Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 4 Part 1 of Outer Banks.
With El Dorado behind themand Poguelandia in front of them, the Pogues should be at peace now, right? Wrong!Outer BanksSeason 4 pulls the Pogues back into a new treasure hunt after a series of mistakes and bad luck lead them to losing the majority of the money they earned from the gold of El Dorado. While not nearly as bonkers as their trip down to South America,Season 4 Part 1throws wrenches and twists into the lives of the Pogues. From struggling with massive property taxes on their beloved home to facing off against deadly mercenaries who are ready to kill anyone who gets in their way,the kids have their work cut out for themafter those 18 months of peaceif they want to get to Blackbeard’s treasure before anyone else.
Of the gang, the newest addition, Cleo (Carlacia Grant), gets the roughest deal of the bunch when her old captain and father-figure Terrance (Terence Rosemore) iskilled in front of herafter a scuffle with the mercenary Lightner (Rigo Sanchez). We spoke with both Carlacia Grant andJonathan Davissabout how the events of the season affect their characters. Daviss reflected on whether or not Pope was resentful of his missed opportunities because of the Pogues. He also pointed out what about these adventures draws Pope in so much. Grant talked about officially joining the OBX and being a part of the Pogues this season.The two actors talked about working together on the romance between Pope and Chloe, and then Grant went into detail about the death of Terrance and how that will affect Cleo going forward.
Read the full interview below or watch it in the video above!
Does Pope Resent His Friends for His Missed Opportunities?
“I really do think he thinks he can pull himself out of any hole and achieve anything he wants…”
COLLIDER: Jonathan, for this season, we kind of recap what happened in the past 18 months, and it’s clear that even though he’s one of the Pogues, Pope is probably the most fiscally responsible character on this entire show, and thank god for that. He has the most potential, I think, out of all the Pogues, for an academically successful future. Do you think any part of him resents his friends for the derailment that his life has gone on since all of this stuff started?
JONATHAN DAVISS: I think Pope is smart enough to not blame anybody for his own actions. I think he made a lot of choices. He made his own choices, and if he blames anybody, he blames himself. But I think he’s a hard worker, and I think he’s smart, and I really do think he thinks he can pull himself out of any hole and achieve anything he wants, because he genuinely feels he’s that smart, that dedicated and that determined. So,I don’t think there’s any resentment there as much as there might be a bit of regret. Like, “I could have stayed for the interviewandmade it to [tell somebody.]” But he’s 16. What are you gonna do?
That’s very true. I mean, somebody has to handle the property taxes, which is exorbitant apparently in this area.
DAVISS: Right. It’s ridiculous. I did a lot of property tax studying for this season. [Laughs]
What Draws Pope Back to These Treasure Hunting Missions?
“The most fun is figuring out that puzzle and putting the solution together.”
Discussing Pope, it’s interesting to see his dynamic with his other friends because even though he does have that aspect to him, it’s also interesting to see that during the season, he seems the one most excited to sort of be drawn back into the adventure. What do you think lures him into that? Is it a thrill-seeking side, or is it puzzle-solving?
DAVISS: I think he likes to break down the puzzles. If I had to say what most interests him, it’s when he gets a problem, or he’ll get a part of a solution, and then it’s like, “Okay, now you got to figure the rest out,” you know? I think that’s where Pope finds the most excitement. The most fun is figuring out that puzzle and putting the solution together. So, I think whenever they get on the adventure, and it’s time to dissect the clues and make and search for the answers,he’s always at the forefront.
Definitely. I like the way he’s always figuring stuff out before other people. I’m like, “Man, people have been trying to solve this for 300 years, and here he is.”
DAVISS: They didn’t get Pope!
Carlacia Grant on Cleo Officially Joining the Pogues Full-Time This Season
“It’s been amazing because Cleo was, in a lot of ways, just on her own…”
Carlacia, I’m so glad that you’re a part of the show fully now. I really, really loved Cleo when she was first introduced, and getting to see her come back was just amazing. She’s probably the newest one out of this group, but she’s also the one with the most lived experience as a character. What has it been like for you becoming a part of the series, not only as an actor, but also what has it been for Cleo joining this group and becoming a part of this found family?
