Yellowjackets Recap: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

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You can start streaming ‘A Normal, Boring Life’ right now on Paramount+. It will have its television debut on Showtime this coming Sunday.

After spending more than a year in the wilderness, you might cherish certain everyday comforts when you return. Would you savor a cool, refreshing Blue Slurpee like Mari, or indulge in a hearty three-course meal at McDonald’s like Melissa? Or perhaps you’d simply revel in simple pleasures such as basking in the softness of plush bedding or utilizing modern conveniences like indoor plumbing. Even after a trip abroad, I always long to sleep on my own pillow, hug my friends, and enjoy familiar foods. Yes, I can understand why I wouldn’t have lasted long in the wilderness myself.

As the prospect of rescue arises, many Yellowjackets start yearning for their ordinary lives once more. While we may debate the essence of ‘normal,’ we can all concur that none of its interpretations involve hunting and consuming companions, or willingly deciding to endure the Canadian wilderness during an impending harsh winter.

In the midst of our impending rescue, it’s clear that Lottie, Shauna, and Tai – who had significant mental health challenges before the crash – are the ones preventing us from leaving. Their united decision suggests that the strange events we experienced in the wilderness might have been a shared illusion all along. In the ’90s society, these three wouldn’t have fit the mold of normalcy. Now, with our own rules and structure, they’ve found a place where they can flourish, even with their unconventional behaviors. Here, they are respected and feared. Interestingly, behaviors that might be considered maladaptive in everyday life – like Lottie’s visions or Shauna’s power struggles – seem to work in our favor in this wilderness setting. It’s no surprise that they don’t want to depart from here.

The story starts by depicting a disturbing dream about an ordinary life for Shauna. As she lingers outside Hannah’s daughter’s house, she drifts off to sleep and finds herself back in her teenage years. She casually browses through groceries (which are actually mutilated body parts wrapped in plastic and an Easter egg fun kit with hot chocolate), while Jackie criticizes her life choices. “You really didn’t turn out well, did you?” she says. Shauna then notices a group of moths drawn to a bright light overhead, destined to fly aimlessly into oblivion over and over again. This perfectly encapsulates Shauna’s character, stuck in destructive patterns with no progress or advancement.

As a movie enthusiast, I can’t help but feel that this season of “Yellowjackets” has been building up to this episode for quite some time now. When Shauna finally steps into Hannah’s daughter’s house, the anticipation is palpable. And when I see Melissa, played by none other than Hilary Swank, it’s clear that we’re in for a real treat.

Shauna seems equally astonished to find out that Melissa resides there, and as they settle down for what promises to be an unforgettable conversation, I can’t help but feel that the rest of the episode is almost secondary. If I had my way, the entire hour would have been dedicated to these two incredibly talented actresses engaged in a deep, intense, and emotionally charged discussion.

It’s a face-off between Lynskey and Swank, and I can hardly wait for round two!

It appears that Melissa, who had previously led everyone to believe she was dead, is now residing in Virginia under the name Kelly. This revelation leaves Shauna stunned as she realizes that she has unknowingly wedded the daughter of the woman they thought they had killed. Now, that’s quite a twist! Either Melissa is grappling with intense survivor’s guilt or she genuinely cares for Hannah’s daughter, Alex. Or perhaps it’s a combination of both feelings. Regardless, it seems that Melissa is not ready to abandon her mundane, ordinary life so quickly. Interestingly enough, Shauna’s initial assessment of Melissa as being dull still holds true, except for the part about the secret marriage and murder in the wilderness.

In the here and now, I find myself huddled up at a hospital, awaiting updates on Van’s condition alongside my pal Misty. When the doctor finally breaks the news, it’s crushing. He suggests we explore palliative care, but that’s not an option I’m willing to consider. Instead, I grab Misty and we embark on a quest to find someone to help save Van. The hospital is like a smorgasbord of possibilities, and the first patient I encounter is critically ill with heart failure. Misty looks at me in shock as I attempt this desperate measure, but she doesn’t intervene. I try to cover his face with a pillow, but I can’t bring myself to do it. As I berate myself for my cowardice, the poor man flatlines anyway. Tawny Cypress delivers a hilarious moment as Tai, with her emotions shifting rapidly from fury to fear to curiosity, she asks aloud, “Does that count?” Her eyes bulge out with such intensity, it’s like she’s holding onto hope itself.

