Streaming on: Paramount+
Episodes viewed: 6 of 10
Like the show itself, the opening title sequence of Yellowjackets initially took some getting used to. That unusual, oddly jarring theme tune playing out over scrappy, distorted video images was something of a hard sell. But the longer the first season went on, the more cunningly apposite the messy titles became.
The same could be said for the series itself, the carefully-paced tale of a group of young survivors of a plane crash. Starting out as a mish-mash of genres and influences, from Lost to Lord Of The Flies, while flitting between timelines overloaded with characters we had to get to know in both their teenage and adult versions, it was all a bit chaotic and confusing. Until, that is, a few episodes in, when the entangled narrative strands and extraordinary ensemble started to coalesce, and Season 1 turned into that rare thing: a genuine slow-burn word-of-mouth phenomenon.
Those freaky opening titles are back in Season 2, which, if anything, transitions between the two timelines more frenetically, while making sure both strands are equally jam-packed with incident and intrigue. “We did things out there that we’re really ashamed of,” says the present-day version of Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) at one point in this new run of episodes, and while the first series hinted at the desperate measures the survivors resorted to when things got really bad, with intimations of cannibalism right from the start, be prepared for more shocking antics. There’s also a real sense that the core group of young survivors — Shauna (Sophie Nélisse), Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown), Misty (Sammi Hanratty) and Nat (Sophie Thatcher) — are all on the verge of a breakdown, with myriad hallucinations, nightmares and dissociative episodes.
Ambrose and Kessell are superb additions to what must be one of the greatest ensembles on TV right now.
The question is, are these mental-health issues the inevitable consequence of PTSD, or is there some external, possibly supernatural force at work? Those mysterious twig stick-figures in the woods seem to imply the latter, but a key part of this show’s enthralling formula is how the creators keep us guessing as to whether there are dark forces at work.
The character of Lottie, for example, seems to have some kind of spiritual connection to the woods, and in this new season we meet her adult self (Simone Kessell), who’s even more rooted in her own special brand of mysticism. Juliette Lewis’ cynical Nat thinks she’s a charlatan, but Kessell imbues her with such an intense sincerity, we’re not quite sure what to make of her. The same goes for the other major “adult” arrival this season: the grown-up Van, played by the great Lauren Ambrose (Servant), who adds another layer of mystery and doubt to the whole densely layered saga. Ambrose and Kessell are superb additions to what must be one of the greatest ensembles on TV right now, and they help ensure there’s even more to chew on this time round.
