Outer Banks creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate and Shannon Burke exclusively told E! News how the cast—including Chase Stokes, Rudy Pankow and Madelyn Cline—reacted to season four’s shocking twist.
Warning: This story contains major spoilers for season four of Netflix’s Outer Banks.
The Pogues made the most of a heartbreaking moment.
Josh Pate and Shannon Burke—who co-created Outer Banks and co-wrote the show’s season four finale—revealed that the Netflix series’ cast had somewhat positive reactions to their decision to kill off beloved character Jackson “JJ” Maybank at the end of the fourth installment.
In fact, Rudy Pankow, who plays JJ on the show, was actually on board with the idea of his character facing a tragic fate from the start.
“He seemed excited about it,” Shannon exclusively told E! News. “Like, just the idea of doing a death, dying scene, in the abstract.”
Rudy also had a lot of time to prepare for the big moment, as Josh recalled coming up with the idea to kill off one of the Pogues early on in the teen drama’s development and pitching it to the 26-year-old shortly after.
“It was actually an idea that was almost present from the beginning of the series that, at some point, one of the Pogues would die,” the screenwriter explained. “By the second season, we realized it would be JJ. And we even talked about it with Rudy far off in the future, like, ‘When this character goes, it might be in Kiara’s arms.’”
As for his castmates Madison Bailey (Kiara “Kie” Carrera), Madelyn Cline (Sarah Cameron), Chase Stokes (John B Routledge), Drew Starkey (Rafe Cameron), Austin North (Topper Thornton) and Carlacia Grant (Cleo Anderson)? Jonas Pate—who co-created Outer Banks alongside Josh and Shannon, as well as directed season four’s final episode—shared that the stars found out about the shocking ending after it’d been solidified in ink.
“They didn’t find out until pretty late,” Jonas told E!. “Honestly, not until the draft of the final episode got to them.”
But once they were cued into the storyline, Rudy’s costars certainly had a mix of feelings.
Joking that their initial thought was probably, “‘Thank god it’s not me,'” Jonas explained, “They were emotional about it, because they love Rudy. The cast are good friends.”
And of course, the actors’ top priority was making sure his death received the onscreen treatment that it deserved. As Jonas put it, “Everyone just sort of rallied around the story.”
“Everyone really wanted to make it as emotional and as compelling as it could be,” he continued. “And they just jumped on board.”
Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix
Ultimately, “emotional” wound up being an understatement for how JJ’s final moments felt for Shannon.
“I can’t watch it without crying,” he shared. “The whole story comes together there, and it comes to a really emotional conclusion, and then seeing the flashbacks of the younger Rudy, it’s just really emotional on so many different levels.”
Shannon added, “I don’t want to say it’s my ‘favorite’ scene because it’s heart wrenching—it’s like a dagger to the heart—but it’s effective and it’s satisfying in a way that it’s a fitting conclusion to his character.”
Part one and part two of Outer Banks season four are now streaming on Netflix. For more shows to add to your watchlist once you’ve caught up, keep reading.
NBCUniversal/Giles Keyte
Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked (NBC & Peacock) – Nov. 19
In celebration of Universal Pictures’ new cinematic event, based on the generation-defining Broadway musical, international superstars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead an all-star cast in a spectacular journey through Oz for their new film, Wicked.
Filmed on the movie’s stunning Emerald City set, stars Grande, Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang and Marissa Bode and will share personal memories, intimate video diaries and revealing secrets about their personal journeys through the making of the Universal Pictures film.
Disney/Mike Taing
Interior Chinatown (Hulu) – Nov. 19
Based on Charles Yu’s award-winning book of the same name, the show follows the story of Willis Wu, a background character trapped in a police procedural called Black & White. Relegated to the background, Willis goes through the motions of his on-screen job, waiting tables, dreaming about a world beyond Chinatown and aspiring to be the lead of his own story. When Willis inadvertently becomes a witness to a crime, he begins to unravel a criminal web in Chinatown, while discovering his own family’s buried history and what it feels like to be in the spotlight.
Phylicia J. L. Munn/Bravo
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (Bravo) – Nov. 19
Housewives Garcelle Beauvais, Erika Jayne, Dorit Kemsley, Kyle Richards and Sutton Stracke return for a season of monumental changes and new beginnings.
Joining the group is housewife Bozoma Saint John, marketing titan and friend of Sutton’s who brings her unique flair and fierce energy to the 90210. Resident socialite Kathy Hilton and Oscar-nominated actress Jennifer Tilly join season 14 as friends.
Making Manson (Peacock) – Nov. 19
Making Manson uncovers new revelations from Charles Manson’s own words, offering the most comprehensive Manson portrait yet on film or television.
