Outer Banks- Season 5 (review)
Published by Mason Oldridge, 11 September 2026
We return to the Outer Banks - and around the world - for one last time.
Following last season’s finale in which Groff kills JJ, an angry and heartbroken Kiara is out for revenge as the Pogues engage in a three-way hunt for the crown, along with the dastardly Groff and the ruthless Corsairs.
The first two episodes are action-packed as the Pogues venture through Spain, Portugal and Croatia, hunting Groff. However, the Corsairs steal the crown and the Pogues return home.
The series then returns to the simplicity of the earlier seasons with island-based antics, such as John B finding a bundle of weed and selling it to Barry (who always makes for an entertaining appearance) and John B and Pope breaking into Topper’s house to steal from the safe, which is a fun throwback.
The rest of the season then sees the Pogues resume their mission to steal back the crown, culminating in an epic hijacking operation in Azerbaijan, where they blow up a mountain, plunging the Corsairs into water and reclaiming the crown. We finally learn if its supposed powers of bringing back the dead are true as Kiara attempts to resurrect JJ. While it doesn’t bring him back to life, the experience provides comforting closure for her. Unfortunately, the Corsairs then retrieve the crown from the group again.
In the finale, a dramatic hurricane batters Kildare, putting lives at risk, as the gang congregate at the lighthouse and embark on a rescue mission for Kiara, after she finally dares to kill Groff.
Groff continues to excel as the main antagonist this season, though what is most compelling is the redemption arc of Rafe. He makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Sofia when he is reimplicated in the murder of Sheriff Peterkin, linking back to the first season, saves Shoupe and apologises for killing Peterkin, before making an emotional departure to South America.
Additionally, it was nice to see minor character Wheezie come to the rescue by shooting Groff and saving Rose.
Throughout the series, the Pogues engage in four main treasure hunts: the Royal Merchant, the Cross of Santo Domingo, the lost city of El Dorado and the Blue Crown. The Royal Merchant gold is stolen by Ward, Rafe sells the cross, their home that they built with the reward from El Dorado is repossessed when they fail to pay their taxes and they don’t end up with the crown either. This all feels disappointing, though the series ends with them finding the original Royal Merchant gold again and rebuilding the island and their lives. Although they don’t receive justice for all their successful treasure hunting, it feels fitting that the one treasure that they do reclaim is the one that they initially set out to find, bringing the story full circle.
This final season provides a satisfactory conclusion to one of Netflix’s greatest series. P4L.
9/10