Yellowjackets Showrunners Explain the Line They Won’t Cross

In less than a week, Yellowjackets and while Season 1 of the Showtime series was decidedly dark, Season 2 is on its own dark path as well. Co-showrunner Jonathan Lisco has already explained that, if the show does its job right, cannibalism “will not be the most transgressive thing” that the teen versions of the characters do in the wilderness. However, now creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson are opening up about the line that they won’t cross — shocking for the sheer joy of being shocking.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Lyle explained that the series is looking to bring in darkness as it fits with the characters and the story — not shock value.

“Tony Soprano is an absolute monster — but because he’s so well drawn, you understand him. That’s what we’re aiming for,” Lyle said. “We have conversations about what could be too far, but it’s less about likability for the characters and more about the type of story. We never want to be shocking and salacious for the sheer joy of it.”

What is Yellowjackets Season 2 about?

Yellowjackets begins in 1996, as a team of New Jersey high school soccer players travels to Seattle for a national tournament. While flying over Canada, their plane crashes deep in the wilderness and the remaining team members are left to survive for nineteen months. The series chronicles their attempts to survive while also tracking their current lives in 2021. The series stars Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Ella Purnell, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Sammi Hanratty, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, Christina Ricci, and Juliette Lewis.

Reports have already confirmed that Lauren Ambrose will be joining the series as the adult version of Van, with  Simone Kessell as adult Lottie, and Elijah Wood as a new character named Walter, Nicole Maines as Lisa, Francois Arnaud as Paul, and Nia Sondaya as teen Akilah.

“Honestly, in season 1, every scene that I got I would be like, “Oh fun.” Like, I get to work with Juliette Lewis, I get to work with Tawny Cypress, I get to work with Christina Ricci, I get to work with Warren Kole and Sarah Desjardins, I get to work with Peter Gadiot,” Lynskey said of what excites her the most about Season 2. “Like, everyone was fun. I just loved that everyone was so different. People’s approaches are so different, and it just was a very, very creatively fulfilling time. So, I just hope that I get to have scenes with all of them again. Well, not Peter because he died. RIP. But everybody else, I just love working with all these people. So, I’m just excited for all of it.”

Season 2 of Yellowjackets will return starting Friday, March 24 on streaming and on demand for all SHOWTIME subscribers, before making its on-air debut on Sunday, March 26 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.