"Pogues, pogies, the throwaway fish. The lowest member of the food chain. Okay, so the downside of Pogue life is we're ignored and neglected. But the upside of pogue life, we're ignored and neglected, which means we do whatever we want whenever we want." - John B S1 E1

The show Outerbanks on Netflix is known for its thrilling, adventurous plot and steamy relationships. From the surface, it is a dramatic show about four teenagers who go on a treasure hunt. However, it is much more than a show about finding gold. The show touches on issues like income inequality, greed, physical and emotional abuse from family and friends, and the absence of a parent.

Season one follows the narrator, John B, and his best friends, JJ, Pope, and Kiara, who live on the Cut. They are determined to find out where John B's father disappeared when he went lost at sea. They quickly discover a hidden treasure that John B's dad was looking for. As the mystery and adventure unravel, one argument leads to another. Then tragedy strikes, leaving John B. and his friends on a mission to survive and face their biggest fears.

The pogues live on the Cut. It's where the working, middle-class residents live. Most are fishermen, storekeepers, or restaurant owners just trying to stay alive. They barely even have AC or money to pay for lunch. The pogue's parents work hard while the teens are rebellious teenagers. On the north side of OBX, known as Figure 8, there are the homes of the kooks. The wealthy, rude, self-centered residents have mansions and yachts. The Camerons are the most notable family. However, John B's best friend, Kiara, is a half-kook. She claims to be 100% pogue even though her parents want her to live like a kook and attend a fancy school with girls.

The two groups follow strict rules to ensure that they don't clash with each other on each other's territory. The pogue rules were created by the group and are unable to be changed. These rules apply to all pogues, dead or alive. From the beginning of the pilot episode, we get the hint that these rules are meant to be broken. They create tension and conflict between the pogue's unforgettable bond, while they search for John B's dad and the treasure, too.

John B. Routledge (the narrator, leader, and rule breaker)

In the pilot episode, we are introduced to our narrator, John B. Routledge. His father is MIA. His mother is probably in Chicago. His weird Uncle is nowhere to be seen. He's an orphan surviving on his own; and he's being hunted down by CPS officers. Not only is he the narrator, but he is also the ringleader of the pogues. As a leader, he loves to have control over everything the group does. That means that he is allowed to break the Pogue rules. 

Rule #1: There is no pogue on pogue macking or pogue on kook macking (kissing).

However, we all know that rules get broken when hormonal, angsty teenagers are involved. The boys can't help themselves. Everyone loves Kiara, after all. She's the life of the pogue party.

Kiara Carrera (half kook, half pogue, social life, and environmentalist)

John B introduces us to the only girl in the pogues, Kiara Carrera. She is a half-kook, half-pogue. Her father was brought up in the working class, so he was on the Cut. On the other hand, her mother was brought up on the wealthier side in Figure 8. Kiara does not like her hanging around " these boys" however, they have no control over Kiara's actions. Kiara claims to be 100% full kook. She loves the ocean, Bob Marley, drinking with the guys, and hanging out on the S.S Pogue (their boat).

Viewers quickly learn that Pope has a massive crush on Kiara and is scared to break up the group if he tells her. In the middle of the season, we also learn that John B. kissed her on the lips. Then towards the end of the season, JJ's crush on her develops into something more meaningful than just friendly flirting. It is honestly a hot-boy summer mess. This Pogue relationship drama means that all three of the Pogue boys broke rule #1 within the first five episodes. 

Sarah Cameron (Full kook, honorary pogue, and John B's girlfriend)

The other female Pogue in the group is Sarah Cameron. She is introduced as a full kook by John B. The Pogues enemy and also the party girl in Figure 8. Her family is one of the wealthiest in Figure 8 and has control over valuables, mansions, hotels, and the police. Sarah slowly turns into a kook when she goes out on an adventure with John B. while avoiding her parents. She is a teenage girl who wants to have fun rather than go to fancy adult parties and dress up for no reason.

In season one episode four, she goes off to Figure 8 for a day with John B. and finds much more than treasure on her trip. She falls for John B's looks, personality, and playfulness by the time they leave the North side. At the end of their eventful day of being runaways, they kiss in the rain. It is one of the most iconic scenes in the series. It goes to show that John B. does not care about pogue on pogue macking or pogue on kook macking. He can do whatever he wants to since he's the leader. 

Rule #2 Never leave a pogue behind, Pogues have each other's backs

Pope Heyward (the brains of the pogues, academic genius, aiming for a scholarship)

This rule is self-explanatory. Friends don't leave each other behind, they have each other's backs. In episode four, Pope sinks Sarah's brother's boat on purpose and gets caught by the police. Luckily, his rebellious best friend, JJ is at the scene of the crime and takes the punishment for him. Pope cannot afford to get punished, suspended, or even grounded. He is up for the Denmark Tanny scholarship in school and it's a huge deal for his family legacy. However, this rule does not just apply to Pope, it also applies to JJ. Everyone in the Pogue group knows that he has one brain cell and does things without thinking about the effect of his actions. So in conclusion, someone has to rescue JJ from jail. The pogues are there to rescue him but the escape plan is not as easy as it looks since the police are always watching them.

Rule #3 You cannot kill a pogue.

JJ Maybank (the rebel, idiot, and also best friend who needs a hug)

The last rule is made in honor of JJ Maybank, the abused, daredevil, and idiot of the group. He does not have any brain cells and oftentimes can be seen drinking or stealing cash. He is the kind of person who will defend his friends even if it means dying for them. While JJ is used to getting caught by the police, getting abused by his father, and running away from rebellious actions, he's also an idiot. He is seen drinking alcohol daily, smoking weed, and stealing guns. But none of these actions stop him from being a pogue at heart. He is meant to live on the Cut for a good reason.

Despite the pogues breaking all of the pogue rules, they remain an unforgettable bond throughout each season. Season one is the beginning of their story. In seasons two through four. There are more friends, pogues, and rules breaking. You'll have to watch to find out what happens next.

Fun Facts:

- The cast went through water training for the swimming and scuba scenes.

- Rudy Pankow, the actor who plays JJ was almost cast as John B.

- All of the pogues have boating licenses in real life.

Questions:

- Would you rather live on the Cut or Figure 8?

- Would you rather drive a boat or sit in one?

- Are you more like a pogue or kook?