Last week, the beloved Netflix series ‘Outer Banks’ began filming for its fifth and final season. The suspenseful teen drama, set in a coastal town nestled in the barrier islands of North Carolina has become a fan favorite. Since its debut in 2020, the show has gained 200 million followers, becoming one of the faces of the streaming platform.
Who Will Return in the Final Season?
An Instagram post on the Outer Banks page confirmed the return of Chase Stokes as John B, Carlacia Grant as Cleo, Madison Bailey as Kiara, Drew Starkey as Rafe, Jonathan Daviss as Pope, and Madelyn Cline as Sarah Cameron.
Despite the return of the main cast, fans noted that it was missing one key player. JJ played by Rudy Pankow was not featured in the Instagram post. JJ was killed by his father in season four causing a hole in the adored trio featuring him, Pope, and Kiara.
When Will The Final Season of Outer Banks Arrive?
This is long awaited news for ‘Outer Banks’ fans, yet a bit disappointing with it being nine months since the fourth season aired. With lengthy gaps between seasons being the norm in streaming, there’s no telling when the final season will premiere. For example, the fourth season of ‘Outer Banks’ started production in the summer of 2023 and wasn’t released until the fall of 2024. At that rate, we won’t get a new season until fall of 2026.
This is a bit understandable. Many Netflix actors bounce around to different projects during the interim stages of filming, thus lengthening the time of production. In addition to this, the topic of expenses comes into play, in hopes that grander visuals keep viewers watching. However, this has caused a drop in engagement for the streaming titan. “What’s on Netflix” explored this issue well in a recent article
“As we reported earlier this year, the impact of shows returning after such a long period means that viewership has likely shifted. Out of all the returning 2024 shows, Netflix’s viewership data suggest that only one show grew its audience: Bridgerton, which rose 13% from season 2 to 3. The majority of other returning shows weren’t so lucky.”
All good things come to an end and it’ll be sad to see ‘Outer Banks’ leave. The series joined a crop of other shows like ‘Stranger Things’, ‘Never Have I Ever’, and ‘On My Block’ in ushering in a teenage-oriented sector to Netflix. This sector allowed Netflix to reach a new audience in Gen Z especially during the pandemic.
Let’s hope that despite the agonizing wait, the final season will leave viewers pleased with its ending.