J. Anthony Crane knows that Outer Banks fans have strong feelings about Chandler Groff. After the devastating conclusion of Season 4, Groff enters the Netflix hit’s final season with the Pogues seeking revenge, Kiara firmly on his trail and viewers around the world demanding justice.

During an exclusive conversation with Elias on Pop Culture Unplugged, Crane reflected on becoming one of the most hated men in the Outer Banks universe. He also shared how he approached Groff’s darkest actions, what the final season reveals about the character and why the show’s conclusion will leave fans with plenty to process.

Becoming the Most Hated Man in Television

Long before Crane understood the full force of the show’s fanbase, writer and executive producer Shannon Burke offered him a warning. During one of Crane’s first days on set, Burke asked whether he was ready to become “the most hated man in television.” At the time, Crane had not yet read the entire story and did not fully understand what was coming.

Once he learned where Groff’s relationship with JJ was headed, Crane felt a responsibility to make the tragedy believable. The pivotal sequence had largely been filmed before the actors went back to build the relationship that preceded it, requiring Crane to work backward emotionally.

“I kind of have a responsibility here to do this justice…come to work, do my best work, make it believable.” — J. Anthony Crane

His goal was to create enough humanity within Groff that the story would register as tragedy, even when the character’s actions became impossible to defend. Crane acknowledged that the moment is also outrageous and grotesque, but he never wanted it to feel false to the fans who had invested years in JJ and the Pogues.

Is Redemption Possible for Chandler Groff?

Between seasons, Crane met with Burke to discuss where Groff could go next. A conventional hero’s journey—one that carries a character through darkness and back toward redemption—did not feel earned. Instead, the final season looks more closely at what formed Groff, how recent events have changed him and whether the man who left Morocco is still the same person who arrived there.

“Now that he’s lost it and he’s highly motivated to do whatever it takes to go forward, I think you can only call him a villain at this point.” — J. Anthony Crane

That distinction matters. Crane said Groff is no longer merely an antagonist standing in the Pogues’ way. His instability may make him more dangerous, more relatable, more out of control—or potentially easier to pursue. The final season explores those competing possibilities without excusing what he has done.

Kiara’s Mission and the Question of Justice

The Pogues made their intentions clear at the end of Season 4, and Crane indicated that the new season wastes little time showing where the conflict between Kiara and Groff is headed. Without revealing the outcome, he described her pursuit as a mission that becomes apparent almost immediately.

For Crane, the biggest questions surrounding Groff’s ending are not limited to whether justice arrives. The more complicated issues are what justice should look like and who has the right to deliver it. He believes viewers will feel anxious as the series builds toward its conclusion because some form of reckoning will seem necessary.

“There’s some justice that they’ll probably want that feels necessary. There are a lot of questions of how the justice should be delivered—and who gets to deliver it.” — J. Anthony Crane

Crane has already seen an edit of the final season and called it “phenomenal.” He promised an extraordinary climax, joking that the series may have so many concluding beats that it begins to feel like The Lord of the Rings with its multiple endings.

Seven Weeks of Adventure in Croatia

The final chapter expands the show’s adventure beyond its familiar coastal settings. Crane revealed that the production spent seven weeks filming in Croatia, working in historic towns that date back to the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance.

The preserved architecture gave the locations an Indiana Jones-style atmosphere without requiring the production to disguise the modern world. Crane recalled looking around Dubrovnik and being struck by how little would need to be altered to create the desired sense of history.

Even the Blue Crown came with its own behind-the-scenes surprises. According to Crane, production used multiple versions of the prop. One was so heavy that it felt as though it had been made from “adamantium,” while a lighter 3D-printed version could easily be balanced on a finger.

Fan Reactions to Groff and JJ

Playing an effective villain has followed Crane beyond the set. He described a familiar pattern in which fans excitedly ask for photographs and hugs before someone in the group finally blurts out that they hate him for killing JJ.

“I’ve had to learn new languages to read my own insults and wishes for justice against my person.” — J. Anthony Crane

Crane takes a certain amount of pride in provoking such an intense reaction because it means the story connected. He also understands why the loss hit so hard. In his view, JJ was one of the first Pogues whose deeply personal struggle unfolded for the audience, making him one of the series’ most universally loved characters.

A Final Treasure Hunt

When asked which characters he would choose as partners if he were dropped into a real Outer Banks treasure hunt, Crane leaned toward Pope and Heyward. A self-described science person who enjoys building things, he felt that the Heywards might even be able to find a job for him.

Groff, however, is unlikely to find that kind of safe harbor. As Outer Banks begins its final run, Chandler Groff stands at the center of the Pogues’ need for justice and one of the show’s most volatile unfinished stories. Crane is not promising redemption or an easy resolution—but he is promising a finale built to match the scale of the journey.

Outer Banks is streaming on Netflix. Watch more exclusive cast conversations on Pop Culture Unplugged w/ Elias.