Outer Banks season 4 parents guide: Is it safe for kids and teens to watch?

A new season of Outer Banks has arrived on Netflix… or at least part of it. For the first time, Netflix is releasing a new season of its hit drama in two parts with season 4’s first five episodes streaming now and the second five episodes of the season coming on Nov. 7. 

Season 4 begins by catching us up on what the Pogues were up to after finding the gold at El Dorado and returning to the OBX before the 18-month time jump that occurred in the season 3 finale when the group was celebrated for their find and approached about finding Blackbeard’s treasure. If you thought the Pogues finding El Dorado would be enough to keep them out of the game for long, you’d be mistaken. It doesn’t take long for the group to once again embark on a new journey which will see them struggling to keep their heads above water as they attempt to unearth yet another treasure – this time under a new set of circumstances and with new threats lurking around the corners. 

With the arrival of a new season, fans are likely eager to dive into the episodes but parents might be wondering just how appropriate the show is for their younger viewers. After all, the season did earn a TV-MA rating, a rating that is given to shows that are intended for adults and may be unsuitable for children under 17. These ratings are often due to sexual content, language, and graphic violence, so why is Outer Banks season 4 rated TV-MA, and can younger fans enjoy the season? Here’s what you should know about the season. 

There is no nudity in Outer Banks season 4

Let’s start by touching upon one of the factors that often play into a TV-MA rating by noting that there is no nudity in Outer Banks season 4. There also aren’t any sex scenes within the series, though there are a few scenes in season 4 in which it’s implied couples on the show are making out and we do see characters kissing at various points in the season. 

One thing to note, with many of the scenes in the series taking place at the beach and on the water, it should come with little surprise that many of the male characters do appear shirtless in scenes and the female characters often wear swimsuits and bikinis. 

Language and violence are the key reasons Outer Banks is rated TV-MA

It likely comes as no surprise that the key reason Outer Banks is rated TV-MA is due to the show’s use of profanities within the series with various curse words dropped across the season and the violence that is featured within the episodes. 

When it comes to the show’s use of curse words, there’s honestly nothing too crazy as the characters aren’t in any way dropping f-bombs left and right. If you’re okay with your teens watching shows in which the occasional curse word is used, you likely won’t have any issue with the language of the show. 

As for the violence in Outer Banks season 4, there are a few notable moments within the episodes in which violence is depicted on-screen which could be unsuitable or difficult for some younger audiences to watch. 

Within the episodes, two characters are attacked while underwater and their attacker is hit with a speargun with blood shown; one character is abducted and held at gunpoint; during one episode, characters struggle as a knife is drawn and a struggle ensues as a female character is choked and nearly strangled; and in one episode a character is killed after a struggle over a gun unfolds. These are just a few examples of some of the violence that occurs in the episodes to help give context to the type of moments you can expect from the season. 

Outer Banks season 4 does include depictions of drug and alcohol consumption 

Within the fourth season of Outer Banks, drugs and alcohol consumption is depicted within a number of episodes. There are several scenes within the episodes that feature underage drinking and the consumption of alcohol by legal-aged adults as well. It is also implied that some characters smoke weed with one character growing it in their garden and weed being used as a bargaining tool during the first episode of the season with it heavily implying a character is high on the weed. 

There are some triggering moments as well in season 4

Finally, there are some triggering moments for certain audiences that might be upsetting to watch. 

As previously mentioned, there is one scene that depicts a female character being strangled during a fight with her captor which could be triggering to those who have experienced abuse. There is also drug and alcohol use in the show, which can be triggering to some audiences. 

For animal lovers, there is a very triggering scene in the show’s third episode in which a character drives their jeep on the beach directly over the path of a turtle hatch. This wreckless action leads to the death of a baby sea turtle and the sea turtle’s dead body is shown on screen which might be upsetting for audiences, especially younger audiences. There is also a scene in episode 5 in which two characters find themselves trapped in a tunnel and are swarmed by rats. If rats are triggering, you might be disturbed by the episode which features many rats on screen as well as rat noises used within the episode. 

Finally, there are moments that could be uncomfortable for those with claustrophobia and the fear of water could find triggering. 

Verdict: Outer Banks should be okay for teens but not kids

While teenagers including younger teens are probably okay to watch the fourth season of Outer Banks, the show might be a bit too much for those under 13 years for the most part. Although the show does not feature any nudity, there is a lot of violence and topics that might not be suitable for younger viewers; however, teens are sure to enjoy the show’s new season as well as older viewers over the age of 17.

Outer Banks season 4 part 1 is streaming now on Netflix.