Is Outer Banks ending after season 5? Explained

Ahead of the release of Outer Banks Season 4 Part 2 on November 7, 2024, the show's creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burkeit released a heartfelt letter through Netflix's official Instagram page announcing that the fifth season of the action-adventure teen drama television series will be the final season.

The three creators noted in the letter that they had always envisioned Outer Banks as a five-season journey since the time the idea for the show first came to them.

They stated:

"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."

They also mentioned that during the early phases of the show's development, they were uncertain about their ability to successfully create five seasons of the series, however, they have made major progress since then.

The letter additionally mentioned a couple of other things the creators wanted to convey to the Outer Banks' dedicated fanbase. However, it eventually ended with the sad news of the show not being renewed after season 5.

"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."

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Outer Banks season 4. Readers' discretion is advised.

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Outer Banks Season 6 is not happening

Although Netflix did not disclose the release date for Outer Banks Season 5 yet, as mentioned previously, they have confirmed that the saga of the Pogues will wrap up with the fifth installment. This has made fans of the show disheartened but the makers have promised that the upcoming and final installment of the series will be their best one yet and one they should be thoroughly excited for.

The fans were not the only people who were heartbroken by the news, as the show's cast including Chase Stokes who plays John B. Routledge, the mastermind behind the Pogues, also expressed his disappointment about the show coming to an end, by sharing the same letter, mentioned previously, on his Instagram account on November 5, 2024. He captioned the post:

"My hearts heavy writing this one... One last ride. Thank you to everybody who has tuned in these past 5 years. You’ve given us more than we could ever give back to you...It’s always gonna be Pogues 4 Life. -JBR"

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Did Rudy Pankow leave the cast of Outer Banks?

For those who are yet to see the latest season of the show, Outer Banks Season 4 Part 2 ended with JJ Maybank's (portrayed by Rudy Pankow) death. After the character exited the show many were quick to come up with their theories concerning Pankow's exit from the show, including reasons like conflict and contract expiry.

However, on November 9, 2024, while speaking to Netflix's Tudum, creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke revealed they had always planned for JJ's character to die in the series. Josh Pate explicitly spoke about the decision and mentioned that it was a hard one to make as Pankow was a valued member of the show's ensemble cast.

He also mentioned how JJ's death would be setting the stage for an epic series finale. He said:

"We’re planning a story of redemption, and a season that embodies the friendship that JJ had come to represent. JJ's death was a hard but necessary piece of the architecture for the story, and we plan on honoring that as much as we can because we love the character as much as the fans do. And Rudy’s a great friend of ours.”

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All episodes of Outer Banks Seasons 1 to 4 are currently streaming on Netflix.