Yellowjackets season 2 premiere review: time for more fan theories

It’s been just a little over a yr since Yellowjackets took our TVs by storm with a juicy Misplaced-style thriller that introduced us all again to our days of fervent hypothesis. Showtime’s psychological thriller a couple of highschool ladies’ soccer crew stranded within the wilderness within the mid-’90s, and what grew to become of the survivors, had all of it: a number of timelines, psychological horror, suburban comedy, and, in fact, the dreadful data that lots of the ladies who survived to the current day most likely had a darkish cultlike dalliance with cannibalism.

Now the present is lastly again. After a season 1 finale that left us eager for extra (in methods each good and fewer so), what’s most exceptional concerning the season 2 premiere is that it simply looks like… the following episode within the first season. This isn’t essentially dangerous — Yellowjackets is a reasonably stuffed present, and easing again into issues so viewers can remind themselves of every thing in play earlier than leaping into new dilemmas is a stable method. It simply feels a bit gradual, given all of the anticipation — maybe giving lots for fan theorists to chew on, however leaving others wanting extra.

“Buddies, Romans, Countrymen,” because the premiere is known as, strikes as rapidly as it may in its introduction to the numerous plates Yellowjackets has left spinning in midair since final yr. Within the current day, Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) has a homicide to cowl up along with her husband Jeff’s (Warren Kole) assist, Tai (Tawny Cypress) is celebrating her success in native politics whereas concurrently dropping her household due to a situation that’s inflicting her to do disturbing issues in her sleep, and Nat (Juliette Lewis) acquired kidnapped by a cult.

Picture: Kimberley French/Showtime

Nat’s kidnapping is the place the actual ahead momentum occurs in “Buddies, Romans, Countrymen,” as many fan suspicions are confirmed: The cult is headed up by Lottie (Simone Kessell), who seems to be frustratingly benign although every thing about her cult (and every thing we learn about teen Lottie) leans type of sinister.

The ’90s solid largely will get some good character work, as Jackie’s (Ella Purnell) loss of life leaves the group rocked and Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) struggles to manage. After which there’s a new layer added: a quick flash just a little bit additional to the Yellowjackets’ lives instantly post-rescue, largely specializing in Lottie and her problem reintegrating again into regular life.

Picture: Kailey Schwerman/Showtime

As an episode of tv, “Buddies, Romans, and Countrymen” is merely high-quality. As a dialog starter? It’s fairly wonderful. The introduction of present-day Lottie will probably reignite hypothesis if she actually is the Antler Queen, however on the identical time, Yellowjackets writers appear laying it on a bit too thick for that to be the reply. (Kessell herself argues that she’s enjoying a personality that genuinely desires to assist the present-day survivors heal. However that would imply a variety of issues.) There’s loads of rigidity round the remainder of the present-day solid, with Tai’s aforementioned troubles and Shauna’s new facet gig in homicide, having to keep away from the authorities and her nosy teen daughter. Additionally that post-rescue flashback? A nice thought. Let’s hope there’s extra.

However as soon as once more, probably the most gripping a part of Yellowjackets is, effectively, the Yellowjackets’ survival story, and watching them slowly fracture, reset, or unspool. For the entire plot threads the collection is juggling, the present’s writers don’t appear to have misplaced their iron grip on this one. They usually’re ensuring the ladies proceed to wrestle in some… scrumptious methods.