Having just completed season 2 of the dual-timeline Showtime drama Yellowjackets, the forums are abuzz with chatter on the shocking finale. Even with an entire run built on a strong female cast and surprising twists both gnarly and captivating, the ending, not to mention the whole new bunch of 2023 episodes, is very much worth discussing. Here’s what we think about this recent batch of simultaneously past and present drama.
Warning: spoilers ahead.
Capitalizing on Ensemble Cast
The first season of Yellowjackets introduced us to the characters through the lens of two time periods: the 1990s and the present. The 2023 episodes further allow the two actors playing each person to work in tandem to illuminate new character details, as the team’s harrowing wilderness experience often seems interconnected to their current troubles (very purposefully, of course). What makes Yellowjackets so ripe for discussion (aside from juicy twists) is this kind of character development spread through numerous women’s stories. Thank the wilderness that the entire Yellowjackets story arc is far from over, but the new episodes gave us enough unforgettable memories to last until season 3.
This popular, heavily-discussed series, already renewed for a third season ahead of its second and opening in 2023 with the best streaming numbers Showtime has ever seen, obviously had a reputation to uphold. Despite some early review bombing that leaves Yellowjackets season 2 with a less-than-ideal Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes, the deliberate handling of vital moments and unequivocal character designs in some way rival its universally acclaimed first season. First and foremost, as avid fans have eagerly pined for since the first episode, is the long-awaited first cannibalism scene, which happened in only the second episode this season but might be the television event of the year.
Shauna, Lottie, and Natalie’s Time to Shine
Earning each payoff for any weekly-released show means crafting every episode with exquisite pacing, and the writing staff, led by the clear vision of creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, have exceeded expectations with this year’s wild ride. Two other pre-finale revelations came about after a minor mid-season lull, slowly luring viewers in, ratcheting up the tension, and finally presenting us with the unrelenting sixth episode, “Qui.” At long last, the timeline caught up to the end of Shauna’s pregnancy, and the results were painful, shocking, and disturbingly gory, even for a show featuring cannibalism. Combine that with the first official sacrifices of Lottie’s burgeoning cult, the ending stretch was quintessential Yellowjackets.
Capping off the stellar season is a thoroughly satisfying last episode that perfectly leaves both a minor feeling of conclusion and an itch for more. Whereas the first season finale gave us more questions than answers and mostly felt like a continuation, “Storytelling” wraps up just enough of the themes that threaded from the wilderness into the present at adult Lottie’s commune, where a wonderfully agonizing, death-involved passage thrills enough to warrant a necessary break until next year. The return of director Karyn Kusama, last credited on the Yellowjackets pilot, marks an auspicious midpoint for a series we cannot wait to continue streaming.
Every episode of Yellowjackets is now available for streaming on Showtime.
