Yellowjackets Season 3 Finale Becomes Most-Watched Episode of Series (So Why Isn’t It Renewed?)

Yellowjackets Season 3 is the show’s most-watched batch yet, and its finale is the most-watched episode so far. Paramount shared the good news on Thursday, according to a report by Variety, though the company hadn’t shared any streaming data on the season up until now. Excitement for the show is obviously building and word is spreading between fans, while behind-the-scenes changes at Paramount+ may have been a factor as well. Still, Yellowjackets has not been officially renewed for a fourth season yet, which has fans nervous after a cliffhanger ending. The show has set up some elaborate mysteries with a five-season plan to see them all through.

Yellowjackets Season 3 saw a 19% increase in viewership overall, and a staggering 54% increase in streaming viewers, according to Paramount. That’s including internal data as well as Nielsen measurements for those watching on the Showtime cable network. The finale reached 3 million people in total — the most of any episode yet — while the season premiere had the highest streaming viewership ever.

This is the kind of good news that often accompanies a renewal, but so far, Paramount has not made that movie. It’s a nerve-wracking time for fans who have dedicated a lot of time and effort to speculating and theorizing about this addictive mystery box. It’s possible that these metrics will tide fans over while the network hammers out its plan for a renewal, but some won’t rest easy until Season 4 gets the green light.

[RELATED: 5 Questions We Have After Yellowjackets Season 3]

Yellowjackets likely benefited from the way Showtime’s streaming service was merged with Paramount+ between Seasons 2 and 3. Now, fans don’t need a separate subscription to watch the show, and Paramount advertised hard to make sure we all knew it. Of course, the show likely also picked up new fans through word of mouth while it was on hiatus, and now they’re tuning in week-to-week for the first time.

The expectation for big revelations is what really keeps fans coming back to a show like Yellowjackets, so if anything, the stated five-season plan may be hurting its ratings. The show has already pivoted where it needs to, so the writers and producers can likely stick the landing no matter how many seasons they get, as long as they have at least some advance notice. However, if the show isn’t renewed for a fourth season at all, it will have ended on several brutal cliffhangers.

For now, there are three complete seasons of Yellowjackets to stream on Paramount+. Hopefully, we’ll learn more about the show’s future soon.