Posted in: Review, Showtime, TV | Tagged: christina ricci, elijah wood, juliette lewis, Melanie Lynskey, Review, season 2, showtime, yellowjackets

Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 3 Review: There's Blood in The Beehive

Showtime's Yellowjackets S02E03 Digestif broke our hearts and had us begging for more of what the wilderness has in store for everyone.

Showtime's Yellowjackets feels the call of the wilderness and heartbreak of survival in the third episode of season two, "Digestif." This episode broke my heart in many ways, had me laughing and diving into some bloody hallucinations on-screen with the series' characters. A lot happened in this episode, so major spoilers will be plentiful…you've been warned… buzz-buzz.

No Leftovers, But There Sure is Some Trauma

The thoroughness of the team's wilderness-provided meal is evident when the bloodied bones of Jackie's corpse are shown on-screen. The wilderness has provided, but the aftermath may be more of a mess than their feast of their captain's flesh. Looking back at the 25th reunion in season one, that was way more awkward seeing Jackie's school photo displayed in front of them that night. There's something deeper going on that slips past the trauma surrounding the girls and Travis (Kevin Alves). Coach Ben (Steven Krueger) lives through a difficult discussion with his partner Paul (François Arnaud) in his mind. The flashes between what's playing over in Ben's mind and the flesh-stripped corpse are haunting and an emotional gut punch. The beginning of this episode was a force to be reckoned with and set the tone right away.

You're Not You When You're Hungry

Yellowjackets has an incredible opportunity with both the teen Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and adult Taissa (Tawny Cypress) storyline. Taissa not remembering the previous night's events wasn't surprising, but her raw emotional response and disgust when her past actions were replayed for her was a necessary surprise. This truly moves the aspects of her sleepwalking and forces beyond her control into a unique territory for this season. I'd probably vomit and scream, too, if I was told I ate the face of someone I knew in a sleepwalking state. This does give us a better look at how cognisant of everything everyone was in the night. Teen Van (Liv Hewson) is the narrator and common sense guiding light needed in these flashbacks. Seeing how the symbol still follows Taissa in adulthood with her drawing it on Simone's (Rukiya Bernard) palm is really interesting. Lottie may have been right all along, it could be a protective symbol that may also harness some potentially harmful energy. 

The consistency of Mari (Alexa Barajas) not understanding the correct timing of questions or statements is something I love about this season of Yellowjackets. It does, however, convince me more and more that she'll end up getting hunted by the others, as Pit Girl or not. There's a lot of well-done exploration of teen and adult Natalie's (Sophie Thatcher, Juliette Lewis) perspective on what helps them personally survive. Even in adult Lottie's (Simone Kessell) communal campsite, Natalie experiences similar hesitancy as we do. We've had a whole previous season without the presence of adult Lottie and to be cautious is understandable. Seeing the lake region in the larger landscape shots, there appear to be residences alongside the water on the other side. That visual, mixed with the mention of Cherry Corners, NY, has me believing this area is somewhere in the Adirondacks of New York State. 

A Life of Strawberry Lube Mistakes

Meanwhile, a lot is happening for adult Shauna and teen Shauna's (Melanie Lynskey, Sophie Nélisse) development. As a teen in the wilderness and in survival mode, Shauna had to adapt to the fear of their environment being full of the unknown. As an adult, Shauna tries in various ways to explore that same unknown and surprise, but I don't think she completely realizes the parallels just yet. She is yet to understand how much time in the wilderness isn't something she has to hide or use caution with around Jeff (Warren Kole) or herself. 

Continuing to focus on Jeff and Shauna, this episode gave some absolutely hilarious quotes from Jeff that may rival the surprise over the fake book club. For one, that man believing his denial of the strawberry lube had a great impact is both sweet and dumb as hell. His saying, "I could have gone strawberry, I almost did," will be a favorite moment for me. Jeff may be entering his villain and/or emo-era, and we all need to support him through this time and maybe help him get a trip to Colonial Williamsburg. Jeff trying to help Shauna as she misses the surprise in life was a reminder that his character continues to try for the both of them, but he does have a ways to go in understanding what that truly means. Jeff has got to stop believing he's getting anywhere discussing Adam with Kevyn (Alex Wyndham) at the gym. Go do arm day, Jeff. Please stop talking at the gym, you adorable buffoon. 

