Yellowjackets, the gripping Showtime series that left audiences on the edge of their seats with its Lord of the Flies-esque plotline, is set to return for a second season, promising to be even more harrowing than the first. Following a group of high-school girls who are stranded in the wilderness for 19 months after a plane crash in 1996, the show explores themes of survival, trauma, and transgression.
Season one of Yellowjackets received critical acclaim, earning a 100 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was also praised for its representation of LGBTQ+ characters, such as Taissa, played as a teen by Jasmine Savoy Brown. In the second season, which is set to premiere on 24 March, the showrunners promise to push the limits of what is transgressive and unhinged.
According to co-showrunner Jonathan Lisco, “If we do our jobs right, the eating of a person will not be the most transgressive thing that these young women do in the wilderness. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.” Lauren Ambrose, who plays adult Vanessa, described filming season two as “intense,” while Simone Kessell, who plays adult Lottie, said that she felt like she had been in a car accident.
Season one of Yellowjackets already explored the traumatic aftermath of the group’s experience, flashing forward to 2021 to follow the lives of the survivors. In season two, the show’s creators promise to delve even deeper into the characters’ worst selves, as they struggle to integrate their experiences in the wilderness into their everyday lives.
Yellowjackets is not a set-up show, co-creator Ashley Lyle explained, adding that the creators already have a five-season arc in mind. Despite this, the twists and turns of the show continue to surprise even them. “The architecture that we started with is still holding up, but all the rooms are turning out pretty different in this exciting way,” said fellow creator Bart Nickerson.
Fans of the show are eagerly anticipating the return of Yellowjackets, which promises to be as gripping and transgressive as ever.
