After premiering in late 2021, Showtime’s Yellowjackets roared its way into the TV landscape, becoming the network’s highest-viewed new series in six years.
Equal parts grizzly, potent, and wildly unpredictable, the series tracks a group of young women whose relationships were formed out of the trauma of surviving a plane crash and its aftermath — and how that trauma continues to affect them 25 years later.
Masterful casting underpins Yellowjackets’ success: each episode sparkles with the show’s pitch-perfect ensemble cast. Particularly compelling in the present day timeline are buzz-worthy performances by Gen-X actresses Christina Ricci (The Addams Family, Monster), Melanie Lynskey (Sweet Home Alabama, Heavenly Creatures) and Juliette Lewis (Natural Born Killers, Cape Fear). The show’s fierce, albeit damaged, heroines scratch and claw their way through a series of high stakes mysteries.
Yellowjackets has spawned a devoted and hungry fanbase, with Reddit threads and Discords full of theories, among them (warning: potential spoilers ahead!): What will happen to Shauna’s baby? How completely cray will Misty get? What does the symbol mean? Do they eat each other or not? And what is UP with Taissa?
Amidst all of the speculation, three more prevalent theories stand out:
Is adult Misty really Jackie?
Many fans aren’t convinced Jackie is dead. Namely, because of diary entries that (with scrutiny/pausing) include post-1996 references. Oversight by the script supervisor? Or a tease for something much larger?
Was Adam really Javi?
Adam—Shauna’s side piece/ eventual murder victim—would be roughly the same age as Javi present day. Given we don’t know what happened to Javi, it’s possible he grew up, entered an arts field (which he’d shown interest in), and pursued Shauna for ulterior motives.
Who is Lottie?
Lottie either has a supernatural connection to the woods…or she’s simply off her meds in the wilderness. She refers to a force as “It” several times – even Laurie Lee references “It” just before she meets her demise. Does Lottie have a role in the higher order of things?
While conspiracies abound, there’s one thing we know for sure: Season 2 of Yellowjackets will feature some new additions, including Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings) and Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under fans, rejoice!). And, without giving away TOO much, expect to see a few other “new” faces just, ummm, all grown up.
With its dark wit, “holy hell” twists and tour-de-force performances, expect to be glued to your seats as Season 2 takes liftoff. Grab your slab of meat and hold on: An hour with these women goes by in the blink of an eye.
Watch the Season 2 premiere of Yellowjackets, Sunday, March 26 at 9PM on Showtime. Get Showtime with DISH today: https://my.dish.com/upgrades/premiums/showtime
-Jenny Urice