In this episode, Van isn’t prominently featured, and instead, we witness a heated argument between Tai and another character who seems to be a duplicate of Tai. Prior episodes have hinted at the possibility that this other character is indeed our original Tai, and the recent events – like her locking me out of Van’s hospital room and her ominous statement about doing what needs to be done – suggest that she has been in control for quite some time. However, if this is true, I find it peculiar why she didn’t kill that man with a heart condition, as we’ve never seen her hesitate when it comes to violence. This whole setup seems rather odd to me.

In this scenario, Misty has been trying to contact Jeff to get information about Shauna’s whereabouts. However, Jeff is clueless since Shauna rarely shares details with him. It seems as though the stress of the situation is starting to take a toll on Jeff. Interestingly enough, at one point, Jeff refers to Misty as a “weird little glasses-wearing mushroom.” I can’t say I’m fond of how Shauna is treating both Jeff and Callie. They’re both beginning to doubt Shauna’s true nature, and Callie makes an astute observation when she suggests that the wilderness experience has left a deep impact on them all. This sentiment earned a skeptical eye roll from me, but if that’s what she believes, then more power to her, I suppose?

This week, Jeff manages to salvage the Sadecki subplot. As he and Callie depart the hotel, he confronts the Joels. He criticizes Shauna for her behavior at the tapas meeting, which might be a warning sign in most relationships, but given that Shauna is currently stalking her ex in Virginia, it seems Jeff is justified here. Jeff questions the Joels, “Aren’t you in love with an unbalanced woman sometimes?” He also hints at being unexciting if one doesn’t associate with a psychopath, though it’s uncertain whether this is his own view or Shauna’s ideas seeping into him. With Shauna absent, Jeff seems to win the Joels over, and I can’t help but recall Shauna’s casual comment from the premiere that Jeff would flourish as a widower. Indeed, he would. Completely.

In the heart of nature, Shauna finds herself preoccupied with anything but Jeff, despite the possibility of their reunion approaching. Strangely enough, she never mentioned him in her teenage timeline except in relation to Jackie’s betrayal. This girl appears to be hiding an unidentified personality trait, and I can’t help but wonder why it took me so long to notice it. Instead of yearning for the comforts of the actual world, Shauna is filled with anxiety about her return. With parents to return home to and a promising future at Brown University, these prospects seem insignificant compared to the influence she holds in the wilderness. To be honest, she’s got a point. For a thrill-seeker like Shauna, nothing can compare to the exhilaration of her life in the woods. Thus, she plans a rebellion.

As the Yellowjackets are about to depart from their camp for the final time, brimming with anticipation; Lottie is the one who initially resists. She delivers a heartfelt and poignant speech, as she accurately foresees her life’s trajectory upon re-entering proper society. In the wilderness, she holds supreme wisdom, but at home, she’s merely a girl requiring medication. Lottie’s words inspire both Shauna and Tai to remain as well. While Tai’s primary reason for staying varies from Lottie and Shauna – she fears the world may reject her relationship with Van – it’s hard not to imagine that Free Tai is relishing her freedom in the woods and doesn’t want to part ways with that experience either.

In simpler terms, Natalie shows no tolerance for the current situation and takes control, planning to abandon the others in search of rescue without them. However, Shauna, who is currently in charge, disagrees. This unexpected incident may lead to difficult times ahead, possibly spanning two months, before the timeline converges with the rescue point. So far, we haven’t encountered Pit Girl, and it appears that the dreadful sacrifice might occur under Shauna’s leadership. What other hardships will Queen Shauna inflict upon these girls as she manipulates them, seemingly to fulfill her own damaged self-image?

As for Melissa, she’s well-acquainted with Shauna. And when they eventually meet up at Shauna’s kitchen table as grown women, Melissa confronts her about everything. It’s truly captivating to observe these two ladies engaging in a conversation, exchanging thoughts on coping with trauma and defining what it is to be ordinary.

