The final season gives the Pogues a satisfying goodbye, but repeated treasure hunts and JJʼs absence keep it from matching the thrill of earlier seasons.
Five seasons of danger, treasure and narrow escapes, and the biggest thing missing from the Pogues’ last adventure is not gold. It is JJ Maybank. Released on Netflix on 20 August 2026, the final season picks up right after his death at the hands of his own father, Chandler Groff. The Pogues are grieving the Blue Crown is gone, and Groff is still out there, giving the show its darkest opening yet.
Outer Banks follows John B and his friends, the Pogues, a group of teenagers from the poorer side of a North Carolina Island, who hunt legendary treasure while clashing with the wealthy Kooks. Season 5 gives them one last chance at the life they have wanted since Season 1. There are still enough chases, close calls and emotional moments to make it entertaining, but entertaining is no longer the same as surprising. It earns a solid 7 out of 10 because the character growth is strong and final episode genuinely lands, but the story feels too familiar, and the show never fully regains its old spark. JJ was chaotic, funny, and always making reckless decisions.That energy is exactly what this season is missing. He was also fiercely loyal, and after a rough childhood, the Pogues were his real family, so he would do almost anything for them. Take him out of the show, and there is nothing left to lighten the mood, so the season just sits heavier scene after scene. His absence also raised the question of whether his death was earned. The creators described it as necessary for the final season, but Season 5 uses his death so heavily to create revenge plot that it feels more like a way to move the story forward than a proper ending for JJ. The cast picked up on it too. Madison Bailey, who plays Kiara or JJʼs girlfriend in the show, telling people that season felt more serious and was missing JJʼs comedy. Jonathan Daviss, who plays Pope, also said there was an empty space where JJ would normally be.
The biggest weakness shows up early. Once again, the Pogues find treasure, lose it, and chase it all over again and after four seasons of this exact loop, losing the Blue Crown feels frustrating instead of surprising. Keeping Groff around as the main villain until the very last episode makes the repetition worse. Kiara has every right to want justice but dragging that chase out for so long leaves her story stuck in the same grief and anger. John B also became less important than expected. As the main character, he should anchor the final season but without his bond with JJ, a big part of what made him worth rooting for just fades away.
Still, Kiaraʼs healing gives the season emotional weight. Kiara handles her grief without simply forgetting about JJ. She accepts support, attends therapy, and begins imagining a future beyond revenge. She shows genuine growth. Then there is Rafe, the season’s biggest surprise. Once one of the Pogues’ main enemies, he began helping them in Season 4 and completes that change here. After years of being dangerous and selfish, his decision to help them against Groff proves that he has changed through actions. The show does not ignore his past, which makes his redemption feel earned instead of forced. Rafe cannot replace JJ, but he brings back some of the unpredictability the seasons lost. His continued growth gives the final episodes much of their energy. Drew Starkey makes the change believable without allowing Rafeʼs past to disappear.
Overall, Season 5 is a satisfying farewell, but not a strong final adventure. Kiaraʼs healing and Rafeʼs redemption give the story emotional weight. However, the repeated treasure hunt feels tired. The season also never recovers the energy JJ brought to the group. The Pogues finally earn the future they fought for, making the ending rewarding but painful. The story reaches its ending, but without JJ, it lacks the heart that made the earlier seasons so exciting.
Tilly Bunnage 
Josh 
Matthew