Each week, Jenn and Joe discuss the latest episode of Showtime’s Yellowjackets S03. MAJOR spoilers ahead!
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Episode 3.09 “How The Story Ends”: the Yellowjackets’ rites of spring finally come to an end. Misty gets a pick-me up. Shauna worries about a sticky Melissa problem.
JOE
The end is nigh, Jenn, and with this penultimate episode of Yellowjackets, I’ve got to say: I’m kind of relieved.
I’d love to use descriptive terms like “rollercoaster” or “unexpected” to describe this season of the series because there have been some legitimate surprises, twists and turns. But it’s also been extremely messy, filled with character assassinations and whiplash narrative beats that don’t always feel earned.
And “How The Story Ends” is – for better or worse – more of the same.
I’m dragging my heels about how the episode ends because even though we both anticipated that Van (Lauren Ambrose)’s time on the show was drawing to a close, I’m not quite ready to address it yet.
So let’s focus on the madcap road shenanigans of the present day crew. Melissa (Hilary Swank) makes a daring escape by literally spitting her own bloody flesh into Shauna (Melanie Lynskey)’s face, but the tell-tale warning car engine symbol eventually leaves her stranded on the side of the road for the other Yellowjackets to find.
This definitely plays like a madcap comedy and everyone is having a good time, from Misty (Christina Ricci) with the tire iron to Taissa (Tawny Cypress)’ disbelief at all of the revelations. It’s amusing stuff and our deep bench of talented actors has a ball with it. We even get a few confessions, including Misty sheepishly admitting that she did, in fact, lock Shauna in the freezer because she’s been “an asshole” lately.
I’ll leave the brief, but “excessive” reappearance of Walter (Elijah Wood) for you to discuss, but I kinda liked what the present day stuff was doing, even if I didn’t fully know where it was going.
Well…until Van resorted to pacifism after discovering everyone passed out after Melissa closed the flue on the fireplace. It was obvious that things were going to skew deadly the minute Van set aside the knife, though I don’t know if I a) fully understand or b) fully buy that Melissa would be willing to kill to escape from her former teammates.
The way everyone just skips all of the logical responses and goes straight to murder feels like such a narrative contrivance, especially since the stuff about the DAT note hasn’t clarified yet. If you truly believed your life was in danger, would you simply let Tai order you to shut up and leave it at that? No! You would be talking your captor’s ear off to say your peace.
But no one on this show seems able to communicate. And sure, that’s definitely something that happens in real life, but it’s more often highlighted in TV and movies when a writer (in this case Sarah L. Thompkins) resorts to keeping information secret solely to draw things out.
So yes, Van (predictably) gets stabbed. And we’re back on the Death plane from the S02 finale as she talks to her younger self (Liv Hewson). I quite liked this conversation, which – unlike Nat – is filled with frustration and disbelief from Adult Van. Meanwhile Young Van is resigned and mysterious, observing that “This is just how our story ends.” There’s even a hint of a tease of something else: a reward of bringing back “the woman we love” (ie: regular Tai, who Van rescues from her Dark self in a dream).
It’s nice, albeit not as powerful, as Natalie’s experience last season. This is less melancholy, but also a case of depreciating returns because we’ve seen this before. And, if we’re being honest, it sucks because it spells the end of Ambrose’s tenure on the show, which isn’t something I was prepared to process.
Over to you, Jenn: how do you feel about Van’s death? Is Melissa’s motivation clear and justified to you? And what about the 1997 plot, which finds Hannah (Ashley Sutton) proving herself to Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) in a desperate bid to stay alive by stabbing Kodi (Joel McHale) in the eye?
JENN
Joe, what are we doing here?? I’ve been enjoying the season thus far, mostly the ‘97 timeline, and patiently waiting for the chips to fall into place. But this is the first episode that made me want to throw up my hands and walk away. Jumping from 1 to 11 (murder) perfectly sums up the back half of the season.
This episode ends in a cannibalism-tinged quasi-massacre with a group of women all trying to kill each other—one of whom still has blood splattered all over her face. It’s Jenn TV Candy to the extreme but none of it feels earned. I agree that the antics we use to get back to Melissa/Kelly’s house are fun. And I love Misty’s exasperated confession, because Shauna truly is being an asshole. But with everything we’ve been building in Adult Yellowjackets world, this is where we end up?
I genuinely keep forgetting that Lottie is even part of this plotline and I’ve forgotten to care who actually killed her. Also, those fucking Joels. This is what we’re spending our time on? Although I do love watching Jeff (Warren Kole) smoke 90’s-style pot with his daughter while Stone Temple Pilots’ “Creep” plays in the background.
I’ve been mostly onboard for Tai’s quest to find a human sacrifice to save Van. And I’m intrigued to learn more about Other Tai, but this just doesn’t seem to make sense. Are we sure the real Tai has returned? And how exactly is this Van’s doing? Technically, Melissa closed the flue, thus recreating the dangerous fumes of the cave and forcing Other Tai out of the spotlight.
I didn’t have strong feelings about Lauren Ambrose going into this season, but she’s become one of my favorite adult characters and I’m shocked that this is where her story ends. While I believe that she would not want to commit cold-blooded murder, I don’t think Melissa would either. What does she gain by killing the only woman willing to take her side? They’ll definitely want to kill her now and she probably just dug the graves of her wife and child. With all the wheels we’ve been spinning in the adult timeline, this turn feels neither earned nor believable.
You’re correct that I have many thoughts about Walter’s return, but they mostly involve frustration with Misty. This man sent a helicopter for you and put on Wilson Phillips while making you a custom chocolate martini. How dare you use him so blatantly and ditch this amazing back porch date? It’s beginning to feel like a “Ross and Rachel” style delay that I just don’t buy. I’m so mad at Misty that I don’t even care what she saw on Lottie’s phone.
