Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 3 Review: Digestif

This Yellowjackets review contains spoilers.

Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 3

There aren’t any jaw-dropping revelations in “Digestif” like there have been in the first two episodes of Yellowjackets season 2, but it’s packed with cogent moments that offer deeper insight into the darker corners of the characters’ psyches and help build to whatever violent climax(es) the show has in store down the line. 

The most fascinating scene in this week’s Yellowjackets is adult Shauna pointing the stolen gun at the shady auto shop manager. When she and Jeff initially get their car stolen, he’s startled at how carelessly she was willing to threaten the robber’s life over their beat-up minivan. Later, when she’s face to face with the man in the shop, we learn what’s been hinted at all along: violence is in Shauna’s nature, and she kinda loves it. She’s almost salivating when she confesses to the man how badly she wants to pull that trigger, and the only thing more frightening than her pro tip about peeling skin off of a corpse is how deftly she’s able to switch on her harmless homemaker facade, politely thanking the man moments after she threatened to put a bullet between his eyes.

Flirting with death and danger seems to be what keeps Shauna stabilized and sane in the strangest way. The idea of her being imprisoned in her domestic malaise, yearning for an element of volatility to jostle her from her stupor, is one of the most compelling arcs on the show, and it’s supported brilliantly by Sophie Nelisse in the ‘90s timeline. Seeing young Shauna go through such unspeakable events as she wrestles with guilt over Jackie’s death gives much-needed context to the alarming developments we see in the present-day. She’s not crazy—she’s just been through an extraordinary amount of insanely traumatic shit that unlocked her most perverse, primal tendencies.

Shauna and Lottie have a nice exchange in the cabin, with the latter exhibiting once again her innate ability to soothe those in distress and assuage their deepest fears. She’s clearly full of empathy, but there’s a buzzing malevolence, whether internal or external, that seems to be haunting her. The ominous symbol, the vision of her beehive meeting a bloody demise…there’s something seriously messed up roiling underneath all of the lavender-hued serenity on the surface.

Throughout the episode, we see flashbacks of Coach Ben’s relationship with his partner Paul falling apart as he chose to prioritize the team over committing to spending his life with Paul. Watching him in a catatonic state as he removes himself from the kids who now horrify him is a clear sign that he regrets choosing the Cannibal Crew over Paul. This building resentment seems to almost certainly be leading to catastrophe at the cabin.

Tai’s story sees the least development in this episode, which is a shame considering Van is one of the most likable characters on the show. Again, we see her dutifully watching over Tai to prevent her from hurting herself while sleepwalking, and they discover together that Tai’s been heeding the call of the man with no eyes, who seems to be connected to the mysterious symbol looming over both timelines. We don’t learn much here—we know she isn’t herself when she’s sleepwalking, and we’ve already seen her follow the man with no eyes. And the present day story doesn’t give us much to chew on either, with Tai again being seemingly corrupted by her other self. It’s like the showrunners feel an obligation to check in with her story every episode even when there isn’t much to say or reveal, which is ultimately to the show’s detriment.

There are far more interesting developments in Natalie’s storylines, with young Nat saying a somber goodbye to Jackie’s remains, surviving a harrowing encounter with a white moose, and getting outnumbered by her teammates and Travis, who all seem to be buying into Lottie’s “teachings” now. The symbol on the baby blanket is creepy enough, but the barrage of suicidal birds and Shauna’s bloody nose feel like sure signs that there’s something screwy going on here, though Nat and Ben seem to be the only ones who see it.

Adult Lottie’s attempts to indoctrinate Nat into her community is a consistent source of comedy for the show thanks to Juliette Lewis’s priceless, indignant sneers. She’s an exceedingly entertaining onscreen grump, and while her oil-and-water rapport with Simone Kessell isn’t quite as enjoyable as what we saw last season with her and Christina Ricci (that stuff was incredible), she still knocks it out of the park every time. The therapy session with Lottie…ahem, “Charlotte”…teaching Lisa to forgive Nat by handing her a fork to stab her with demonstrates the power of Charlotte’s influence over her followers, and with all of this focus on Lisa, it’ll be interesting to see whether Nat ultimately unlocks her more impulsive tendencies.

For once, things seem to be looking up for Misty. Back in the ‘90s, she’s finally starting to squeeze her way back into the group’s good graces, winning them over with her emphatic monologue from Steel Magnolias during Shauna’s baby shower. She and Crystal are hitting it off mostly because neither of them have social filters. The line about Crystal consuming her identical twin in the womb is almost as hilariously demented as the glint in Misty’s eye when she hears it.

The Misty and Walter dynamic is as delightfully weird as expected, with Elijah Wood and Ricci clearly having a blast bringing the meet-cute to life. Having Misty literally speak through Walter during the Randy interrogation is a great way of intertwining the characters from jump, and comedically, the scenes are pitch-perfect (Jeff Holman’s squeal-y reaction to the slap is ridiculously funny). Misty and Walter are both adult babies and kind of live on their own planet, which makes their partnership rife with opportunity for hilarity moving forward. Give us more of this, please.

The odd scene out in the episode is Jeff’s confrontation with Cop Kevin at the gym. It’s played well by the actors, particularly Warren Cole, whose frantic energy makes the scene worthwhile. But the material is rote, with Jeff feebly trying to cover up he and Shauna’s transgressions in front of a cop who’s obviously got them figured out. The Adam saga is getting a little old at this point, but maybe the inevitable blow-up will be worth the wait.

“Digestif” is an apt title for an episode that gives us a respite from the gruesome acts on display in “Edible Complex.” There’s a lot of intrigue here, and a lot of setup for what’s to come later in the season. Coach Ben’s growing resentment, Nat and Lottie’s warring philosophies, the Adam cover-up, Tai’s erratic behavior—we know all of these bombs are going to explode eventually, and the showrunners made the right call to let the suspense build for a little while longer.

New episodes of Yellowjackets season 2 premiere via Showtime.com on Fridays and Showtime on Sundays.