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Why 'The Mosquito Coast' Is Perfect For 'Ozark' Fans

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Similar to the uptick in interest for mature fantasy series following the runaway success of Game of Thrones, a demand for dark crime thrillers centered on an average family descending into crime increased thanks to Ozark. Although Ozark initially drew frequent comparisons to Breaking Bad, the Jason Bateman-led crime thriller quickly cultivated an addicted fan base of its own and became one of Netflix's most-streamed original series ever. So, now that Ozark has concluded, what can fans watch that's a similar, dark drama about a family pushed to its limits?

One show poised to fill that craving is Apple TV+'s The Mosquito Coast, which ran for two seasons. Inspired by the 1981 novel by Paul Theroux and the 1986 film starring Harrison Ford, the series follows off-the-grid inventor Allie Fox (Justin Theroux) as his secret involvement in an enigmatic cartel scheme forces his family to go on the run. Fox and his wife Margot (Melissa George) command their whip-smart teenage daughter Dina (Logan Polish) and younger son Charlie (Gabriel Bateman) to pack up quickly and abandon their home as they evade authorities on a journey to an unknown location.

What Is 'The Mosquito Coast' About?

The first season of The Mosquito Coast is very much the first chapter of a larger saga. In the first seven episodes, the series introduced a compelling mystery that sets the stage for its second season. It also deals out shocking violence at unexpected moments, including a particularly intense and brutal standoff in the second episode. Regardless of the faded popularity of the original source material, The Mosquito Coast is exactly what fans of Ozark should select as their next binge.

Right from the get-go, the Fox family's dilemma is similar to that of the Byrdes in Ozark: a seemingly normal life has to be quickly abandoned thanks to the family's involvement in criminal activities. The difference is, the Fox clan seemed to be a lot happier than the miserable Byrdes, who all seem to actively hate each other before they go on the run. Seeing the Foxes' trust in one another deteriorate after the major revelations start hitting is much different than watching the same thing happen to a family where those bonds were never there in the first place. The first twenty minutes of The Mosquito Coast's pilot feature playful family in-jokes about college and homeschooling, but these quickly become grim reminders of a reality that no longer exists.

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Both shows also cut to the chase pretty quickly. Walter White didn't reveal the details of his Heisenberg persona to his family until several seasons into Breaking Bad, but Marty lets both his wife Wendy (Laura Linney) and their children know that his business partner was murdered and their lives are in danger by the time Ozark reaches the halfway point of its first season. Marty must introduce Wendy to his crime-ridden double life before she quickly surpasses him and starts making deals of her own.

How Is 'The Mosquito Coast' Family Different from 'Ozark's?

In contrast, the Fox couple are united in their schemes from the very beginning. Allie and Margot are on equal footing, even if Margot is slightly more of a "people person" (which isn't saying much considering Allie's extreme eccentricities). Having two active participants makes the show more compelling, as there's unsaid tension brewing between Allie and Margot regarding their shady past. The initial shock of the criminal conspiracy is a nice hook, but watching a marriage slowly splinter lays the groundwork for a longer story.

The Mosquito Coast has another interesting wrinkle that distinguishes it as more than an Ozark wannabe, and that's the central character. Ozark's Marty Byrde is framed as a mild-mannered accountant whose villainous presence only shows its face when he needs to sell an idea quickly. Most importantly, he's not an idealist, and he has no illusions that money-laundering enterprise is about anything but the immediate survival of his family. Bateman plays morally flexible adeptly, without any hint that it's for a cause.

Allie Fox may be just as ruthless of a salesman as Marty, but he's also fiercely anti-consumerist and holds his ideals so strongly that he rapidly descends into madness. Even when he and Dina attempt to evade the police by blending into a shelter community, Allie isn't going to miss the chance to rant to his daughter about why the federal government's incompetence led to the financial crisis. Allie insists that every misstep (from a last-minute crash into a police escort to the murder of their tour guide) is all part of the scheme he's concocted. Marty is someone who can read the room and blend in, but Allie keeps trying to maintain the illusion that he's in control. It only takes a brief conversation to reveal he's a radical extremist with a shaky grasp on reality.

It's this key difference that distinguishes the way the two stories unravel, as The Mosquito Coast proceeds as a mystery. We learn all the details about Marty's laundering scheme halfway through Ozark's pilot when he confesses after being threatened at gunpoint, but The Mosquito Coast spends an entire early episode ("Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere") trapped in the desert with an unclear destination. The audience shares the perspective of Dina, who is terrified of the dangers ahead because her father refuses to give her any answers. The tone is just as relentless, but if Ozark mined much of its drama from solving an immediate crisis, The Mosquito Coast explores the slow-burn tension of being dragged along by a madman with a plan he refuses to explain.

The Similarities Between 'Ozark' and 'The Mosquito Coast'

However, the shows both find the awkward and frequently twisted humor of seeing a family of non-hardened criminals attempt to function normally. Awkward dinner conversations where household chores and deceiving the FBI are discussed with equal import were the norm on Ozark, and The Mosquito Coast follows a similar path with its standout fourth episode "Bus Stop." When Dina and their ally Chuy attempt to kidnap the son of a crime family while they stay at a wealthy estate, Allie and Margot are forced to engage in small talk with the boy's parents. The resulting exchange finds the comic absurdity in this perilous situation.

Ozark concluded its third (and best) season with a haunting closing shot signifying the story was reaching its climax, and anything tackling similar subject material will automatically face comparisons to that prestige drama. Thankfully, The Mosquito Coast hits many of the same notes without being identical, and appropriately retrofits the radical commentary on American ignorance from the original novel and film into a gripping adventure for 2021. Between the various betrayals, interrogations, and chases packed within the first seven episodes, Ozark fans have a new obsession in front of them.

