Netflix’s teen drama series Outer Banks has been a consistent success throughout its four seasons, and it has been renewed for season 5. Created for TV by Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke in 2020, the series concerns a group of friends (who call themselves Pogues), who search for lost treasure and duke it out with rival teen group, The Kooks, in the Outer Banks region of North Carolina. Mixing all the trappings of classic teen romance with swashbuckling adventure, Outer Banks delivers a unique viewing experience that has helped make it one of Netflix’s most popular originals.
Season four opens with a lot of emotional baggage, as the Pogues must not only deal with their complicated family lives, but the burgeoning new adventure that was laid out before them. As the relationships in Outer Banks get more complicated with each successive season, so too does the intrigue. Perhaps the most underrated aspect of the show’s storytelling, Outer Banks is very much a coming-of-age story that gets richer and richer as the audience learns along with the Pogues. All this makes season 5 a necessity, and Netflix was quick to renew for the fifth and final season.
Outer Banks Season 5 Latest News
Netflix Orders A Fifth & Final Season
Even before the second half of season 4 arrived, the latest news confirmed that Netflix had renewed Outer Banks for season 5. The exciting news also came with somewhat sad news, as it was also revealed that the forthcoming fifth season would be the show’s last. As evidence for Netflix’s smart decision to renew, it was revealed that part 1 of season 4 premiered at #1 on the global English language streaming charts, no easy feat in the crowded streaming field.
Though no explicit reason for the cancelation was given, series creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke revealed that it was always the plan to tell a five-season story. The trio issued a joint statement along with the season 5 renewal, saying in part “Season Five will be our last season, and we think it will be our best yet. We hope you’ll join us for one more paddle out to the surf break.” With a pre-planned storyline in the offing, it’s clear that Outer Banks will get a proper conclusion after all.
Read the joint statement from the Pates and Shannon Burke below:
Dispatch to all Pogues:
Seven years ago, in the summer of 2017, we came across a photo of teenagers on a beach at dusk during a power outage. That photo sparked an idea for a story of four best friends who only want to have a good time all the time. From this beginning, we imagined a mystery that would lead to a five-season journey of adventure, treasure hunting, and friendship.
At the time, seven years ago, it seemed impossible that we would really get to tell the whole five season story, but here we are, at the end of our fourth season, still chopping away.
The fourth season was our longest and hardest – but most rewarding – to produce. The season ends with a feature length episode, which we think is our best, most powerful episode. We hope you feel the same way.
Now, with a little sadness, but also excitement, we’re putting Season Four behind us, and are turning to Season Five, in which we hope to bring our beloved Pogues home in the way we imagined and planned years ago. Season Five will be our last season, and we think it will be our best yet. We hope you’ll join us for one more paddle out to the surf break.
P4L,
Josh, Jonas, and Shannon
Outer Banks Season 5 Is Confirmed
Netflix Quickly Ordered Season 5
*** According to series co-creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke, a five-season arc was always the plan.
It didn’t take long for Netflix to decide the fate of Poguelandia, and the streamer preemptively renewed Outer Banks for a fifth season a few days before the premiere of season 4 part 2. The decision was clearly a smart one, and season 4 spent a significant amount of time at the top of the English language streaming charts. Though the renewal announcement is exciting news, it’s also somewhat bittersweet because season 5 will be the final outing for the Pogues. According to series co-creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke, a five-season arc was always the plan.
Outer Banks Season 5 Cast Details
The Pogues & The Kooks Will Return
The core cast of teens has anchored the show since the beginning, but the beloved Pogues won’t return en masse for season 5, following the shocking death of JJ (played by Rudy Pankow). However, the rest of the group is expected back, and the antagonistic Kooks should also be on hand, since the stark class divide between the two is one of the most powerful themes of the series.
With all that said, the cast will likely be led by the likes of Chase Stokes as John B. alongside regulars like Madison Bailey as Kiara, Johnathan Daviss as Pope, Carlacia Grant as Cleo, Austin North as Topper, and Drew Starkey as Rafe. Season 4 has also added a host of new characters, but it’s unclear at this juncture if they’ll be back for future seasons. The villainous Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane) will also need to return for season 5 since he has a ton of unfished business with the Pogues.
The cast of Outer Banks season 5 will likely include:
| Actor | Outer Banks Role | |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Stokes | John B. |
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| Madelyn Cline | Sarah |
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| Madison Bailey | Kiara |
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| Johnathan Daviss | Pope |
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| Carlacia Grant | Cleo |
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| Austin North | Topper |
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| Drew Starkey | Rafe |
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| J. Anthony Crane | Chandler Groff |
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Outer Banks Season 5 Story Details
What Happens Next In Poguelandia?
Each half of season 4 presented plenty of exciting twists and turns, and it all sets up an exciting and conclusive season 5. JJ learning the secret of his true parentage was not only a nice twist, but it also introduced an element of danger because his identity was likely hidden for a reason. Unfortunately, that danger reared it’s ugly head in season 4 part 2, and JJ was stabbed to death by Chandler Groff.
After Groff absconded with the Blue Crown in the season 4 finale, it established a very clear path for where the Pogues are headed in the final outing. Groff let slip that his buyer is in Lisbon, Portugal, and the gang is determined to follow him there to recover the treasure and likely avenge their fallen comrade. JJ’s death shows that no one is safe as Outer Banks takes a darker turn, and even more shocking twists could happen in season 5.
