I’m watching the new Yellowjackets episodes and giving you my thoughts as they happen, like I would if I were watching this with my wife. But, this is too horror and gory for her, so I don’t have anyone else to dork out with.
These will be a week or so after the episode airs so you have time to watch it and avoid Spoilers…
The episode starts in the 90s. Shauna in the meat shed trying to get meat from what’s left of the bear. Too bad the New Jersey school district didn’t have their students read the book that the title of these commentaries is taken from like us in Northern Nevada, otherwise, she’d be busting down those bones to get the marrow (although, they may have resorted to cannibalism somewhere in the first season). I’m not sure if that book was part of our school district’s curriculum, though, or just the weird honors teachers I had.
I don’t think lying to a figment of your imagination works, Shauna. You know what you did with that ear, so she knows… Is the hair braiding an attempt to hide the missing ear, or is she still grieving — possibly trying to atone or reconcile with the fact that she feels some responsibility for Jackie’s death? Maybe both?
Ben is stuck with the parenting role dealing with a bunch of teenagers saying, “Oh man, I wish someone would do something about this.” And then the parent has to say, “Uh, then why don’t you do something about it?” To which the teen reflex is an eye roll and exhaled “Whatever.” No one admitting to The Poo makes me think Tai did a sleepwalking/Ms Hyde elimination.
Now Jackie wants Shauna to do her makeup. So that someone won’t look at a corpse, wonder why the hair is braided, and then investigate further? They’ll see the makeup and hair, and then turn around to find wherever Shauna is to tell her enough is enough? Is Shauna gonna sneak pieces of Jackie? Is Shauna going to eat Jackie and then become Jackie!? Since there’s magic going on and shit, when they’re rescued, Shauna is really Jackie, and that’s why she’s married to Jeff, and they visit Jackie’s parents… Transubstantiation could be cannibalism if you have enough faith.
I missed No-Eye-Man in the credits last episode. He looks smaller. Younger. Javi?
Present. Is “No Room For Nihilist In Hollywood” by Peachy! diegetic or not?
What if I wanna vape until my head falls off?
What the hell is that line? It’s gotta be a trip to figure out your parents only care about themselves when you’re older, and not a latchkey kid opening your own can of Spaghetti-Os for dinner while your parents are out, whose come to terms with that fact a long time ago. And now, welcome to Dumpsville. Population: You.
Back in the past, Tai has untied herself. Lending credence to my Poo Theory… Van doesn’t want anyone else in the Cabin Crew to know about Tai; that’s why she’s sneaking out? Oh, this where the No-Eye-Man shot in the intro is from. So there’s going to be a power struggle between the Lottie faction, and who? Taissa? Ben?
Present. “Inertia Creeps” by Massive Attack. Coffee o’clock, baby! I understand trying to keep moving to stay awake, but isn’t exercising just going to make you more tired?
Past. Staying on Tai. She doesn’t want Van getting drawn into Lottie’s weirdness. And Nat doesn’t want Travis falling in, either. More power dynamics.
No, we’ve been that way before.
Is this Travis starting to pull away from their relationship as they literally split up?
Present. Nat calls out the purple — sorry, heliotrope. First the intern fucks up at keeping watch of captive Nat, then she fucks up the boss’s coffee order.
Misty is still lonely. Feeling abandoned by Taissa and Shauna.
Past. Tai goes into the meat shed and sees Shauna’s hack job of Jackie’s makeup. Is Shauna sad because she was caught, or because she is still missing Jackie? And yeah, stress isn’t good for a pregnancy, but now I’ve got another wacky theory percolating…
What if Shauna isn’t pregnant? Stress can impact menstrual cycles. And I’ve heard about phantom pregnancies before. A psychosomatic reaction causing the body to exhibit the physical symptoms of pregnancy. That would explain why there is no baby when they come back, because I don’t know if they’d go full-on grizzly Modest Proposal in this show.
Lottie isn’t fighting getting rid of Jackie’s body. Is she is wanting to be the leader, you’d think she’d take a position either consoling, or supporting Shauna.
Present. Shit, Shauna’s blowing it! Kevyn isn’t there just for a friendly chat. Remember the cookie! And Callie swoops in, even though she knows her mom has something to do with Adam’s disappearance. And then she just goes back to making a burger, and telling Callie to leave through the back. Fucking cold.
I wonder if Sammy is trying to pull some shenanigans to get his parents back together.