The only thing that salvages this scene is Walter’s disgusted glare as he sips the abandoned martini. I’m now wondering how close he is to just saying “fuck it” and murdering the lot of them.
Ok, enough of my ranting about the adults. While I’m sad to say goodbye to Joel McHale, if I ever get to do a brief guest appearance on a Cannibal Girls show, I want to conclude my run by getting stabbed in the face.
I’m also intrigued by what feels like a permanent divide in the camp. Nat (Sophie Thatcher)’s sobs when the snow starts to fall broke my heart along with Van (Liv Hewson)’s reminder of what last winter was actually like. “We ate a child.” Yes, they did.
And now Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) and Lottie (Courtney Eaton) are forcing them into that position again. Did you catch Tai (Jasmin Savoy Brown)’s casual acknowledgement that they’ve been “practicing with the cards”? What does that mean and, if someone dies because they influence the draw, could we call it murder?
But my biggest gripe is that Shauna is beginning to feel like a rampaging monster. She’s way too quick to point that gun and she’s now shooting at her girlfriend in the middle of camp! I do have some pity for her when she learns that Hannah has a daughter and imagine her screaming back to Melissa (Jenna Burgess), “Why would Hannah get to go back to her daughter when my own child is gone?” Her illogical rage is likely built on unthinkable trauma, but I’m just not sure the writers have done enough to connect those dots.
In a sea of frustration, I do love that we’re finally confronting this manic pixie wilderness girl persona the girls have constructed. Travis (Kevin Alves) blatantly calls Lottie out for her cult-like manipulation and seems just seconds away from murder. (Shoutout to the spike pit we saw in the opening scene of episode 1!)
The camp seems divided into those who have power and want to stay, and the outcasts who want to return to civilization. And once again, Misty (Samantha Hanratty) proves to be the wildcard. Back to you, Joe. What do you think about this transponder revelation? How are you feeling about teen Shauna and do you think Hannah will make it to season 4?
JOE
The discovery of the transponder has been a long time coming and I do love that it’s Nat who finds out Misty has been covering it up, considering how much we know of where their relationship/friendship goes in the future. What does it mean for the immediate future in the ‘97 timeline, though? I don’t know.
I could see Nat working with Misty to covertly get it working again, especially since she’s come out in strong opposition to Lottie and Shauna’s forced internment. And you’re right, watching Thatcher cry as the snow began to fall was a genuinely great moment. Even when I’m frustrated with the narrative developments or the out of the blue character motivations, I will never critique the quality of the acting on this show – from either generation of actor.
Hannah’s impulsive decision to pledge allegiance to the sister of the murderous cannibal definitely improves her chances of surviving in the short term, though I don’t think she’s really considered what it means long term. Again: jumping straight to murder (for an average person) seems really abrupt, but Yellowjackets, especially this season, seems to think that everyone is capable of homicide if pressed strongly enough.
If I’m hedging bets on Hannah’s survival into S04, I’m leaning yes for two reasons. 1) I read an interview with Sutton that basically suggested she’s friends with the creative team and they’ve been looking for an opportunity to bring her on since its premiere. And 2) we know from the present day timeline that Melissa and Gen both got close to her, and thus far we’ve only seen a connection between Hannah and the former girl.
Admittedly Gen is *barely* a character on the show, so perhaps what we have seen is as much as we’ll get, but there’s still some creative juice in keeping Hannah around longer to see how an outsider fits into this now-dysfunctional group, particularly when it comes time to restart the card selection after we’ve polished off the animals.
Finally, I, too, caught the reference that Van and Tai have the ability to save themselves. I would say they’re not guilty of murder for this so much as increasing the likelihood of others getting murdered (how’s that for a moral loophole?!)
But back to you, Jenn: what do you think we’ll see in the finale? Will the group divide? Will we finally get the truth about who set the fire? Do you think Hannah will make it past the first stage of winter? And is it possible that the show will bring Hannah’s daughter Alex into the fold rather than just kill her?
JENN
You’re right, Joe. As frustrated as I am with this episode, the acting continues to be stellar across the board. Even when they’re doing things I hate, I can’t seem to get enough.
I would really love to see Shauna get some comeuppance in both timelines. This season has seen her gleefully exacerbate every conceivable problem and the others seem to be finally fed up. If this transponder really does work, we’re setting up a major showdown between the group’s two leaders. And if you’d told me in earlier seasons that I’d be favoring Nat over Shauna, I don’t know if I would have believed you. I’m also hoping that this young mother who’s still mourning the death of her child can find a way to reclaim her humanity.
Side note – since I made a Friends reference earlier, I can’t hear the word “transponder” without hearing Jennifer Anniston yell “He’s a Transponster!” in the fantastic episode “The One With the Embryos.”
I think I’m most looking forward to Travis’s stealthy subterfuge. His construction of the spike pit only strengthens my suspicions that he’s the cabin arsonist and he’ll clearly do anything to go home. Perhaps this will signal a reconciliation with Natalie or push him even further over the edge. And what will the Wilderness think of his claims that the extensive mythology they’ve constructed is nothing but creative lies to survive harsh conditions?
We’ll also hopefully find out what Misty sees on Lottie’s phone. My money’s on something to do with Callie (Sarah Desjardins) but I can’t imagine anything that would get me to walk out on Elijah Wood.
Whatever answers we do get, I’m reminded that this is the midpoint in a five-season arc. While this season has felt at times contrived and frustrating, it feels like we’re pulling the slingshot back to its furthest stretch. Hopefully whatever secrets are revealed in the season 3 finale will catapult us into an exciting season 4.
Yellowjackets airs Fridays on Paramount+ on Showtime (and/or Sundays depending on where you’re watching)
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