As a die-hard fan, I’d put it this way: I myself admitted to sending the tape, you see, more as a means to alleviate my guilt and carry on with my usual, uneventful life. There was a note enclosed with the tape, one that Callie might have picked up? I vehemently assert that I’m not responsible for Lottie’s death, nor did I cause any trouble for Shauna in any shape or form. As I carefully review each instance where Shauna felt she was being trailed, it becomes clear to me that I’m dealing with a paranoid sociopath. It’s all too easy for her lizard brain to twist ordinary occurrences like finding a cell phone in a restroom, my old van having faulty brakes, or getting stuck in a walk-in freezer into something more sinister. After all, such things just happen to people!

Shauna counters Melissa by stating that neither of them can claim a regular, peaceful existence. Indeed, Melissa’s involvement in death, devastation, and acts of cannibalism, not to mention Shauna’s impending rule over the wilderness, raises questions about whether either woman truly deserves such a life. Given their past experiences and actions, one may wonder if a normal life is attainable for them at all.

Yellowjackets consistently avoid viewing trauma as an unhealed wound that persists due to repeated suppression, rather than something inherently impossible to overcome. Upon their return, the girls sealed their fate by vowing never to reveal the atrocities they inflicted upon each other. When trauma remains unexpressed — particularly intense trauma — it corrodes a person relentlessly. Untreated trauma can be likened to an insatiable, self-consuming entity.

Melissa is working towards recovery. She consults a life coach named Barbara, and it appears she’s been open with Barbara about her situation. Shauna doesn’t seem overly concerned about Melissa sharing her secrets with this woman, but she may feel slightly annoyed that Melissa is finding some tranquility. Shauna holds the belief that they don’t deserve peace due to her ongoing mental health struggles. Melissa confronts Shauna about this and says something sharp like, “You provoke conflict just to feel something.” However, at this exact moment, Melissa takes away the means of conflict from Shauna, which sets Shauna off.

For a brief moment, the two females scuffle on the floor, with Shauna quickly taking control. Swiftly pinning Melissa down, Shauna bites a large piece from Melissa’s upper arm. My reaction, friends, was so startled that the sound I let out could possibly have echoed through the wilderness of Canada.

In a truly punk rock turn of events on “Yellowjackets”, something unprecedented has occurred, and it’s a cliffhanger like no other. The scene shifts to Melissa’s viewpoint, revealing Shauna brandishing the strange flesh mass before our eyes. Melanie Lynskey delivers an intense performance, with maniacal lights flickering in her eyes, urging us to “eat it”. What makes this moment even more fitting is that the show chooses this scene to introduce Sleater Kinney’s music for the very first time within the series. As “Dig Me Out” plays over the credits, we come to terms with the fact that Shauna may be more detached from ‘normal’ than we ever imagined.

Buzz, Buzz, Buzz

In the episode, Travis and Akilah embark on an ill-advised trek with Kodi, which turns out to be a challenging six-day journey to their designated pick-up point. This seems questionable given the circumstances, but Akilah’s dedication to the larger group is evident as she marks a trail with yarn so the other girls can follow them. Travis discloses that the wilderness hasn’t chosen Akilah; instead, she’s been experiencing hallucinations due to inhaling cave gases. However, Akilah appears skeptical about this explanation. Later, she experiences a vision of all her animals perishing, which now seems ominous given the group’s decision to remain in the wilderness.

When Hannah’s friends inquire about her home situation from her, Van interrupts excitedly with a vital question: “Hey, did Mulder and Scully ever become a couple?” It wasn’t until 1999 that they shared their first kiss, although it didn’t happen before October 1997. I was thrilled to see Van witnessing their romantic development live!

90’s Music Revisit: Delighted as a devoted Sleater Kinney fan, I can’t hide my excitement that they have finally secured a song placement. And it’s not just any placement, but an impressive one! Other standout tunes from the episode include “Wonderwall” by Oasis and “Alright” by Supergrass.

• The moths Shauna sees are the Silence of the Lambs moths, right?

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2025-03-28 18:55