Passionate kissing moments in ‘Yellowjackets’ Season 3 indicate the show has returned with a bang

The new season of Yellowjackets has us eating good, and I’m not talking about flesh. Well, maybe I sort of am. 

Season 3 of Yellowjackets is a welcome return to the daring and provocative storylines that captivated audiences in Season 1 after a lackluster Season 2. Grown-up Shauna and Adam’s intense relationship, followed by his shocking demise, left a lasting impression that seemed to be missing in the second season.

Despite a few standout episodes, Season 2 failed to sustain the same level of intrigue and sensuality, feeling more like a missed opportunity than a satisfying continuation. The renewed vigor and allure of Season 3 signal a promising shift back to the show’s initial appeal, rekindling the fervor and allure that fans have been yearning for.

Thankfully, that’s where season three comes in. 

The latest season wastes no time reigniting the passion and chemistry between characters like Van and Tai, whose rekindled romance ignites sparks of desire in unexpected places. Their intimate moments, such as a daring encounter in a dark alley and a steamy public display of affection, showcase a palpable connection that elevates the narrative and adds a scintillating edge to the unfolding drama.

The scene only becomes hotter as grown-up Tai (Tawny Cypress) hallucinates the tall, no-eyed man from her dreams, which causes her to jump Van (Lauren Ambrose) like there’s no tomorrow. And not to play directly into the hand that the writers are giving, but the chase involving their server only ups the stakes in this titillating moment. It’s not sexy that the server dies after having a heart attack on the street while trying to stop them (I wish I was kidding), but it’s still kind of hot that their dangerous actions had lethal consequences and resulted in a sacrifice being made to the wild. Sexy stuff.

Follow that up with a truly unexpected makeout in Episode 2 involving young Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) and background Yellowjackets teammate Melissa (Jenna Burgess). In the episode, Shauna realizes that someone has followed her to the grave site of her baby boy and calls out for the person to emerge from the brush, which is when Melissa faces her teammate. Shauna — who has never quite processed the death of her stillborn baby from Season 2 — is easily excitable when it comes to the resting place and jumps Melissa, threatening her into silence.

“If you tell anyone about this, I will fucking kill you,” Shauna tells Melissa as she holds a dull blade to her carotid artery. Before Shauna can get to the end of her threat, Melissa goes in hot and heavy for a kiss, quickly causing Shauna to retreat in confusion. Her perplexed state only lasts a mere second, however, as she similarly goes in to initiate a makeout with her teammate. It doesn’t stop there, though, as the two engage in some light grinding up against a tree before the scene cuts away.

An added bonus of this flashback is that the entire sequence is interlaced with clips of present-day Shauna on the phone with a restaurant manager and doing some light detective work. After finding a phone in a toilet stall earlier in the night, Shauna called back to see if anyone had claimed the device. The whole scene in the bathroom is curious as it is obvious that someone enters the restroom while Shauna is in the stall, stands outside her door, and leaves without a word. It’s never spelled out explicitly but my assumption is that the responsible party is none other than a grown-up version of Melissa, who will enter the picture and rock Shauna’s seemingly heterosexual world. And hey, considering that we know Hilary Swank is part of the cast this season, is it too crazy to think that the Oscar winner will play Melissa and potentially get it on with Lynskey’s character? Only time will tell but I like the sexy groundwork that has been laid thus far.

The first three episodes of Yellowjackets Season 3 are currently streaming on Paramount+. New episodes drop on Fridays at 12 a.m. PT.