Shauna's monologue about the process of peeling human flesh when she goes to get the mini-van back is something I'll never forget. Lynskey is an absolute powerhouse, and her actions at that moment had me floored. The comparison of that moment alongside her returning Callie's (Sarah Desjardins) stuffed animal to her was a brilliant choice.

"Steel Magnolias" and Rabid Hallucinations

Yellowjackets may be giving us an incredible and weird duo with Walter (Elijah Woods) and Misty (Christina Ricci). The witness that gets interrogated, Randy Walsh (Jeff Holman), being slapped by Walter was an essential bit of comedic levity in an emotional episode. I do worry about Misty's potential trust in Walter and hope that things work out for her when it comes to not only finding Natalie but with her own future. Seeing teen Misty (Samantha Hanratty) perform that Steel Magnolias monologue at Shauna's baby shower ended up producing a level of emotional investment in her and Crystal's (Nuha Jes Izman) friendship I wasn't expecting.  Also, they are being some of the more honest ones in that cabin regarding eating Jackie's corpse, especially when the other option is starving. Misty and Walter oddly get a good amount of info out of Randy, moving us closer to a Natalie and Misty reunion. 

There are two major stories being told in this episode, Coach Ben's and Lottie & Natalie's relationship with the wilderness and each other. Seeing how Ben hallucinated a rabid Gen in the cabin makes a whole lot more sense now. Many theories online revolve around Ben's health and sanity relating to his wounds and potential infections. This could truly be part of the explanation for his easily dipping into these mental divides between the reality of the wilderness and the hope for an alternate timeline with Paul. The "what if?" of the relationship between him and Paul after that argument haunts him greatly. I'm almost starting to cry again while thinking about these moments in the episode. Being gay in the 1990s was already a struggle (it continues to be in many ways). Ben and Paul's story hit my soul in such a vulnerable and compassionate way. This was a beautiful and necessary story in not only this episode but in this series as well.

The Wilderness Wants That Yellowjackets Blood

 Lottie and Natalie do go up against one another both in the wilderness and in the present day. Lottie's childhood was surrounded by parents distancing themselves from the world or grounding themselves emotionally. Lottie connecting with Shauna, finding the good out of dead birds falling from the sky at a baby shower, communicating with the wilderness, and guiding a number of those in the cabin was important. There are likely going to be divides in the wilderness that seek healing in the present day. I think of Taissa and Van when it comes to division and healing. I worry about how inevitable the breaking of their relationship in those woods is. Lottie is going to end up being a significant force in the wilderness, but part of me sees a similar path for Shauna. Lottie still shows some refrain when it comes to embracing her connection to whatever force is out there. It'll be interesting to see her break free. 

This force in the wilderness of Yellowjackets is slowly calling on the survivors in the present day. It does so in the appearance of hallucinations and sleepwalking for Taissa and her inner self being guided to seek out adult Van's (Lauren Ambrose) help. Natalie continues to resist it a lot, even when next to Lottie at the campground. But the same could be said for Lottie. Her dark visions of Laura Lee that she withheld from Natalie, and her current vision of a blood-filled beehive in the community garden is breaking her. Hearing one of her followers say "Il veut du sang," which translates to "he wants blood," is enough to break her out of whatever she was experiencing. It feels like a call from the wilderness to each of them, but particularly a strong call to those most susceptible, like Taissa and Lottie. Both experience different levels of interest in what the wilderness wants from them.

The blood in the beehive, the rare and sacred appearance of an albino moose in the wilderness, the eyeless man, the cabin guy, and more share a unique connection. Teen Taissa reveals to Van information about who guides her in her sleepwalking, both being the eyeless man and a feminine figure within her. This has me curious about what is protection for them out there and what is a force of deeper horror. The wilderness continues to call on them in the present day, but time will tell how long it will take until they answer.

Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 3 "Digestif"

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Review by Brittney Bender

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10/10

Showtime's Yellowjackets S02E03 "Digestif" is another example of the series stepping up to the challenge presented in a second season. The emotional roller coaster, heartbreaking exploration of Ben's character, and haunting visions from the wilderness all prove how phenomenal these stories can become. I'm cautious about future episodes, but for now, this one continues the winning streak this series' season is on in my book.

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