For many who dismissed “Ozark” as “Breaking Terrible Lite,” the Netflix drama has surpassed all expectations, building slowly into a final season that reinforces the idea that doing business with really bad people has consequences. The fourth season has also become a family affair, giving the Byrde narrative a deeper hook that keeps the audience guessing until the final frame.

Perhaps most importantly, the series has continually put Marty (Jason Bateman) and his wife Wendy (Laura Linney) to the test as they try to negotiate landmines like drug traffickers and the Feds in order to get out of their shady money-laundering business and buy their way back to Chicago.

Marty has established himself as the guy who can talk his way out of any difficulty, or at least attempt to, over the years, while Wendy has become progressively cruel, to the point of alienating their not-quite-grown-up children (Sofia Hublitz, Skylar Gaertner). The Byrdes have been adding each other to the “Who can you trust?” calculus since the beginning, but the question of whether they’re working together out of love or need seems particularly apparent today.

Similarly, the season’s two halves have probed the Byrdes’ fractious relationship with Ruth (Julia Garner), while also serving as vital reminders of the collateral harm they’ve caused in their steady decline into crime. It’s also established peripheral characters with depth, such as drug lord Omar Navarro (Felix Solis), demonstrating that even generic dangers can be weirdly charismatic, but it’s never a good idea to ignore them.

The performances are once again outstanding, with Garner shining out in a final stretch that demonstrates Ruth’s toughness and determination. Richard Thomas also gets a bigger part in “Ozark” as Wendy’s estranged father, who has returned into her life and, like practically everything else in the movie, has complicated things.

After four seasons, fans are certain to have their own opinions on whether the Byrdes might possibly find a way out after falling so far down this rabbit hole, and if it’s even possible to clean up after all the damage.

“Ozark” builds to that answer masterfully, delivering it in a thought-provoking manner that solidifies its spot among Netflix’s best dramas. After establishing itself as one of those addictive shows that stretched the boundaries of serialized thrillers, this last flurry of episodes officially seals the deal.

“Ozark” begins its final run of episodes April 29 on Netflix.

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