Everything You Need To Know
Yellowjackets season 3 continued the shocking saga of the Showtime original series, and it might have been the greatest outing so far. Though Yellowjackets season 2 didn’t catch up to the infamous pit girl scene teased in the opening of season 1, it did see the survivors succumb to cannibalism in the 1996 timeline, first by eating the already dead Jackie (Ella Purnell), then Javi (Luciano Leroux), who died trying to save Natalie (Sophie Thatcher). In the present, the adult Yellowjackets reunited at Lottie’s (Simone Kessell) wellness center where they confront the wilderness and each other.
While Yellowjackets season 2 had comedic moments — like Shauna’s (Melanie Lynskey) bungled attempt at convincing the police she was having an affair with Randy (Jeff Holman) — it was also full of darkness. Young Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) lost her baby while the Yellowjackets turned on each other, both in the past and present timelines. With tensions getting higher, bodies piling up, and everything the Yellowjackets season 2 ending needed to explain, Yellowjackets season 3 was one of the most anticipated seasons in recent TV history.
Yellowjackets Season 3 Critical Reception
An Inconsistent Third Season Gets Mixed Reviews
After two largely beloved seasons, Yellowjackets‘ third outing got a mixed response from critics. Garnering a series-low Rotten Tomatoes score in the mid-80s, it seems as if the latest installment struggled to find its footing. The Hollywood Reporter noted that season 3 felt lost between trying to be a mystery-box thriller and a character-driven narrative, and failing to achieve either. On the flip side, The Guardian praised the show for its return to humor, something that the reviewer found lacking in the sophomore season.
Yellowjackets season 3 concluded on April 11, 2025.
Yellowjackets Season 3 Cast
Which Survivors Returned?
Despite a shocking conclusion to its sophomore season, there were still a host of characters left in both timelines of Yellowjackets that returned in season 3. The teen cast in 1996 will included the likes of Sophie Nélisse as Shauna, Sophie Thatcher as Natalie, and Samantha Hanratty as Misty, among several others. The adult cast in the modern day saw the likes of Christina Ricci and Melanie Lynskey reprise their roles as Misty and Shauna, respectively.
Related
A big twist regarding Joel McHale’s character Kodi occurs in Yellowjackets season 3, episode 9’s ending, debunking my theory about his future.
The ensemble for season 3 added its first new member when it was announced that Community alum Joel McHale would guest star in the upcoming season. Likewise, Oscar-winner Hilary Swank was cast in a guest role that could be upgraded if season 4 is renewed.
The cast of Yellowjackets season 3 includes:
|
Actor |
Yellowjackets Role |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Sophie Nélisse |
Shauna |
|
|
Sophie Thatcher |
Natalie |
|
|
Samantha Hanratty |
Misty |
|
|
Courtney Eaton |
Lottie |
|
|
Jasmin Savoy Brown |
Taissa |
|
|
Liv Hewson |
Van |
|
|
Melanie Lynskey |
Shauna |
|
|
Christina Ricci |
Misty |
|
|
Tawny Cypress |
Taissa |
|
|
Simone Kessell |
Lottie |
|
|
Lauren Ambrose |
Van |
|
|
Joel McHale |
Kodiak |
|
|
Hilary Swank |
Melissa |
|
Yellowjackets Season 3 Trailers
Watch The Full Trailers Below
In order to announce the show’s February 14, 2025, return, Showtime revealed a brief teaser for Yellowjackets season 3 in November 2024. The short clip opens with a wasp crawling across a decomposing skull with the grim message telling viewers to “Eat your heart out.” Only a few short snippets from season 3 are shown, but they all feature characters attacking one another in the snowy wilderness.
Showtime revealed a full trailer for Yellowjackets season 3 in December 2024, and it is as tense as ever. Opening with a creepy scene in the past, the trailer quickly jumps to the modern day where the survivors are reeling from the revelation that someone is trying to kill them. While trying to sus out who would want them dead, the trailer reveals the first look at Hilary Swank’s new character.
Shortly after the first full trailer dropped, Showtime debuted a second full trailer for Yellowjackets season 3. The fast-paced and violent sneak peek highlights the violence of season 3, especially the looming cannibalism that has haunted the series thus far. A power struggle ensues in the 1996 timeline as the girls begin to question each other’s leadership abilities, while Misty investigates the mysterious deaths in the 2021 timeline. The knives come out, literally, and it seems as if no one is truly safe in the past or present.
Yellowjackets Season 3 Ending & Spoiler
Some Big Mysteries Were Finally Answered
The identity of the Antler Queen and Pit Girl has finally been resolved, but that doesn’t close out the story of Yellowjackets.
The ending of Yellowjackets season 3 finally answered questions that had been lingering since the debut episode, and also set in motion the necessary chain of events to get the girls rescued. The identity of the Antler Queen and Pit Girl has finally been resolved, but that doesn’t close out the story of Yellowjackets. Also, with the endgame of rescue on the horizon, there is still a ton of bloodshed left in order for things to catch up to how they are in the present-day. Season 4 may have two fewer mysteries, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be another shocking and twisted affair.
7/10
- Release Date
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November 14, 2021
- Network
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Showtime, Paramount+ with Showtime
- Showrunner
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Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, Jonathan Lisco
- Directors
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Benjamin Semanoff, Daisy von Scherler Mayer, Deepa Mehta, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Liz Garbus, Scott Winant, Eva Sørhaug, Jamie Travis
- Writers
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Liz Phang, Sarah L. Thompson, Ameni Rozsa