Featuring never-before-heard audio of Manson culled from more than 100 hours of intimate conversations recorded over 20 years up until his death in 2017, the series offers new details about Manson’s past and surprising insights into his worldview. Nearly 20 contributors appear in the series, from those closest to his crimes in “The Family” to family members of victims, some speaking out on-camera first time.
Robert Trachtenberg/NBC
Night Court (NBC) – Nov. 19
Season three of the comedy will premiere Nov. 19.
MAX/Warner Bros. Discovery
Surveilled With Ronon Farrow (MAX) – Nov. 20
Surveilled tracks Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Ronan Farrow as he investigates the growing business of commercial spyware, following the story from New York City to Tel Aviv, Israel, a center of espionage cybertechnology. Once a target of covert surveillance himself, Farrow explores the multi-billion-dollar industry, addressing the contradictory uses and implications of phone hacking – the ability to monitor criminal activity and the attendant threats to civil liberties.
Netflix
Rhythm + Flow (Netflix) – Nov. 20
This season returns with DJ Khaled, Ludacris and Latto serving as the newest judges to up and coming talent from around the country vying to win the grand prize of $250,000 and the title of hip hop’s newest star.
Peacock
Based on a True Story (Peacock) – Nov. 21
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But a series of new murders pulls her back in – is Matt (Tom Bateman) behind the slayings? Is Tory (Liana Liberato), now entangled in a relationship with Matt, in danger?
Magnolia Network/Warner Bros. Discovery
Human vs Hamster (Magnolia Network) – Nov. 21
Human vs Hamster is a cheeky competition series where the world’s most remarkable pet hamsters go toe-to-toe with teams of humans in scaled challenges that will test their speed, strength, agility–and, of course, their eating prowess–all for the sake of answering the burning question: “Which species is superior, humans or hamsters?”
Netflix
A Man on the Inside (Netflix) – Nov. 21
Watch Ted Danson as Charles, a retired man who gets a new lease on life when he answers an ad from a PI and becomes a mole in a secret investigation. From creator Mike Schur, A Msn on the Inside is based on the documentary The Mole Agent, a 2021 Oscar nominee for Best Documentary feature.
Prime Video
Cruel Intentions (Prime Video) – Nov. 21
Twenty-five years after the iconic film captivated audiences with its provocative drama, sex, and scandal, this series introduces a new class of cruel characters who are ready to take their games and manipulation to a whole new level. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the film or new to the twisted tale, the series promises binge-worthy fun that audiences won’t want to miss.
Tina Thorpe/Max
The Sex Lives of College Girls (Max) – Nov. 21
The comedy, which follows a group of college students at New England’s prestigious Essex College, returns for season three in November.
Starz
Outlander (Starz) – Nov. 22
Coming off the first half of Outlander season seven, we find Claire, Jamie and young Ian leaving the colonies and arriving in their beloved homeland: Scotland. The perils of the Revolutionary War force them to choose between standing by those they love and fighting for the land they have made their new home.
Meanwhile, Roger and Brianna face new enemies across time, and must battle the forces that threaten to pull their family apart. As loyalties change and painful secrets come to light, Jamie and Claire’s marriage is tested like never before. With their love binding them over oceans and centuries, can the MacKenzies and Frasers find their way back to each other?
Phylicia J. L. Munn/Bravo
Married to Medicine (Bravo) – Nov. 24
Returning for season 11 are Dr. Jacqueline Walters, Dr. Simone Whitmore, Dr. Heavenly Kimes, Toya Bush Harris, Quad Webb, Phaedra Parks, Esq. and Lateasha “Sweet Tea” Lunceford.
Netflix
Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey (Netflix) – Nov. 25
The three-part docuseries investigates the mishandling of the 1996 JonBenét Ramsey murder case by law enforcement and the media.
Netflix
The Madness (Netflix) – Nov. 28
Muncie Daniels (Colman Domingo) is a political consultant-turned-TV pundit who may have lost his way in life. While on a work sabbatical in the Poconos to write the great American novel, Muncie finds himself the only witness to the murder of a well-known white supremacist, and now he’s being framed for the crime. Muncie is forced to go on the run in a desperate fight to clear his name and unravel a global conspiracy before time runs out. Along the way he’ll reconnect with his family, find unlikely allies, and fight against disinformation in a post-truth age.
Magnolia Network/Warner Bros. Discovery
Second Chance Stage (Magnolia Network) – Nov. 28
Heidi Gardner, Taye Diggs and Martina McBride judge the new competition reality series.
NBCUniversal
2024 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (NBC & Peacock) – Nov. 28
The 98th Macy’s Parade lineup will be the largest yet with more than 5,000 volunteers, 17 featured character balloons, 22 floats, 15 heritage and novelty balloons, more than 700 clowns, 11 marching bands, 10 performance groups and music’s biggest stars, all welcoming Santa Claus and the holidays. Today‘s Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker will once again join as hosts of the Emmy Award-winning celebration.
