PLOT SUMMARY: A high school soccer team, on their way to a tournament. become survivors of a plane crash. They must now rely on each other to survive the wilderness and deal with a supernatural occurrence.
At first glance, Yellowjackets resembles an iconic show from the early 2000s. Remember LOST? Yellowjackets may have characters getting stranded after surviving a plane crash but that is where the similarities end.
Yellowjackets is a well-written, immersive show that can get addicting. The show boasts of a good star cast and it is quite noticeable how well the actors mold themselves into their characters.
You won't think you're watching the affable Christina Ricci on screen, but annoying and clingy Misty. Or think that you are watching the sweet yet awkward Juliette Lewis but Natalie, a character struggling with illegal substances. Melanie Lynskey is a surprise package as she plays the not-so-submissive housewife that is anything but bland. Every episode uncovers a new layer that will take you by surprise.
But perhaps the most shocking character revelation was that of Taissa played by Tawny Cypress. In the first few episodes, she seems like a dedicated wife and mother who is also ambitious. She is campaigning to become state senator for New Jersey when strange incidents occur that make her consider quitting. More on that later.
The characters have their journey shown from when they were teens to now when they are adults in their mid-forties. All the actors have done full justice to their roles and each of them manages to sparkle on screen.
YELLOWJACKETS Plot
The first scene begins with a girl running through a wintry forest. She is scared of something and it is obvious she is being hunted because she wouldn't be wearing a thin dress on such a cold night.
Suddenly she cramps up and is seen in pain but she doesn't stop. She keeps running and then falls into a trap filled with upright sticks. She is impaled on them and gasps for breath. Although we don't see her face, we see a gold heart shaped necklace around her neck.
We then meet Jessica who is interviewing people about the girls who were involved in a plane crash. Some of the teachers complain about their lack of focus in studies, the principal is pretty blunt as he states that what happened to the other student lives was not considered a loss but the girls...they were champions.
Doesn't feel nice when a principal says that, now does it? Really? The other students' lives don't matter because they didn't play soccer well enough?
Anyway, we meet the champions and the main characters of the story. There is Taissa, Natalie, Shauna, Van, and team captain, Jackie. They are playing a football game but Taissa is shown to frown at a girl on their team, Allie.
Later, Jackie is in her bedroom with her boyfriend Jeff and he's trying to get her excited but Jackie tries to fake her enthusiasm. Shauna gives Jeff an odd look when she sees him climb down from Jackie's window. She chides her friend but Jackie assures her she isn't distracted.
At school, Taissa wants to freeze Allie out because she's not performing. Nat may be into taking illegal substances but she has no interest in participating in shunning teammates. Taissa isn't too happy that no one in the team, including the usually agreeable Lottie, wants to help Taissa throw Allie out.
During a practice match, Alllie is underperforming. Taissa, pissed off takes her on and then accidentally trips her causing Allie to fall and break her leg. She's out of the team.
Shauna isn't too happy because she thinks Taissa did it on purpose. Afterwards, Jackie is called to the coach's office where he explains to Jackie that the only reason she made captain was because she had influence over the girls. Jackie takes this pretty seriously.
Afterwards, at a party, Shauna gets a little high and accuses Taissa of purposely injuring Allie. Of course, Taissa is a feisty girl and doesn't take anything lying down. The girls get into a fight and Jackie comes to break it up. She pulls the whole team aside and then tells them to say one good thing about the other.
Laura Lee, who is very very religious, goes first. When she makes the same statement to everyone, Jackie decides to take matters into her own hands. Her words inspire the others to praise each other too and Shauna and Taissa make up. Taissa assures her she didn't intentionally harm Allie.
After the party is over, Jackie asks Jeff to drop her home first because she's way past her curfew even though Shauna's house comes first. After Jackie is dropped off, Shauna asks Jeff to pull over. Fearing she was going to throw up in his car, he pulls over but Shauna doesn't throw up, rather she begins to make out with Jeff who is all too willing.
Jackie sure has great friends. Or should I say, had friends.
Turns out that every time there is a cut to the year 2021, we see Misty, Shauna, Taissa and Nat, but not Jackie.
