“Once, a long time ago, we just wanted to have a good time, all the time,” John B (Chase Stokes) begins his voice-over in the first few moments of Outer Banks’ fifth and final season, which will debut on Aug. 20.
How far the fun-loving Pogues have fallen. A sneak peek of the first episode of the final season — which you can watch above, exclusively on Tudum — shows the treasure hunters at the very end of their rope. JJ (Rudy Pankow) is dead, and Kiara (Madison Bailey) has lost the most important person in her life. Pope (Jonathan Daviss) is dealing with PTSD from shooting Lightner (Rigo Sanchez) to save Cleo (Carlacia Grant). Sarah (Madelyn Cline) is pregnant and on the run, and John B just wants to make it back home without losing anyone else.
On top of all that, Groff (J. Anthony Crane) has the Blue Crown — and he’s about to sell the enchanted treasure to a buyer in Portugal. It’s up to the Pogues to capture the crown and avenge JJ’s death, finally putting a stop to Groff’s reign of terror. They decide to pay off a smuggler to get them to Lisbon, but they don’t know that the crook is working with Finch (Jason Alan Carvell), a mysterious villain, to capture Kiara.
As if that’s not enough to cause a massive wave of anxiety and terror? The smuggler separates the guys from the girls as they head out to sea, weakening the airtight group of friends. We’ll have to wait until Aug. 20 to find out what happens next.
“[The Pogues] may end up getting treasure as part of their revenge, but it’s all about avenging JJ, and trying to get some solace or peace, and to move on from the grief they all feel,” co-showrunner Jonas Pate tells Tudum. “From here, it’s really personal.”
While Kiara will be the “lead dog” in holding Groff accountable, co-showrunner Josh Pate notes, “they all feel it, like they have to do something. It’s almost to just ameliorate the grief they’re feeling.”
Ahead of shooting the show’s final season, Josh, Jonas, and co-showrunner Shannon Burke sat down with each actor and broke down exactly what was going to happen to their characters in the last ride. “Everybody's really game and they're excited,” Burke says. “Their acting brains start turning like, ‘How am I going to make this even better?’” The cast pitched their own ideas, many of which excited the creative team and ended up in the script. “It's an organic process that's pretty satisfying when it's all over,” the writer notes
If you’re itching for more Outer Banks, be sure to watch the trailer for Season 5 here, which features even more action-packed drama. And be prepared to buckle up — because, according to Josh, Jonas, and Burke, this last ride will be a “wild” one. “Being back on set with our cast for this final round is nothing short of bittersweet and surreal,” the creative team said in a joint statement. “We can’t wait to show everyone what we have in store this season.”
Outer Banks Season 5 washes ashore Aug. 20. Head here to watch the full livestream of the Outer Banks Season 5 Watch Party.
