Yellowjackets star Melanie Lynskey almost declined the role of adult Shauna before reading the script. Premiering on Showtime last November, Yellowjackets has quickly become a hit for the network, accumulating a passionate fanbase and a second season renewal ahead of its season finale on January 16. Along with Lynskey, the show features an ensemble cast with Juliette Lewis, Christina Ricci, Sophie Nelisse, and Jasmin Savoy Brown in lead roles.
Yellowjackets tells the story of four teenage soccer players after a plane crash leaves them in the wilderness for 19 months, and their subsequent adult lives following the experience. The show has received acclaim from critics and audiences for its blend of drama, mystery, and thriller elements, with Brown recently confirming the 5 season plan the writers of Yellowjackets have mapped out. Dexter: New Blood has been credited by the network as helping viewers discover the series and maintain steady ratings.
In an interview with Collider, Lynskey opens up about almost passing on the series, having changed her mind after reading the script. Lynskey credits exhaustion from having a newborn child and working on Mrs. America as reasons, but having been offered the role instead of having to audition, she then said yes after reading the pilot and meeting with the showrunners Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson. Lynskey's performance has received acclaim on the series, with many citing her as a highlight of the ensemble. Read her full quote below:
“But it just came to me, I was doing Mrs. America, I had a newborn child, I was exhausted and I had to say to my agent, ‘I don’t want to work. I can’t. It’s too hard. I’m feeling like I’m going crazy.’ And she said, ‘Well, an offer just came in for a pilot. Just read it and I’ll respectfully pass.’ And then I read it and I was like, ‘Well, shit. Well, now I have to do it.’ And she was like, ‘Are you sure? You just told me you don’t want to do anything.’ And I said, ‘No, I am sure. Let me have a talk to them. If they sound like psychopaths then I’ll say no.’ But they were awesome. I talked to Ashley [Lyle] and Bart [Nickerson], the creators of the show, and Karyn Kusama who directed the pilot and Drew [Comins], one of the producers, and they just were all so great.”
With Yellowjackets being known for its fan theories and frequent discussion online. The series has been able to stay in the cultural zeitgeist due to its weekly release of episodes, encouraging speculation from audiences as to where the show might go next. This is in contrast to the binge-watching technique where all episodes are released at once, made popular by Netflix, but such a technique doesn't allow for the buildup and word of mouth the weekly schedule allows.
With the season finale a few days away, audiences are more excited than ever to see how the first season wraps, with theories exploding everywhere. With so much content fighting for viewers' attention, Yellowjackers has done something rare by becoming a weekly hit, overcoming its trappings of originating from a smaller pay-to-watch service like Showtime. No matter what the Yellowjackets finale will entail, the series has already become something worth talking about, both within itself and the culture that surrounds it, which is the ultimate goal in creativity and creation.
Source: Collider