Elijah Wood makes his debut. We know who he is before Misty does. Is that really his mom, or is he up to some Scooby Doo shit? And the shorts?
Past. Now is Nat trying to convince Travis that Javi is dead so that he can move on, like Shauna is going to have to, or to try to get him to find comfort in her, instead of seeking hope from Lottie?
Present. Of course we don’t know if this story about what happened to Travis is true. The story of Travis coming to Lottie instead could be payback for Nat trying to keep Travis away from her. He left instructions on how to get into his bank account, so of course, you gotta take that cash. But then, Lottie doesn’t tell Nat what she saw, so she had to have been there. The whole him being willing and the button bit are what are in question here.
Uh oh. Tai fell asleep. She might have done something to Sammy, or was just grossly negligent.
Past. The Cabin Crew is getting the fire ready, and I think a fire has to be pretty hot to cremate a corpse. And in the open air where the heat is going to be dissipating, I don’t think this is going to work. Shauna doesn’t want them taking Jackie’s jacket or else they’ll see the missing meat. What if she’s taken more than what we saw at the beginning of the episode? Oh shit, Lottie saw! This could be leverage for a political power play.
Present. Is “Little Queenie” by Sadgirl playing in the bar, or is it nondiegetic? Wait, Callie is old enough to be in a bar? I thought she was a teenager. How old is she supposed to be? Mustachioed Jason Segal is not old enough to be Javi, and he’s not ethnic-ed up enough like they did to older Travis which is probably the worst of the aged up casting this show has done. Rutgers!?
Past. Nat has just about had it with Lottie’s “Javi’s still out there” bullshit. For a second I thought the flame sound was like: “Uh oh, Lottie is pyrokinetic now?”
I don’t even know where you end and I begin.
What was I saying… Lottie and Tai with Shauna in the middle. They’re both making a play for her, or genuinely trying to comfort her. Tai knowing she had to make the hard call.
Present. Nat has to stay overnight at Lottie’s … resort? This time she isn’t tied up, though. Was that a flashback, or a glimpse of the future?
I wonder if Misty is worried about Nat, or just wants to rescue her so that she can feel needed?
Oh shit! Mustachioed Jason Segal is a cop! Kevyn, of course, wants to follow the book, and has to tell the rookie to cool his heels.
Past. You better just be intending to make out, Nat, ‘cause you got that huge gash on your leg. Wait, so she just takes off one pant leg then? Travis is a horny teen, so I guess he won’t care and think it’s weird. Did Lottie hit him with a whammy, so she’s stuck in his head, or is he thinking about her and is conflicted, or is it the supernatural force of the cabin or woods, that’s playing with Travis’ mind?
Did none of the Cabin Crew read To Build A Fire in middle school? Like George Of The Jungle, you gotta watch out for the trees! And now the fire’s not out, are they gonna wake up in the morning and Lottie is be like: “See Tai, we weren’t supposed to burn her yet,” or something?
Present: Oh, Sammy went back to school to pretend like he didn’t go to Tai’s so he wouldn’t get in trouble? The car’s speeding up — Mirror Tai is coming out!
Past. They don’t hear anything, but are all getting up. I know those sounds are “Climbing Up The Walls” by Radiohead before the music starts.
She wants us to.
Did Jackie want to be eaten, Shauna, or is this your way of trying to get her to quit telling you what you don’t want to hear? And Ben’s like: “Oh they gone CRAZY.”
Final Thoughts
I don’t know what the fancy/Roman dress-up was about. Is it the hedonism and orgiastic glee with which they jump into the cannibalism? I’m not sure if it breaks with the tone of the show or not.
I’m assuming it’s Roman dress, because of the title of last episode “Friends, Romans, Countrymen.” There’s also Caligula, Misty’s bird. Oedipus (from this episode’s title) is Greek, though, so I don’t know if there is a connection or hint as to plot elements from those myths, or whatever.
Has a professional chef broken down how the cooking method of Jackie’s body? Was it technically poached? Dutch oven adjacent? I know the snow was just an excuse for why it didn’t get hot enough to burn her up (except for her clothes, I guess). But cooking a frozen turkey takes, like, a whole ass day, so a human who’s 4 to 5 times bigger would be impossible in the couple of hours they were asleep for before the sun came up.
I finally got it! Javi is short for Javier. Or did the tag on his luggage say that and I’m just the last one to figure it out?
Let me know your favorite parts and theories in the comments. I’ll have watched the next episode before this posts, so I won’t be spoiled by anything. See ya next week!
-bcp