Outer Banks is a popular show amongst teenagers. The first episode was released in April 2020 and took over the world. Outer Banks is a show about teenagers solving mysteries to find long-lost treasure. These teenagers live in the less wealthy part of the Outer Banks so they are considered “Pogues,” while the wealthier people are considered “Kooks.” The show starts with the main character John B. and his three friends JJ, Pope, and Kiara, trying to find this lost treasure involving John B.’s dad who was “lost at sea.” Each season there is a new treasure to find along with battling conflict with each member having a family issue in the way of this treasure.
The show does a great job of getting you hooked on the characters. One character that is a favorite amongst fans is JJ Maybank. JJ is the crazy one of the group which is saying something considering the absurd adventures they have gone on. JJ doesn’t have a filter when it comes to anything. He’s always cracking jokes, breaking things just because he wants to or making inappropriate comments during serious moments to cut the serious tension.
With the new season recently released, a new adventure set off for the group of teens, but this one was slightly different from the rest. This treasure was being found for someone else; it was for Chandler Groff. Chandler Groff is a new character in the show, so fans knew nothing about him, but he always treated JJ differently from the rest of the members.
In season four, JJ’s dad tells him that he is not his real dad and that his real dad is Chandler Groff. Because his dad is manipulative, he doesn’t believe him. He goes to Groff and confronts him about it. He denies it at first, but a series of events causes him to finally admit it because JJ is leaving and Groff needs him. Groff tricks JJ into hiding by promising to get rid of the cops, then sneaks into the Pogues’ hideout to steal the scroll, fighting Kiara and locking her in the freezer. Groff convinces JJ to get on a boat to avoid being seen, but halfway through, JJ realizes Groff has the scroll and plans to keep the treasure for himself. This leads to a fight, ending with Groff pushing JJ off the boat leaving him stranded.
Meanwhile, Kiara is rescued by John B and Sarah, who use JJ’s phone location to find and save him from the water. The Pogues eventually track Groff down in Morocco after they find the treasure. JJ and Kiara run into Groff who holds Kiara hostage with a knife. To save Kiara, JJ strikes a deal with Groff, offering the treasure in exchange for Kiara’s safety.
With JJ’s death, fans worldwide were not happy. Some people around the school shared how they felt about the ending of season four. Their responses were, “I hated it,” “It stressed me out,” and “It was very emotional.” The controversy didn’t start because he died, even though he was one of the most likable characters; it started because of how he died and how the season ended. JJ’s death seemed very rushed in the last episode of the season. Some believe that it wasn’t originally planned, but when Rudy Pankown, the actor who plays JJ Maybank, decided to leave the show they needed to create an ending for his character. Pankown’s girlfriend created off-camera drama, which is the main reason he chose to leave Outer Banks. This led Madeline Cline, who plays Sarah Cameron, to unfollow Pankown on social media. With the real-life drama leading to changes in the characters this season, fans are left wondering what direction the show will take or even if it will return.
Take the poll on the homepage to tell us your feelings about this season.