The first episode ends with the team getting on the plane. Shauna is nervous so Jackie hands her some valium she stole from her mother and then for good luck, she gives her gold necklace with the heart pendant.
The very one we saw the girl in the first scene wear. The one who is killed in a trap, bled out and then possibly eaten.
But as we learn throughout the series, the necklace keeps going back and forth and in the end, was possibly given to someone else. Jackie doesn't have dark hair and the girl who was being hunted looked like she did.
We then meet the adult version of the characters. Taissa is running for state senator. Nat is just out of rehab which Taissa paid for. Shauna is the bored housewife whose daughter Camille doesn't respect her. Her garden is invaded by rabbits which she is absolutely annoyed by.
And then there is Misty. While she wasn't in the actual team, she was an assistant to the coach and the team's biggest supporter and seems to know a lot about medical emergencies.
Now all grown up, she works as a nurse to elderly patients at a home and should they misbehave, Misty makes sure they fall back into line.
The four girls are hounded by a reporter, Jessica who keeps offering the women the same deal. All they have to do is talk about the plane crash and they can get a book deal and make millions. After all, everyone is dying to know what actually happened out there in the wilderness and the women act all cagey when asked.
Turns out a lot did happen out there but we don't find out for sure who the girl from the first scene was or when did the others decide to become cult members who fed on flesh.
When the plane crashes, fortunately a lot of students were able to crawl out in time while many perished when the plane hit the ground, including the pilots.
Jackie is trying to save Van but then gets more concerned with saving Shauna who is still feeling the effects of the Valium. Luckily Van makes it out, much to Taissa's relief because she is in love with her. Van, however, holds a grudge against Jackie.
Coach Ben has his leg stuck under a part of the plane and the girls manage to lift it off him and pull him out but his leg can hardly be called a leg anymore. Misty used the axe from the plane to cut it off.
The girls are shocked but welcome Misty's knowledge of how to deal with medical emergencies.
Then there is Coach Martinez and his sons Travis and Javi. When the coach is nowhere to be found, Javi gets scared but Travis had seen his father sucked out of the plane when he was trying to help the girls.
Turns out the coach is on top of the tree and doesn't look good or conscious. Travis climbs the tree to retrieve him but the branch breaks and the coach falls on the ground. This time it is confirmed that he is dead considering the fall causes a branch to stab him.
It is becoming clear with each scene that the students are facing a horrific nightmare that is sure to traumatise them.
At first everyone tries to ration the food. There is some on the plane and snacks they brought with them.
Lottie is on some pills for something we don't find out for sure. She is anxious about running out of them. Later we find out Lottie has some exceptional, prophetic abilities. Perhaps the pills were used to treat what doctors probably thought were delusions.
Misty has a not so secret crush on Coach Ben and he suffers through it because she's also the only one who has been helping him recover. Misty wants him to be continously dependent on her and wastes no chance in tripping him, or poisoning his tea so that he falls sick and has to rely on Misty.
The girls have to also deal with monthly cycles and manage to get on the same one. Shauna feels terrified when she realizes she's the only one who hasn't gotten her period. She has a hunch of what must have happened; she's pregnant with Jeff's baby! To hide the fact she dips a cotton pad with animal blood and shows it to Jackie.
The survivors, at this point, have managed to find a lake, and an emoty cabin beside it, and are trying to get by each day. Fortunately there's also a gun in the cabin and after tryouts, Nat and Travis emerge skilled shooters. They are kept in charge of hunting and spending all that alone time together causes them to develop feeling for each other which they act upon.
Jackie is having trouble with the only one not possessing any survival skills which causes the other girls to look upon her with irritation. She remembers how Coach Martinez had told her she had the power to inspire but now believes she may not even have that.
When Lottie claims she senses something off about the cabin, no one believes her until one night Taissa finds Lottie in the attic, rocking and trying to comfort herself. In front of her is a skeleton in a chair.
The girls joke that there may be a haunting involved. Jackie proposes they hold a seance mostly because she wants to be in charge of something.
The girls place candles around spots already marked on the attic floor. At first Taissa and Javi don't join in and sit downstairs.
But when they hear how much fun the others are having asking ridiculous questions and having Shauna pretend to act as a conduit, they too join in.
