Yellowjackets spoilers will be found below.
A good mystery is judged by its clues and Yellowjackets is the kind of show that loves to drop a few in each episode to keep fans salivating for more. In episode four’s “Old Wounds,” those Easter eggs included hints as to what happened to Shauna’s wilderness baby, references to classic works of fiction, and both a Sandra Bullock and Agatha Christie nod.
Here are some of the references in this week’s Yellowjackets episode that you might’ve missed.
What Is The Magus?
For a brief second, Coach Ben (Steven Krueger) can be seen opening (and quickly closing) a tattered copy of author John Fowles’ classic work of postmodern fiction, The Magus. If you’ve read that dark, rambling tale, you know it’s filled with illusions, mythical metaphors, and frustratingly ambiguous endings. Not exactly the kind of “beach read” one would hope for when stuck in a decrepit cabin in the middle of the wilderness with a bunch of teenage cannibals. But the book does offer some clues as to what Ben, who’s been experiencing hallucinations formed from intimate memories and wishful alternate realities, might be going through at the moment. More importantly, it might foreshadow what his role within the group could look like down the line.
The Magus centers on a naive and disillusioned English schoolteacher who takes a job on a remote Greek island and befriends a wealthy recluse, quickly becoming embroiled in what the novel names “the godgame,” eccentric, psychological plays that cause the young man to question his own reality. Eventually, the protagonist escapes the island, realizing the entire scheme was an experiment meant to cause him to confront his own failings and the cruel nature of mankind, but he still imagines he’s being watched or “studied” back home in London. Eventually, he reunites with the woman he left to work at the school, choosing love and discarding the mask of his former self — though whether the pair actually end up together is left uncertain.
Obviously, there are some parallels between Coach Ben and the schoolteacher — both are depressed, isolated, longing to fix their mistakes and make better choices in their romantic relationships. But the mythology and mysticism, the idea that things aren’t as they seem, might also connect to the strange happenings in the woods, and the “darkness” calling the adult survivors back to the wilderness.
Who Is Lady Mallowan?
When Misty (Christina Ricci) and Walter (Elijah Wood) check into the bed and breakfast near the end of episode four, Misty insists on booking a separate room under the pseudonym, Lady Mallowan. Walter gives her an incredulous look before the pair are shown going through the motions of their very similar nighttime routines. While Walter’s John Lange identity is a nod to the pseudonym used by Jurassic Park writer Michael Crichton, Misty chosen name is in reference to the title famed crime writer Agatha Christie inherited when she married her second husband. (A couple who uses obscure literary references together, stays together.)
That Alanis Morrisette Theme Song
We’ve written about the fantastic needle drops in Yellowjackets before, but in “Old Wounds,” one such musical moment happens so early that you might have missed it. If the iconic intro theme sounded a bit different in episode four, that’s because grunge queen Alanis Morissette recorded a cover of “No Return” by Anna Waronker and Craig Wedren. The haunting rendition can also be heard playing during Lottie’s (Courtney Eaton) food court hallucination.
An Answer To The Wilderness Baby Question
In the past, Shauna is still pregnant and scolding the unidentified bear meat thief for taking more than their share, but in the present, her only child is a troublemaking teenager who couldn’t possibly be the same baby she’s carrying in the woods. Callie (Sarah Desjardins) is too young, and a girl, while Lottie is sure Shauna’s cabin baby is a boy. We’re still not sure what happens to the child, but during an argument between Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) and Jeff (Warren Kole), the show makes it clear that either the wilderness baby doesn’t survive, or Jeff doesn’t know about him.
After revealing that she told Callie about Adam’s murder and Jeff’s blackmail scheme, the poor guy goes on a 20-second monologue about how the couple only has one kid, one shot to get this parenting thing right. If Jeff knew about the baby, or if the baby hadn’t died in the wilderness, this turn of phrase would feel off. It sounds like the show might be setting the groundwork for a heartbreaking trauma for Teen Shauna down the line.
Van’s Video Store
When Taissa (Tawny Cypress), still half out of it after hitchhiking her way across state lines in yet another sleepwalking haze, finally stumbles upon Van’s vintage video store, there’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it glimpse of the business’ name, “While You Were Streaming.” The clever pun is a callback to season one, episode seven when Van (Liv Hewson), pre-wolf attack, entertains the girls with a campfire retelling of her favorite ’90s rom-com, While You Were Sleeping.
Showtime’s ‘Yellowjackets’ streams on Fridays, followed by TV airtime on Sunday nights.