Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 2 Review: Edible Complex
Yellowjackets Season 2 Episode 2, “Edible Complex,” pushes the girls to drastic extremes in the pursuit of survival.
After spending the majority of Season One asking when we’ll see the group resort to the inevitable, the writers have found a ghastly yet non-sinister way to portray the action.
After Taissa calls Shauna out to the group about Jackie, and they’ve spent time deliberating, they decide to burn her body. And honestly, as Taissa says, it’s something that should have been done weeks ago. Jackie’s spirit deserves some peace.
Shauna: “Jackie, I’ll never have another friend like you. I don’t even know where you end and I begin. I’m sorry. And I love you.”
In pure Yellowjackets fashion, as the girls lie asleep while Jackie’s body burns to crisp, mere feet from them outside, the forces at play suddenly make their move, dropping a pile of snow on her. In turn, Jackie’s body is cooked to the perfect roasted temperature instead of simply burning to ash, exuding a smell strong enough to wake the girls.
Surrounding the body as a team, they take turns eyeing one another, wondering who will make the first move. Eventually, Shauna takes her knife and initiates the hunger-induced feast. In turn, the girls imagine themselves as royalty at a feast fit for kings and queens as a coping mechanism.
I love that Shauna is the one to initiate the feast and the initial burning of the body, even if she was forced to do so in the beginning. It explains so much of the grief that adult Shauna endures and why she’s constantly finding ways to keep Jackie part of her life in some measure.
The writers perfectly figured out a way to keep the tone around the situation dark and grueling while not making it too obscene. Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson have spent the time meticulously planning out graphic situations and found a way to get the point across without completely jarring the audience.
However, based on the opening sequence of the series in the first season, it’s safe to say the girls’ ritualistic and cannibalistic ways won’t stay as tame as the show progresses.
Although, I can’t say I won’t have dreams about the girls feasting on and ripping Jackie’s body apart. Even with it diluted, it’s still an awkward and uncomfortable moment to endure. It makes me question the strength of my stomach when the next victim is chosen and dealt with.
I’ll forever be grateful they didn’t include the shots of them ripping Jackie’s face apart.
Frankly, it’s only been two episodes, but I’m convinced it’s time to begin the Emmy campaign for Sophie Nélisse and Jasmin Savoy Brown because they are giving performances this season.
In the realm of adults, we get a deeper look into Lottie’s life after being rescued. Unsurprisingly, her parents subject her to invasive testing and electroshock therapy, eventually leading her to run her own group of followers.
Misty is still searching for Natalie, and Taissa is dealing with her mind unraveling further as her fugue state begins to take over more frequently. But honestly, one of the more exciting aspects of “Edible Complex” is Callie’s determination to figure out what happened to Adam.
While Callie’s storyline might not be the most thrilling compared to others at play, it’s still intriguing. Shauna has repeatedly voiced her negative opinions of Callie and how she doesn’t necessarily like her and is constantly being rejected by her when she suggests plans.
Their relationship is nowhere near a suitable level, and it almost feels like foreshadowing. If Callie continues to look into Adam’s death, she will find things she never intended, which could lead to her becoming collateral damage.
Stray Thoughts:
- Jeff has read Shauna’s journals, which means it’s valid that he’d know about them eating Jackie’s body, and I can’t help but think that’s true love. He stayed with Shauna despite knowing she ate his high school sweetheart. It also makes me curious to learn when he figures the tidbit out. Did he know before marrying her, or was it a dark secret discovered after years into the marriage?
- Natalie faking a bloody piece of clothing and claiming it’s Javi’s is one of her more morally corrupt moments and will certainly come back to bite her in the behind.
- I am curious and ecstatic to learn how Lottie and Shauna’s relationship will evolve throughout the season. It’s evident Lottie will play a significant factor in Shauna’s life as she copes with Jackie’s death and the birth of her child.
What did you think of this episode of Yellowjackets? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Yellowjackets airs Sundays at 9/8c on Showtime.
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Cade Taylor
Cade Taylor is a television and film critic living in St. Louis, Missouri. He is a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV. His love for television developed at a young age, with a concentration on queer stories, sitcoms, teen dramas, and science fiction thrillers. In addition, he works full-time as a news producer, telling the stories of Missourians and helming "Produced in the Bi-State," a segment spotlighting actors, musicians, and entertainers from the St. Louis area. He can be reached by email at cade@telltaletv.com.