Yellowjackets - Why You Should Be Watching Showtime's New Hit TV Show
The best TV show you'll watch this year
Save the best till last. Approaching the end of the 2021 TV season felt a little flat. There wasn't anything exciting on the TV and then Showtime dropped episode one of Yellowjackets on the 14th of November. With its genre-defying themes, Yellowjackets is a unique masterpiece. It's not confined to one box. A coming of age family drama that also dips into horror and part survival.
Yellowjackets revolves around a girls soccer team whose plane crashes in 1996 on their way to the national tournament. Today focuses on the 4 survivors and how they navigate life in the face of trauma. The pre plane crash scenes show us how the teammates interacted before their fight for survival. Who liked each other and who hated each other. The three timelines coincide.
The show opens with a woman running barefoot in the snow with voices all around her overwhelming her already fragile state. The woman then falls into a pit of spikes. What soon becomes clear is she didn't fall into the pits of hell. She was murdered by the people around her... her teammates.
There's twists, revelations and amazing character development. Between the timelines you get a glimpse into the teen's lives when they're stranded in the wilderness and fighting to survive and believe me, this show takes it to the depths of despair. Then you get to see the survivors as adults and how their lives are still messy and the past is coming back to haunt them. Someone is trying to drag them back to hell... but who is it? The intrigue is there from the first 10 seconds of episode one.
With its stellar cast and flawless performances, this show isn't to be missed and I'll tell you why.
A 90s Era
As the plane crash happened in the 90s the show's soundtrack is something of great indulgence. A single song can change a scene to feel completely different and this show gets it right every time. It often feels quirky and fun when it should feel sad and scary. Fans of nostalgic music need to jump on this show.
Here is a taste of what's been used so far:
- Hold On - Wilson Phillips
- Dreams - The Cranberries
- Breakfast at Tiffany's - Deep Blue Something
- Never Tear us Apart - Paloma Faith
- Today - Smashing Pumpkins
- Supernova - Liz Phair
There's a range of musical intrigue here, 90s hits along with some 80s classics and your occasional modern-day track.
Remember these 90s rising stars; Juliette Lewis, Melanie Lynskey and Christina Ricci? Well, they're not rising stars anymore. They have arrived and they will knock your socks off with their sublime performances here. I know they arrived a long time ago but somehow this feels like their comeback.
The casting department did a brilliant job in casting their counterparts to play their teenage selves. What fun that must have been.
A Stylish Lost
Remember that show Lost that lost its way and delivered possibly the worst ending in the history of any TV show ever. In need of a new Lost fix? Look no further, Yellowjackets is far more stylish, intriguing and dark. The characters have justified development with each passing episode.
The plane crash scene itself will have you feeling sick in the best way. There are people on fire, people being impaled, dead bodies. It has it all. Not to mention the depths these teens go to, to survive. This show has everything from cannibalism to a sense of paranormal activity. Think Lord of the Flies meets Lost.
Final Thoughts
Tackling more than one genre the show presents us with just enough progression each episode to keep us coming back for more. The writers step it up a notch every week. It's hard to tell where this show is going to take us but it's promising to be one wild ride. Simply unmissable. The best show you'll watch all year. A cracking female lead thriller.
Catch Yellowjackets on Showtime every Sunday.
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