Lottie who is sitting quietly, suddenly senses something behind her. A gust of wind thrust opens the window and extinguishes the candles. Lottie begins to speak French, something she has never been good at. Jackie who took French with her isn't that good either and is unable to translate although she makes out the words relating to blood.
Lottie then smashes her forehead against the window. Her cut is stitched up but the girls begin to wonder if there is something supernatural at play here.
Lottie starts to predict things that come true and the girls begin to take her seriously.
Taissa begins to feel restless and wants to go look for help. Everyone tries to discourage her but she is determined to go ahead considering winter is almost about to come.
When Misty sees Coach Ben being nice to Taissa, she too decides to join in the expedition. Taissa cuts off her hair because long hair will only hold her back from exploring for some reason.
When the girls camp out, they hear wolves and Taissa assures the three girls who joined her that wolves are afraid of humans and fire although she would keep first watch at night just to ease their minds.
Turns out the girls had much to fear because Taissa falls asleep and finds herself up on a tree.
Below her, the girls are fighting off wolves while Van is being attacked by them.
Taissa uses the flare gun on them but it is too late. Most of Van's face has been chewed up and she is unconscious. The girls are certain she's dead and lay her on a pyre only for her to wake up. This has not been Van's day. She not only gets chewed on by wolves but wakes up to find her friends burning her alive.
They manage to save her once more and decide to head back to the cabin. Her face is stitched up and poor Van screams in pain and terror.
Taissa finds out about Shauna's pregnancy and since her girlfriend Van also needs medical help, feels defeated.
But Laura Lee has decided enough is enough. They have found a plane on the property and she is certain she can fly it. She's also read the manuals on it after all.
The girls are against the idea but she points out that Van needs urgent help. Jackie, who has read Shauna's journal at this point, knows about the affair and prompts Shauna to tell everyone she's pregnant. Shauna feels embarrassed. She had lied to Jackie about the father being Randy although Jackie remembers helping Randy drive home the night she mentions. But the truth is written in Shauna's journal and Jackie feels betrayed.
The clear a strip for the plane and Laura Lee gets in against the Coach's advise. She flies it and succeeds when it suddenly explodes. Laura Lee is dead.
The girls feel helpless and are running out of food because Nat and Travis are too busy making out rather than look for animals. Worse, when Travis is unable to perform, they get into a fight and that means no more hunting trips, although by that time the animals have also moved away because of the impending winter.
Jackie decides she wants to get intimate with Travis, even though she is advised by Shauna not to since Nat still has feelings for him. Jackie says she doesn't care and still hasn't told Shauna that she knows the truth.
Lottie then comes with a prediction that they will not starve anymore. And sure enough, a bear comes over to the cabin, stands before Lottie and tilts its neck. Lottie stabs the bear who doesn't even put up much of a fight. The girls are elated. They have meat and fur to keep themselves warm but it isn't enough.
They think they don't have a chance to survive the harsh winters but since they have their gowns for the event they were going to attend, the decide to have a doomcoming event instead of homecoming.
There were berries preserved that have turned into mush and possible wine. They have meat from the bear and Misty has her shrooms she wants to use on Ben but gets accidentally put in the stew for all to eat.
They all get high except for Jackie who hasn't been eating her meals for some reason. She seduces Travis who is mad at Nat for having tons of affairs before they got together.
The other girls get high as well as Javi who just lays and does nothing but stare at the sky.
After Jackie and Travis get intimate with each other, Travis who had the stew begins to feel the effects of the shrooms. The other girls find Jackie and mock her for going after Nat's guy and lock her in a room. They chase Travis thinking he's a stag. Shauna puts a knife at his throat and is about to kill him but rescued in time.
Nat unlocks the door and lets Jackie out who is pissed off.
The next night she let's out her anger at all the girls and announces Shauna's affair with Jeff. The girls are tired of Jackie and side with Shauna. Shauna tells Jackie to get out and Jackie leaves in a huff.
She spends the night outside and is unable to light a fire to warm herself as it gets colder.
Shauna looks at her through the window and Taissa tells her to go talk to her but Shauna has too much of an ego.
