Yellowjackets Should End After Season 4

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It’s quite frequent in television land that shows, initially full of life and promise, begin to run out of ideas. At some point, it becomes evident that they should wrap up before they turn into caricatures of themselves (like How I Met Your Mother). Now, hastily ending a series can sometimes diminish its quality (as seen with Game of Thrones), but usually, setting an end date helps to keep the story moving forward with purpose (as was the case with Breaking Bad, Succession). In some instances, it can even revive a series that’s lost its way (like Lost). In summary, it seems clear that the time has come for Yellowjackets.

Following a captivating and mysterious first season released in 2021, its second season faced challenges, though it had its bright spots. However, the third season has been particularly frustrating due to repetitive storytelling, much like some other Showtime dramas such as Dexter, Homeland, and Weeds. It’s starting to seem that a conclusion is necessary, and it should come sooner rather than later.

‘Yellowjackets’ Has a Clunky and Uneven Structure

When “Yellowjackets” premiered in 2021, it seemed unlike any other TV show out there. At times, it was a chilling survival horror thriller and a modern adaptation of “Lord of the Flies,” at others it dabbled in broad comedic antics, and at others still, it felt like the next big mystery series, brimming with questions that sparked intense online discussion. Throughout its narrative, it also cleverly delved into how past traumas shape the present and served as a sharp critique of high school dynamics and power structures.

By the culmination of the pilot episode, I found myself well-acclimated to the unique narrative structure of this series, alternating between two distinct timelines. The first, reminiscent of 1996, depicts the adolescent counterparts of the characters as they grapple with survival in the wilderness after a tragic event. Conversely, the second timeline, set in 2021, delves into the lives of these same individuals as their past traumas reemerge, affecting their present circumstances. However, three seasons deep, I’ve come to recognize that Yellowjackets’ intricate structure seems less like an appealing design and more akin to a persistent nuisance – a bug, rather than a feature.

Firstly, the narrative arc set in 1996 has always been more gripping and cohesive than the one established in 2021 (we’ll revisit this point later). Nonetheless, the division of timelines presents some underlying structural challenges, as we have a good idea from the start which characters will eventually return to their original time, thus reducing the show’s ability to build suspense and tension.

The show subtly hints at intriguing enigmas regarding the girls’ survival methods, such as potentially venerating a mystical being. However, due to the need to preserve surprises, the 2021 sequences are deliberately vague about their traumas, using veiled language instead. A straightforward response about whether the spectral Antler Queen is genuine or a collective hallucination for the group earlier in the series could have alleviated much confusion and resolved many of these uncertainties.

‘Yellowjackets’ Has a Clever Setup, But No Clear Direction

However, this situation suggests a larger problem that Yellowjackets is grappling with – the series seems to be stuck in a loop without a definite end point. To be fair, there are aspects of the 1996 timeline that aren’t flawless; for instance, Shauna’s transformation into a more antagonistic character conflicts sharply with her fellow survivors, despite being intriguing conceptually. The rapid development of this storyline seems to detract from its impact. Moreover, the arrival of survivor Melissa this season is puzzling because we are expected to believe that the survivors have known her all along, even though they’ve never encountered her before.

Overall, the wilderness storyline in the 1996 Yellowjackets series appears well-defined and purposeful, making us eager to discover how the characters’ actions spiral into ever-darker territory, including cannibalism. Conversely, the 2021 half of the series is currently a confusing mess, making it a struggle to watch.

As a movie critic, I must confess that Season 1 left me intrigued, but with visible signs of strain. The 2021 narrative seemed to drift away from the 1996 scenes, creating a disconnect that wasn’t entirely anticipated. This season, however, appears to lack direction, evident in the slow pace as it took four whole episodes for any significant event to unfold.

The creative team seems to be attempting to explore the survivors’ internal conflicts stemming from their resurfaced trauma, but the execution is undermined by the characters’ frequent impulsive decisions and moments of irrational behavior. If the intention was to build tension through their gradual turn against each other, it seems the characters are jumping to conclusions too quickly, making them come across as more idiotic than tormented survivors.

It’s clear that if the creative team behind Yellowjackets were to establish an endgame, it would significantly enhance the show, much like how Lost and Dexter saw improvements after deciding on their final seasons (even though Dexter eventually faltered). A fourth and concluding season for Yellowjackets could rejuvenate the storyline, shed light on any supernatural elements, and remind viewers of the original charm that made Yellowjackets so appealing. You can stream Seasons 1-3 of Yellowjackets on Paramount+ with Showtime.

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2025-04-12 21:33