers he’s looking for. Marty cuts him off and lets him know he needs to talk to Charlotte real quick in private.

Clearly not happy, Marty asks Charlotte if she said anything to Wyatt. She confesses she did but doesn’t see the big deal. Marty warns her she can’t see Wyatt anymore. He asks if she sees the problem here and Charlotte retorts, “It’s only a problem if you did it, right?” Marty asks if she really thinks he’s capable of doing something like that. Instead of responding, she tells her dad he can’t stop her from seeing anyone. He insists not only can he, in fact, do so, but he could also ship her off to boarding school in China if that’s what it takes.

Charles Wilkes (Darren Goldstein) shows up at Wendy’s house warning her he knows Beecher’s dirty. Wendy asks what Beecher’s price is and, surprisingly, Beecher is into the Grateful Dead. Apparently, Beecher is a Dead Head. Charles lets her know the last four bribes Beecher took were backstage passes to their concerts.

Charlotte tries to call Wyatt but gets his voicemail. After Charlotte leaves a message, Rachel walks up and asks how it’s going. She assures Charlotte she can talk to her if she wants to and offers Charlotte a sip of her beer which Charlotte accepts.

Rachel’s attempting to make small talk about boys when Charlotte cuts her off, letting her know she’s aware that she stole money from them. Rachel confesses she fears what Marty’s involved in. Charlotte tells her, “I don’t care and I’m not talking to you about sh*t.”

Agent Petty realizes the kids know what’s going on.

Rachel goes back inside, spots Marty, and tells him she’s helping by being there. Marty agrees. Rachel wants him to tell his family that, but Marty has no clue what she’s talking about. Rachel reveals Charlotte basically told her to get bent and Wendy came there in interrogation mode because the cops are in their business.

Marty accuses Rachel of playing the victim card and that angers her. Marty says maybe they should be treating her like that. After the businesses shut down the only thing that had changed was that Rachel was back in the loop. Rachel questions if Marty thinks she’s a rat. He questions her back, “Are you?!”

Rachel’s really pissed off and starts to let stuff slip. She asks, “You’re worried about me? You got Russ Langmore’s f**king friend hanging out, watching everything you’re doing, and you’re worried about me?” Marty, being clueless, asks what she’s talking about. Rachel goes on to describe what Agent Petty looks like. Rachel, seemingly not done screwing Agent Petty, tells Marty he was there the day after Russ died asking her a whole lot of questions.

Petty has obviously heard the whole thing and has a meltdown in his truck.

Marty comes home and is having a moment to himself in his car in the driveway, head tilted back and eyes closed when a very angry Pastor Mason Young (Michael Mosley) throws money at him. He demands Marty give his blood money to someone else. Marty has no clue where the money came from but Mason doesn’t believe a word he says. Mason begins to walk away when Marty asks how his son is. That sets Mason off again and he tells Marty his son doesn’t concern him.

After watching Mason walk away, Marty spots Wendy giving Charles a hug goodbye down by the dock.

Cade Langmore’s at the strip club in a private room with a stripper when Sam hears the stripper yelling. Sam investigates what’s happening and the stripper informs Sam that Cade owes her $50. After Cade has some choice words for Sam, Sam goes to get Ruth to warn her Cade is causing trouble.

Sam tries to talk to Cade in a calm manner but Cade punches him in the face. Ruth shows up to tell Cade to pay her and get out.

Rachel’s leaving the Blue Cat when Agent Petty shows up like a bat out of hell demanding she get in his truck. After pulling off into the woods, he orders her to start walking while pointing a gun at her. He throws her to the ground screaming about how he’s been working on this case for two years and she blew his cover. Rachel swears she only said something because Marty thought she was a rat.

Crying and begging for her life, Rachel insists she’ll get him something. He still has the gun at her head, letting her know next time there will be a hole there waiting for her. With that, he leaves her there, crying.

Marty puts money on the counter in front of Wendy and she asks him where it’s from. He fills her in on how Mason threw money at him in the driveway while she was saying goodbye to Wilkes. Marty wants to know why Wendy didn’t tell him about the money. She admits she knew he wouldn’t have approved. The two begin to argue and he wants to know what Wilkes wanted. She says it was about Beecher. He questions Wendy about when she had planned on telling him. She states it wasn’t a secret and asks if that’s what this is about. Marty replies, “It’s about you making unilateral decisions, Wendy.”

Their argument has turned to Rachel when Jonah comes in demanding they stop. He asks why they are arguing. Lying, they say everything’s fine. After Jonah goes to bed, in a much calmer tone Marty informs Wendy about Charlotte telling Wyatt they were at the Blue Cat when the Langmores died. He also reveals he told Charlotte not to see him anymore. Wendy says she’ll have a talk with their daughter.

Wendy and Marty meet with Beecher and Marty offers him Grateful Dead passes. He accepts them, but Wendy has a bad feeling and kicks the briefcase with money in it out of Marty’s reach. She says they’ll comb through their records and will get back to him. Marty seems confused but follows Wendy out of the hotel room with the briefcase in hand.

As they’re walking through the lobby, Marty questions Wendy asking what that was all about. She simply states she had a bad feeling. She believes the room was too clean. Marty doesn’t seem to be on the same page as his wife. He hopes she’s right.

Rachel tries to get information out of Ruth again about Marty. She asks her how she got involved with him and Ruth confesses she stole money from him. Rachel questions if it was the same money he hid in her walls. Ruth starts telling her about Marty walking around transferring money. Petty seems excited about this news.

Marty comes home and goes down to the basement to see Buddy. Buddy calls Marty kind of a dick. After letting him know how he feels, Buddy tells Marty to sit down. Buddy lets him know he understands why he didn’t come down. Everyone handles it differently. Marty opens up about his dad dying of pancreatitis. Buddy changes the subject to his beard itching. Marty shaves Buddy’s face for him.

The next morning the FBI shows up and invades their house. After making them sit on the floor in the living room, Agent Petty sits down in front of Marty with a smug look on his face and says, “Good morning.”




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