YELLOWJACKETS Ending Explained with Spoilers!
Jackie wakes up to find the girls all apologetic and bringing her inside. She is offered hot chocolate and right then and there we know something is off. They never had hot chocolate. It's time to get scared for Jackie. Suspicions are confirmed when we see Laura Lee. She was dead, remember?
Shauna wakes up in the morning to see snow outside. She freaks out and rushes outside when she sees Jackie, half buried in the snow. She screams.
The scenes of the teenage girls are intercut with the scenes of the adukt versions of Shauna, Taissa, Nat and Misty.
Shauna struggles with a lull in her marriage to Jeff. They clearly aren't intimate with each other anymore and are seeking professional counselling. Then one day Shauna has a run in with a man called Adam who flirts with her and Shauna, after some half-hearted refusals, sleeps with him.
Shauna's daughter Callie finds out about the affair and tries to blackmail her mother but Shauna points out the consequences of divorce and Callie decides to keep her mouth shut.
Eventually Callie's warning about Adam being after her because she's a yellowjacket gets to Shauna. When she, along with her other friends lay a trap for a blackmailer and he gets pushed into a glitter box, Shauna suspects Adam of being the culprit and stabs him.
Shauna seems to like to stab and cut animals and people a lot after her stint in the wilderness.
With Misty's help, she dismembers Adam's body and then to her shock, discovers later that it was Jeff and his friend Randy who were blackmailing the Yellowjackets for money.
Nat suspects Misty of sending her postcards to blackmail her. Misty claims she has gotten a postcard too and thinks the two of them need to team up to find out who is behind it all. Nat gets hit on by Kevyn at a bar who she then spends the night with. He still has feelings for her from high school and is a cop.
When the women lay a trap for the blackmailer, Nat takes Kevyn's gun and almost shoots the blackmailer who runs away. When Kevyn finds out Nat used his gun he gets angry and leaves.
Misty is as crazy as when she was a teen. She cares for the elderly but makes sure they stay in line. When Nat avoids her, she tampers with her car so that she has no choice but to travel with her. Misty also installs a camera in Nat's motel room to keep an eye on her and when she sees Nat use drugs, runs over to stop her.
Tired of Jessica's interference, she drugs and captures her. Jessica is kept tied up in the basement and tries to win Misty's trust.
Misty is crooked as they come. She eventually lets Jessica go bug drugs her cigarettes which causes the journalist to crash her car.
Misty is also the one who helps the other women clean up a crimr scene when Shauna murders Adam.
Misty then hides some of the body parts in a coffin for an elderly patient who passes away.
Taissa is living a blissful life with her wife Simone and son Sammy. Her political ambitions to run for senator is what keeps her motivated. But soon enough, her son begins to act out and keeps telling Taissa that she's the good one unlike the woman in the tree. When someone writes the words SPILL on the house, Taissa finds a paint can in her son's room but he claims the woman in the tree did that.
Taissa doesn't believe him and when her dog goes missing, thinks her opponent is after her. She considers dropping out of the race much to Simone's relief but at the press conference, backs out.
Later she awakens one night to find herself sitting atop a tree and realizes to her horror that she has been sleepwalking again just like when she was in the wilderness and her mistake had caused Van to be attacked by wolves.
She tells Simone to take their son to her mother's as she believes she is a danger to herself and them.
Towards the end, she expects to be defeated but to her delight finds that she has won and is now senator.
Her wife comes home and enters a vent to find Taissa's secret ritual room. There she finds their dog's head offered as a sacrifice.
The next scene shows Taissa pleased with herself and smiling shrewdly.
The show ends with Teen Lottie offering what looks like a bear's heart to a tree. Behind her there's Van and Misty.
There is a hint given that Lottie may be behind a few incidents the adult Yellowjackets have been going through. And also that the cult some of the girls joined has granted them their true desires.
The show doesn’t hint at whether Van or the Coach survives.
Next season will provide the much-needed answers that this season leaves behind.
Yellowjackets is a truly one-of-a-kind show that thrives on thrills and keeps you on the edge of the seat.
This binge-worthy show is a must-watch and rewatch.
Can't wait for Season 2.
Scare Scale: 4.5/5
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