If you haven’t jumped onto the Yellowjackets phenomenon, what are you waiting for? It’s what’s been keeping the lights on over at Showtime.
That’s not to say the network hasn’t been a gold mine of one amazing show after another. We’re saying there’s nothing like it on TV with that Lord of the Flies feel.
The only thing about Yellowjackets is that it’s not exactly what you may expect as a first-time viewer. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the best thing a show can do is be unpredictable.
That said, there are spoilers in these woods, so if you want to go in completely blind, turn back now. From here on out, I can’t guarantee anything.
The Yellowjackets Marketing Is Affective, if Not Slightly Misleading
All joking aside, I’ll admit that I was two seasons late to the Yellowjackets party, and I’m technically still a season behind with the third. Honestly, I’m the one who should be worried about spoilers.
However, this is about the first-time viewers who may be on the fence as I was before starting this pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat ride.
First, I can’t be the only one who felt they were sold something else when they finally jumped on board with the show.
To be fair, the marketing for the series makes it seem like the girls are out in the woods eating each other left and right after losing their minds — that’s not entirely wrong.
Still, the progression of the Showtime series is split due to the jumping back and forth between the time periods of the younger and older characters.
If you’re going into Yellowjackets Season 1 thinking it will be blood and mayhem, you are in for a world of disappointment.
Don’t get me wrong — the series is intense with perfect pacing to the plot, but it’s a bit of a slow burn for the girls in the woods after the plane crashes.
The Showtime Series Starts Strong and Then Tapers Out for the Sake of Storytelling
If you think, “Well, the plane crash must be chaotic and intense, right?” Yes. Yes, it is. It gave me plane-crashing nightmares for a week.
Instead of a build-up of plane malfunctions, the ordeal is presented through Sophie Nélisse’s (Transplant) Shauna as she was asleep when the plane began its descent.
That makes it sound like they were trying to land. They weren’t. In the blink of an eye, everyone was screaming and freaking out.
Also, if you’re squeamish, you might be better off skipping ahead a few scenes. It’s not terrible, but it’s still pretty damn shocking.
From that point, little things happen here and there, but for the most part, it’s just the girls exploring their surroundings, finding shelter, and making a sustainable plan.
You may think, “If it’s so slow at first, why are people so hooked to the story?” Well, that’s the thing, as great as the story is, it’s the characters that keep you glued to your seats.
Not to mention the insane things happening in the present day to the adult versions of the girls. That is where things get really nutty.
Even Showtime Seems to Be Dragging Its Heels with Renewals After the Strikes
There’s not a fan of Yellowjackets out there who doesn’t have at least one favorite member from the ill-fated soccer team.
It is honestly hard to tell which versions of the characters are crazier: The girls when they are young and lost in the woods or when they are adults and dealing with the remnants of their trauma.
Despite some of the more “animated” characters, I personally think Melanie Lynskey‘s Shauna is possibly the most cracked but the best at hiding it.
If I broke down each character individually, we’d be here all day because this show is seriously brimming with incredible talent.
However, if anyone wants to go that deep into the show, sound off in the comments because all I need is a reason. God, I love this show.
It was still a bait and switch, especially with that opening scene of the naked girl face down in the snow who is dragged, hung upside down from a tree, and bled out.
That is the very definition of bait and switch. Sure, it was also a classic case of foreshadowing of what’s to come, but two seasons in, and it’s still coming.
Again, I haven’t watched Yellowjackets Season 3 yet, but I’m going to binge the whole thing.
I have no idea what I am in store for, but I have heard good things. If it’s shocking enough, we may have to take that journey together.
After how things went with Christina Ricci’s (Wednesday) Misty Quigley and Juliette Lewis’s (Welcome to Chippendales) Natalie “Nat” Scatorccio at the end of Season 2, I’m guessing things start on a rather somber note.
The only thing that has held me back is waiting to find out if Showtime will renew the series.
There’s nothing worse than barreling through a whole season of something at once, only to find out later that there won’t be another season. I have been burned too many times.
That said, given the state of the television industry after the strikes, networks seem to be taking their time with renewals.
For a refresher, the network renewed the series for a third season several months before Yellowjackets Season 2 even premiered.
But don’t be discouraged. Yellowjackets has been a cash cow for Showtime, and the series is only gaining steam.
Who is your favorite Yellowjacket?
What did you think of Season 3?
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