Animal Kingdom Season 4 teaser breakdown

The TNT series, Animal Kingdom just released the first look at its upcoming fourth season with a teaser trailer.

In a true Animal Kingdom fashion, the first teaser trailer for Season 4 snuck online without warning. This show seems determined to work under the radar as low-key as possible. There could be no news for weeks, then suddenly a trailer sneaks up from behind and bashes you in the head with a frying pan.

The TNT series Animal Kingdom plans to air its fourth season sometime this spring/summer, most likely in late May, and bring back the volatile Codys for more drama and criminal escapades. The series stars Ellen Barkin, Shawn Hatosy, Jake Weary, Finn Cole, and Ben Robson as the members of the Cody family. Two new characters have been added to the cast, including Emily Deschanel as an old friend of Julia, and Leila George as an unnamed woman who could be playing a younger version of Smurf Cody.

Season 4 started filming this January and from the bits of information shared by the cast via social media, we know Adrian (Spencer Treat Clark), Mia (Sohvi Rodriguez), Frankie (Dichen Lachman), and Renn (Christina Ochoa) are all confirmed to return. Meaning, Craig will continue having women troubles in the form of a reluctant baby momma, and Deran and Adrian will maintain their status as the sole semi-stable couple on the show.

Other details hinted at a new robbery unfolding and of Pope joining a fight club. Shawn Hatosy posted several pictures of Pope covered in bruises, followed by a video uploaded by Ben Robson showing Hatosy looking like the victim of a prison brawl. The first episode of Season 4 has actor Roman Mitichyan listed as a“referee,” suggesting a game or fight might be taking place. The game possibility was struck out of the running, however, when the cast of Episode 3 included a “fight spectator.”

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They’re not even halfway through filming and the first teaser trailer has already been released. It dropped online Feb. 15, like a late Valentine’s Day present. If Spencer Treat Clark’s Instagram posts are anything to go by, then Animal Kingdom is currently in the process of filming Episode 4 and has only completed three episodes. Clark posted a picture of the script for the fourth episode with the caption, “3 down…”.

Animal Kingdom typically films its episodes in order so if it’s only finished three, then the teaser is only showing what happens in the first three or four episodes of Season 4.

Smurf’s control issues over J and Pope

Last time we saw J and Smurf there was tension, their trusting relationship began to crumble, and J stood over Smurf’s sleeping form with a promise to take everything away from her. Despite his original innocent demeanor, Baby J never forgave his grandmother for abandoning his mother to her drug addiction. Like a true con man, J played double agent the entire time and fooled the Queen B right off her throne.

As shown in the teaser, their war is far from over even though Smurf has yet to grasp the reality of their situation. I doubt she ever gives her late daughter a second thought, much less realize her death is the cause of J’s betrayal.

She demands to be kept in the loop and viciously reminds J that she’s still the one in charge. Judging by her tone, she’s still on the outs and has been struggling to maintain control for a while now. She sounds frustrated, at the end of her tolerance, yet, this doesn’t scare J. He’s smirking the entire time, like the mere idea of her threatening him is hilarious. They’re later staring at each other in a very melodramatic Point Break meets Hell or High Water vibe.

Then comes Pope, the uncontrollable animal to J’s cool cucumber. Though never stated directly, it’s implied that Smurf tends to turn towards her oldest when in need of regaining control.

Pope is the most damaged of the boys and requires maintenance that he had regularly received from Baz. I’m assuming that’s how Smurf’s manipulation tactic worked. Pope and Baz were a packaged set; if she got one, she’d get the other, and as the most vulnerable son, Pope was probably the most willing to listen to mommy. He’d come home, causing Baz to follow, and then Deran and Craig would follow suit.

Now, Baz is dead and the youngest Cody’s have distanced themselves, but she’s maintaining her focus on Pope all the same. Fan speculations that guessed Pope would join a type of fight club turned out to be right. The teaser showed a crazed Pope, aided by Smurf’s stern encouragement, cage fighting. This is followed by several glimpses of Pope turning into his old unstable self with Smurf asking in her fake motherly voice, “are you out of control, baby?” She’d love that.

Possible Linc return

Adrian fans don’t panic and Linc fans don’t cheer because I doubt it’ll mean anything if it happens, but it’s possible that Linc will make a brief reappearance in Season 4. Apparently, the actor who played Linc (Damon Erik Williams) teased about returning to the show, and now we’re given a glimpse of some motocross riders. If anyone remembers, motocross was Linc’s area of expertise and the cause of some cute fanboying from Craig.

Deran made it clear he didn’t have an interest in a long-term relationship with Linc, so if he returns it probably won’t be as a romantic interest. Nonetheless, I have yet to see Williams’ name on any casting list.

I find it difficult believing that Linc is still hanging out with them or will willingly choose to help with a job because he was very final in his judgment of their family. Once he discovered they were criminals, he wanted nothing to do with them.

Craig and Frankie

There’s only one glimpse of Craig in the teaser, but it’s insightful. He’s still with Frankie and, based on what she said, is still the badly behaved family pet that was never properly potty trained. Since day one, Craig’s role in the series has been characterized as the “dumb” brother in need of constant parental guidance. He can’t sit still for 10 seconds without getting a dose of adrenaline whether it’s from drugs, crime or getting laid.

After a destructive downward spiral in the earlier seasons, Craig found support in Frankie who attempted to mold Craig into an individual by giving him a sense of self. Unfortunately, he was listening more to her breasts then her advice.

However, Frankie doesn’t seem like a quitter. There’s a chance she could do what Renn couldn’t and get the guy properly standing on his own two feet. The fact that the teaser looked at him a bit longer than usual suggests Season 4 will be his moment to shine.

Other discoveries

J and Mia are still in their honeymoon phase, there’s another robbery taking place, more surfing will occur, and Adrian probably doesn’t go to prison. None of the other things are surprising, but Adrian getting off the hook for a drug charge wasn’t expected. There’s a shot of a guy who looks like Adrian surfing the waves, which is hard to do when you’re behind prison bars.

Animal Kingdom Season 4 has no release date yet but will likely air sometime in late May.