The Mosquito Coast Season 1 and 2 are now streaming on AppleTV+.

Laser Zap That Mosquito

When we first heard of [Ildar Rakhmatulin's] plan to use OpenCV on a Raspberry Pi to detect mosquitos and then zap them with a 1 watt laser, we thought it was sort of humorous. However, the paper points out that 700,000 people die each year from mosquito bites — we didn't verify that, but according to the article that's twice the number of people murdered each year. So the little pests are pretty effective assassins.

It looks as though the machine has been built, at least in a test configuration. A galvanometer aims the death ray using mirrors, and with the low power and lossy mirrors the mosquitos can only be a small distance from the machine — about a foot.

Even so, the paper claims they could neutralize two mosquitos per second. We wonder how many of them survived but were blinded. There were several different detection algorithms in Python but even the best algorithms didn't track 100% and the actual kill rate of mosquitos was quite low, topping out at 15%.

Clearly, this has some work to do, but if you decide to tackle it, the research will be invaluable. There was talk of using a different camera lens to get a larger volume of detection and, of course, a more powerful laser. If the tracking algorithm could be pushed to a smaller controller, the system could be light enough and power efficient enough to fly on a drone. However, we were unclear how you'd protect non-mosquitos from being hit with the laser of death. While a 1-watt laser might not kill you, even a 1 mW laser can produce effects on your eye greater than staring into the bright sun.

This could be more human than the last method we saw for exterminating the pests. Of course, as any time traveler will tell you, the best time to stop an assassin is before they are born.

Best Mosquito Control Companies Of April 2023

Chemicals or Natural Sprays

Most mosquito spray companies use "pyrethrins" or "pyrethroids." The former is a chemical insecticide derived from chrysanthemum flowers, which are toxic to insects. The latter is a synthetic version of the same. Unfortunately, whether the mosquito control company uses the naturally-derived pyrethrin or the synthetic pyrethroid, these sprays are toxic not only to mosquitoes but to a wide range of insects including beneficial ones like butterflies, ladybugs, bees and other pollinators.

The EPA itself acknowledges even those pesticides the agency has approved for use are still highly toxic to bees—killing them on contact and for multiple days after the initial spray treatment. Killing bees is widely understood to be disastrous for the environment. Forbes Advisor does not recommend the use of any chemical compound that will kill bees.

Many mosquito spray companies are now offering alternative "organic" or "natural" spray options which are marketed as less dangerous to other, beneficial, insect life. Please note that the marketing term "organic" is highly regulated by the USDA and unless a "USDA Certified Organic" seal is present, no product labeled "organic" is subject to government—or any—regulation. Chemicals and pesticides approved for use on products labeled "USDA Certified Organic" are OMRI-listed as such, but even this does not guarantee these chemicals will not harm beneficial lifeforms.

Garlic is one safer alternative, as well as certain plant-based oils. Companies offering alternative sprays also tend to spray later in the day when mosquitoes are more active as opposed to in the middle of the day when bees and other beneficial insects are out. More research is needed to determine how harmful these alternative sprays may be, but they are more than likely less harmful, especially when not sprayed with direct contact onto good insects.

Knowing which type of spray your mosquito control company uses, and how and when that spray is applied, is an important factor when choosing the right company for you.

Other Mosquito Control Methods

Since bee-killing chemical sprays should ideally never be used, the two most important alternative mosquito control methods to consider are source reduction and early intervention. Mosquitoes require stagnant water to develop, so identifying and removing sources of standing water such as fountains, birdbaths, gutters and garbage cans will stop mosquito larvae from developing.

For fountains, ponds, or other sources of water that cannot be drained, early intervention can be accomplished by homeowners (or pest control companies) placing mosquito dunks in the water. These small tablets contain bacteria that feeds on mosquito larvae but is relatively harmless to other wildlife and people. Ponds can also be stocked with koi fish, turtles, frogs or crayfish, all of which are voracious eaters of mosquitoes and their larvae.

Many mosquito control companies will also offer evaluation and advice on how to landscape your yard to minimize mosquito breeding areas without sacrificing a beautiful lawn. Companies that offer a package of "integrated pest management", a combination of many methods designed to seamlessly work together both reactionary and preventatively, will likely be your best bet. Choosing those companies focused not just on chemical or natural sprays, but also on alternative control methods, will make sure you don't damage the vital natural ecosystem around your home.

Packaged Whole House Pest Management

Many companies offer mosquito control as one of many other pest control services. Most companies featured on our list also offer pest control for a wide variety of bug species, as well as rodents, birds, lizards, rats and other common household pests. If you have problems with other pests in your home or want to make sure you never do, look for a company that offers bundled or packaged pest management. This will often save you thousands of dollars and hours of time a year since companies can send the same technician out to provide mosquito control and other services that your home may need.

Free Estimates and Inspections

The five companies featured on our list all offer free estimates, but not all of them offer free inspections. Saving money while you're still determining the types of services you may need, or finding the best fit company for you, is especially important so look for companies with no obligation, free inspections and free estimates.

Qualified Technicians, Licenses and Reputation

Finally, you'll want to do some research into the reputation of the mosquito control company and make sure they have licensed, qualified technicians. These technicians will be wandering around your property, and if they are providing additional pest control services, investigating every nook and cranny of your home, so finding companies with reputable, qualified people is a must. We've featured five excellent companies on our list above but make sure to read company reviews on sites such as Google, Facebook or Yelp, especially when dealing with these nationwide companies that have specific franchise operations in your state.

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