CARLACIA GRANT: It’s been amazing because Cleo was, in a lot of ways, just on her own and just trying to figure life out. Obviously, she had support from Terrance and Stubbs, but she herself was in the world trying to figure things out.Then she finds this other group of misfits who love each otherand have a common mission in mind, and I think that’s what attracts her to this group. Everyone has different strengths and different weaknesses and we all just kind of work together to get to our end goal.
Grant and Daviss Discuss Working on the Pope and Cleo Romance for Season 4
“They’re in such a different place now than they were.”
What has it been for the both of you creating this new relationship between these two characters? How’s it been working on that, forming the bond and making it feel authentic and earned?
GRANT: It’s great having Jonathan as a scene partner. It’s amazing because he’s so giving. He’s so willing. We talk about our scenes, we rehearse them. We’re really, behind the scenes, able to talk through our characters’ needs and our characters’ wants, and I think that makes the job easy.
DAVISS: Yeah, agreed.It’s been fun building off of what we set up last year and taking it to its logical conclusions. We talked about how long it’s been — it’s been 18 months. They’re in such a different place now than they were. We have to fill in a lot of those gaps of, like, “Okay, how did this go? Has this happened? Has this happened?” Just filling in those relationship gaps so we can feel more like a real relationship and make sense for the timeline, too.
How Will Terrance’s Death Affect Cleo Moving Forward?
“She wants Lightner to get what’s been coming to him.”
I want to talk about Cleo’s losing Terrance because that scene was devastating, seeing that and seeing how shaken she is. I feel like we’re going to see a more vengeful, bloodthirsty side coming out of her, since she hasn’t really shown that side since she’s been running with Terrance. Now that she’s lost him, how do you think that’s going to affect her mental state?
GRANT: I think it’s going to destroy her mental state. I think that to deal with such a deafening loss, she doesn’t even have the tools to cope with what is happening and all the feelings that are going on with her.I think it’s going to force her to retreat and be more reclusive. I think she’s also ashamed of her feelings. I don’t think she knows how to understand them, and she wants revenge. She wants Lightner to get what’s been coming to him. Also, just coping with the fact that this is someone that she loved and someone who she’s seen as a father figure, but he might be a little too strong for her at times, so also dealing with that.
But she’s not the kind of girl to quit. She’s not the type of girl to quit, but I thinkit can pose for a lot of problems in our relationship and the relationship with the Pogues, because she’s just looking at this like that’s the only thing she wants. She doesn’t care about anything else.
Every Parent In ‘Outer Banks,’ Ranked from Worst to Best
Parenting is not a strong suit in the Outer Banks.
Then just a final question for you guys. Looking at this show, basically all of the parents except for a couple are the worst. I just cannot imagine worse parents. Who do you think is the worst, dead or alive, inOuter Banks, and then which one of the Pogues do you think in the future will be the best parent?
GRANT: Worst dead or alive? Ward.
DAVISS: JJ’s dad sucks.
GRANT: Worse thanWard?
DAVISS: Well, Ward at least cared about his family. JJ’s dad was beating him every day.
GRANT: That’s true.
DAVISS: Ward, he definitely did some crazy stuff, but you could tell at the end of the day he would take care of his family.
GRANT: That’s true.
DAVISS: He was doing everything to take care of his family.
GRANT: For sure. Luke might be the worst dad.
DAVISS: Yeah, Luke is probably the worst dad.
GRANT: Which character would be the best parent?
DAVISS: Hayward. Easy. Oh, which of us? Pope.
GRANT: Yeah, probably Pope.
DAVISS: Pope would be a great dad. He’s already like halfway there. He’s got five kids that live with him now. He’s got to take care of John B, JJ, Kiara, and Sarah.
Outer BanksSeason 4 Part 1 is streaming on Netflix in the U.S. Part 2 drops November 7.
Outer Banks
Outer Banks is a drama series following a group of teenagers in North Carolina’s Outer Banks as they uncover long-buried secrets and navigate complex relationships. Led by their charismatic leader John B, the friends pursue a fabled treasure that is intertwined with personal quests and familial mysteries. The show features intense camaraderie, loyalties, and the stark divides of social strata that influence their thrilling adventures.
