Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 6 review: Everything feels a little too real
Paramount+Yellowjackets Season 2 continues to push how much it can mess with its audience, as some harrowing delusions and realities come to the surface.
2021’s first season of Yellowjackets became a smash hit, with multiple Emmy nominations in 2022, and a greenlight for Season 2.
Fans have been waiting eagerly for said second season, which continues the story of a soccer team that was stranded in the wild for a year after a plane crash, and the ensuing trauma that lives on into their adulthood.
Thankfully, the second season is easily living up to the first, with the sixth episode now out. Let’s get into it, and don’t worry, we’ll do our best to avoid any big spoilers!
Yellowjackets gets a baby off the bench
This episode begins back in the 90s, before the plane even crashed. The girls are in class, watching a video about the birthing process. Misty is hilariously fascinated by it, but Shauna is too busy passing notes with Jeff to pay attention. Quote ironic, considering that this is the episode that she final gives birth herself, to Jeff’s baby.
Naturally, the birth scene is very stressful – especially when you factor in that one of the Yellowjackets has just died – and even Coach can’t handle it, as he’s too busy imagining what his life would be like had he not gotten on that doomed plane. But eventually the team are able to pull together to guide Shauna through, although some are helping in a very cult-like way.
This episode keeps a good focus on the characters as an ensemble, as everyone gets a moment to shine. Not only that, but the scene following Shauna’s birth is heart-warming, as the group all watch in awe at the infant, all without any underlying motive.
However, this peace only lasts for a moment. The Wilderness once again begins creeping into the cabin. Not only does the mere idea of raising a baby in the middle of nowhere, where people are beginning to starve, raise concern, the supernatural signs aren’t exactly helping. Symbols are stitched onto Shauna’s baby items, and the new mother finds Lottie growing worryingly attached to the new-born.
However, this all suddenly gets turned upside down when the episode jumps you into a mind-bending and tragic twist. Unlike previous delusions that we’ve watched the characters have, in which it’s pretty obvious that what they’re seeing is not real, here even the audience buys into the fantasy. This is a trick that Yellowjackets likely won’t be able to pull off again anytime soon, but its certainly effective when used sparingly.
The season’s climax is just beginning
In the present day, things are also ramping up, as it seems like the gang’s all getting back together – making us wonder if this is all of who survived the Wilderness.
The group re-joining one another makes for some interesting interactions. Misty and Lottie have a hilarious one-sided animosity with each other, whereas Van seems downright scared of the latter.
The show’s writing is at its most emotional this episode, especially with Natalie, as her “I’m poison” scene is particularly tragic to watch. Not only that, but the threat of the Wilderness’ darkness still appearing in present day makes what the girls went through in the past all the more harrowing.
Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 6 review score: 4/5
Episode 6 continues the quality of this sequel season so far, and pushes it even further. And while we won’t spoil the episode’s ending here, it’s sure to be one of the most memorable and heart-wrenching scenes in the whole show.
Yellowjackets Season 2 began streaming exclusively on Paramount+ on March 24. Season 1 is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, which you can sign up for here.
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