Netflix
The Later Daters (Netflix) – Nov. 29
Six baby boomers, with the help of their adult kids, closest friends and a renowned relationship expert, are getting another shot at love in The Later Daters, an inspiring and relatable new dating docuseries. With Harvard-trained behavioral scientist Logan Ury coaching them as they navigate a whole new dating world and its different rules and online etiquette.
Showtime/Paramount+
The Agency (Paramount+/Showtime) – Nov. 29
A fresh take on the critically acclaimed hit French drama Le Bureau des Legendes, the all-new political thriller follows Martian (Michael Fassbender), a covert CIA agent, ordered to abandon his undercover life and return to London Station. When the love he left behind reappears, romance reignites. His career, his real identity and his mission are pitted against his heart; hurling them both into a deadly game of international intrigue and espionage.
Oxygen/NBCUniversal
Lady of the Dunes: Hunting a Cape Cod Killer (Oxygen) – Nov. 29
Oxygen examines the decades-long investigation of the murder of an unknown woman found in the dunes of Provincetown, Mass. Her vicious killing haunted and stymied even the most seasoned members of the town’s police department, and surprisingly coincided with a man’s pursuit to identify his birth mother.
Netflix
Senna (Netflix) – Nov. 29
Over the course of six episodes, Senna will show for the first time ever in a scripted series motor racing icon Ayrton Senna‘s journey through triumphs, disappointments, joys, and sorrows, revealing his personality and personal relationships. The fictional series starts at the beginning of the three-time Formula 1 champion’s motor racing career, from his early career kart years to when he leaves home to compete in Formula Ford in England, and up to his tragic accident in Imola, Italy, during the San Marino Grand Prix.
MGM+
Earth Abides (MGM+) – Dec. 1
In Earth Abides, when a plague of unprecedented virulence sweeps the globe, the human race is all but wiped out. In the aftermath, as the great machine of civilization slowly and inexorably breaks down, only a few shattered survivors remain to struggle against the slide into extinction. The series is based on George R. Stewart’s classic sci-fi novel of the same name.
TLC/Warner Bros. Discovery
90 Day: The Last Resort (TLC) – Dec. 2
90 Day Fiancé couples Ari and Bini, Brandon and Julia, Gino and Jasmine, Rob and Sophie, Josh and Natalie and Stacey and Florian have all reached their relationship breaking points. The six couples will spend three weeks at a desert oasis in Arizona, where they will undergo a rigorous relationship bootcamp aimed at rebuilding trust and connections.
Peacock/NBCUniversal
Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story (Peacock) – Dec. 3
The documentary offers an astonishing investigative look into the life and career of Joe Francis, a man whose name and multi-million dollar Girls Gone Wild empire were inescapable in the early 2000s. The docuseries includes Francis’ first in-depth, in-person interview with a journalist in almost a decade, drawn from Scaachi Koul’s on-the-record conversation at his Mexican compound, which spanned nearly nine hours, powerful personal accounts from 11 former employees and survivors, and never-before-broadcast video and audio recordings.
Paramount+
AS1ONE: The Israeli-Palestinian Pop Music Journey (Paramount+) – Dec. 3
Throughout this compelling four-part docuseries, music being the ultimate connector is explored in the chronicled journey to create the world’s first Israeli-Palestinian pop group. Over a five year period, the band members share their ups and downs including the challenging audition process in 2020; their language barriers, intense rehearsals, emotional highs and lows as they found their footing; navigating the very unexpected world events that happened on October 7th, 2023 – the morning after they flew to LA to record their first album; and the monumental challenges they have faced each day since. With so much more at stake because of the war, the band finds greater purpose in their music now representing something much greater than the six of them.
Bravo/NBCUniversal
Sold on SLC (Bravo) – Dec. 4
Michelle Yeo and her team of brokers sell the most jaw-dropping Utah real estate on season one of Sold on SLC.
Amazon MGM Studios/Prime Video
Pop Culture Jeopardy! (Prime Video) – Dec. 4
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NBCUniversal
Christmas in Rockefeller Center (NBC) – Dec. 4
NBC will celebrate the holiday season with the annual lighting of one of the world’s most famous trees in the heart of New York City with host Kelly Clarkson.
Audiences will be treated to festive performances from an all-star lineup of musical guests featuring Backstreet Boys, Dan + Shay, Megan Hilty, Jennifer Hudson, Coco Jones, Little Big Town, RAYE and Thalia.
Michelle Watt/Bravo
Southern Charm (Bravo) – Dec. 5
The Charmers find themselves at a crossroads of familiar feuds and redefined boundaries during season 10. Once Charleston’s rowdiest, the group appears committed to business, family and health, but growing pains are inevitable as fractures in their newfound life plans are quick to surface. a
