--- title: "Yellowjackets: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/yellowjackets/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/yellowjackets" critics_score: 75 critics_reviews: 11 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Yellowjackets (2021): what the critics said Critics' score 75 from 11 reviews: 9 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics take to Yellowjackets, and the praise clusters on the cast and the mix of genres. Reviewers single out performances across both timelines, with Melanie Lynskey and Christina Ricci among the adults and Sophie Nélisse among the teenagers named most often. The blend of wilderness survival, high-school drama, horror and black comedy is judged to work far better than expected, and the 1990s setting and soundtrack draw regular approval. The reservations concern the mystery and the structure. Several reviews find the central question of what happened in the woods stalls rather than deepens, and there is no agreement on which timeline is weaker; some prefer the adults, others the teenagers. The Guardian is the outlier, finding the tonal shifts turbulent and the dual timeline frustrating. On later seasons, the second half of season two is said to disappoint before season three recovers, though slowly. The spread is narrow: nine positive, two mixed, none negative. ## IndieWire — Kristen Lopez Rating A-. 14 November 2021. The series is a fun, messy exploration of teen girls surviving a plane crash in the wilderness with dark secrets and possible cannibalism. The 1990s storyline stands out for its weirdness, strong performances from the young cast, and compelling mix of horror and drama. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/2021/11/yellowjackets-review-showtime-1234677231/) ## Variety — Caroline Framke Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 12 November 2021. The pitch-black survivalist drama blends teen tropes, horror, and psychological drama with confidence, grounded in physical and mental horrors of survival and elevated by an excellent cast including strong dual performances. It remains a compelling parable of human desperation even as the central mystery of the survivors' transformation stays unclear after several episodes. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2021/tv/reviews/yellowjackets-review-showtime-1235110979/) ## Radio Times — Molly Moss Rating 4/5. 14 February 2025. After a disappointing latter half of season 2, season 3 recaptures the magic of season 1 with shocking storylines, jump scares, unexpected twists, and better balance of supernatural elements tied to character psychology in both timelines. The terrific cast delivers darkly funny performances, particularly Lynskey and Ricci, making it exciting and gripping again. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/yellowjackets-season-3-review/) ## The Telegraph — Anita Singh Rating 4/5. 2 December 2021. This deliciously dark thriller blends Lord of the Flies survival horror with black comedy and genuine scares as a girls' soccer team descends into savagery after a plane crash. The 90s setting and strong cast make for gripping, unnerving viewing. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2021/12/02/yellowjackets-review-lord-flies-meets-alive-gripping-90s-themed/) ## Empire — Leila Latif Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 February 2025. Season 3 takes longer to get going than previous seasons but remains a transfixing watch thanks to its achingly cool soundtrack, grisly plot twists, and complicated women making deranged choices. Lovely character moments and standout performances, especially Sophie Nélisse as traumatized Shauna, increase affection for the cast amid the chaos. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/yellowjackets-season-3/) ## The Times — Carol Midgley Rating ★★★★☆. 3 December 2021. A surprising hit that mixes survival drama, high-school movie and gory horror in a way that works far better than expected. Excellent performances, especially from the adult cast in the present-day timeline, keep viewers hooked despite some weaker school scenes. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/yellowjackets-review-survival-drama-schlock-horror-christina-ricci-gxbmk20gp) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Angie Han Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 12 November 2021. The series gets off to a killer start with vivid characters, gruesome shocks, and a sardonic sense of humor in its dual timelines of survival horror and present-day trauma. It becomes less clear what the show is trying to be about as the mystery stalls and plot choices rob characters of agency, though strong performances keep it watchable. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/yellowjackets-review-1235046142/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 12 November 2021. The series is an ambitious but uneven genre mash-up hampered by tonal turbulence and a frustrating dual timeline that fails to fully develop its promising elements. It showcases strong performances from its 90s star cast but struggles with coherence and leaves too many threads dangling. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/nov/12/yellowjackets-review-gory-lord-of-flies-series-gets-lost-in-the-wilderness) ## Den of Geek — Lacy Baugher Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 9 January 2022. Yellowjackets is a surprising and underrated hit that blends Lord of the Flies, Lost, and horror with a strong 90s soundtrack and focus on complex teenage girls. It subverts expectations around female characters while delivering dread, mystery, and strong ensemble performances across dual timelines. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/yellowjackets-showtime-buzziest-new-drama/) ## Collider — Carly Lane Rating B+. 9 November 2021. The critic praises the dual timelines and strong cast in both, noting the show's success in depicting survival minutiae and mysteries without one timeline overshadowing the other. They single out the realistic portrayal of the girls' experiences in the wilderness. [Read the review](https://collider.com/yellowjackets-tv-show-review-christina-ricci-melanie-lynskey/) ## Paste — Lacy Baugher Milas Rating 8.2. 10 November 2021. The series is lauded as original and compelling for its mix of genres and focus on female experiences in survival, with excellent casting. The critic notes some slow-burn issues and weaker present-day elements but overall finds it one of the season's most compelling new shows. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/yellowjackets/yellowjackets-review) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/yellowjackets.md