'Yellowjacket' showrunners Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson talk cannibalism and line they won't cross
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Showtime's 'Yellowjackets' has won several hearts and nominations, including 7 primetime Emmys, ever since its release in 2021. 'Yellowjackets' is a psychological thriller series set around 1996, when a girls' team of New Jersey high school soccer players flies to a National tournament in Seattle. However, their plane crashes, forcing the survivors to be stuck on an island for 19 months. The series follows the survivors as they try to manage their current lives in 2021. And during a recent interview, showrunners Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson opened up about the line they won't cross in the show.
'Yellowjackets' is created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson and stars Melanie Lynskey as Shauna, Tawny Cypress as Taissa, Christina Ricci as Misty, Juliette Lewis as Natalie, Mya Lowe as Gen, Jasmin Savoy Brown as Teen Taissa, Samantha Hanratty as Teen Misty, Courtney Eaton as Teen Lottie, Sophie Nélisse as Teen Shauna, Steven Krueger as Ben Scott, Warren Kole as Jeff, Liv Hewson as Teen Van, Kevin Alves as Teen Travis and Alexa Barajas as Teen Mari.
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Drawing the line
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, show creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson opened up about the upcoming season of 'Yellowjackets', including answering co-showrunner Jonathan Lisco's comment, "if you do your job right, cannibalism won’t be the most transgressive thing to play out on the show".
When asked if the creators of the show have any line that they would never cross, Lyle answered by citing the example of popular character Tony Soprano, saying his character is well written and understood, even though he is not a nice person. Lyle further added to the discussions regarding the limits, saying the main norm was the story rather than the likeability of the character. Lyle also confirmed that they would not do anything just for the joy of it.
"Tony Soprano is an absolute monster — but, because he’s so well drawn, you understand him. That’s what we’re aiming for. 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?
Season 1 of 'Yellowjackets' ended on several horrifying notes, including Misty poisoning Jessica, and Natalie being kidnapped by some mysterious group. On the other hand, we saw Taissa winning the senate race and we learn that Lottie had emptied Travis' bank account. There are several loose ends to be dealt with in the upcoming season.
The official synopsis for season 2 reads, "The Yellowjackets barely made it through summer, but now as winter begins to bite, we’ll see if hunger and desperation turn into full-on psychosis. Meanwhile, 25 years later, each survivor must determine if the darkness is coming for them or from them." 'Yellowjackets' has already been renewed for a third season.
Season 1 of 'Yellowjackets' is available for streaming on Showtime. Season 2 of 'Yellowjackets' is set to stream exclusively on Showtime from March 24, 2023.
