A Deluge of Dramas: Yellowjackets, Severance, The Gilded Age

The golden age of TV continues. Looking for something dramatic to add to your TV queue? Consider one of the following.

Yellowjackets: I could not stop bingeing this show. I heard so much about it as it was airing week to week over the winter, but I only got around to it now and what a thrill ride it was for all ten episodes of its first season. The relentless pace meant that even though I was bingeing, I would still watch the "Previously on Yellowjackets..." montage at the start of each episode to remind myself of all the shenanigans that had ensued so far. Created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, this show is unlike anything I've ever seen on TV before, and full of powerhouse performances, intricate plotlines, and creepy and spectacular visuals. 

The show tells the story of a high school girl's soccer team and what happens when their plane crashes in a remote location when they are on the way to Nationals. Forced to survive on their own for nineteen months until they are finally rescued, a lot goes down during their time in the woods. But the way the story is told echoes the flash-back and flash-forward structure of Lost. You are getting the story of what these girls were up to in high school before they ever got on the plane. You're getting the story of what happened after the crash and they had to figure out ways to survive. And most importantly, you're getting the story twenty years later of the surviving women, who have made a pact to never tell the world what happened to them in those woods, but are now having to deal with the consequences. 

It is so complex but this is a show that demands your attention and richly rewards you for it. The casting is absolutely sublime. At first I was worried I would never be able to keep straight who all these characters were. But the actresses they have cast to play the younger and older versions of each character are pitch perfect and you won't be confused for long. The older women are played by the likes of Melanie Lynskey, Juliette Lewis, Tawny Cypress, and Christina Ricci, who is playing an absolute psychopath. Their younger counterparts are incredible, including (but definitely not limited to) Sophie Nelisse, Sophie Hatcher, Jasmin Savoy Brown, and Sammi Hanratty. And as each episode passes, more secrets and dark tales come to life. This show is Lord of the Flies, except with young girls, and it's incredible to see what happens when these women are stranded and have to deal with things like everyone getting their period at the same time, navigating relationships with the two men who also crashed with them, and dealing with new and old friendships and shifting loyalties. Not to mention the lurking specter of eventual cannibalism.

I cannot praise Yellowjackets highly enough. The theme song spurred extreme agita in me every time it came on, and the soundtrack was always incredible, offering up a welcome dose of 90s nostalgia in every flashback. It is insanely well-written and well-observed, capturing the many nuances and complexities of female friendships, and while you will be sorely disappointed when it's over, you will still get satisfying answers to some of your questions by Episode 10 whilst having your appetite whetted for Season 2.

Severance: This show initially feels like it's all vibes, and then as it gets to its first season finale, it is a propulsive thrill ride than ends on an agonizing cliffhanger. It is so worth the watch, but be forewarned that it's gonna leave you hanging at the end and you will now have to wait a whole year to find out what happens next. 

The show is centered around a group of employees who work at Lumon, a company that has pioneered a Severance brain operation that allows any individual to completely separate their work memories and non-work memories. This is touted as a breakthrough for work-life balance that allows people to live their lives to the fullest, but of course there is a whole ethical morass to wade through and it turns out this benevolent corporation might be up to no good. Boasting an incredible cast of Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, John Turturro, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower, and even Christopher freakin' Walken, this show is bananas from the jump and just keeps getting wilder.

The show was created by Dan Erickson and Ben Stiller directed most of the episodes, with Aoife McArdle stepping in to helm three episodes. The writing and direction are top notch, forcing the viewer to immerse themselves in this weird alternate reality with all its jargon and bizarre logic. The production design deserves special kudos because it captures the deadly fluorescent hell of office cubicle life, and makes everything feel creepy and claustrophobic to the max. The actors are impeccable, having to play dual roles as they transform each day when they arrive at work into their "innie," the work self who has no idea what their "outie" is like in the world. The mysteries keep piling up, and the season finale is this fast-paced, ingeniously edited, gasp-inducing bit of TV magic. So steep yourself in the world of Lumon and get caught up so you're ready to experience Season 2 with the rest of the world in 2023.

The Gilded Age: As a big Downton Abbey fan and a New Yorker, I was looking forward to seeing what creator Julian Fellowes had in mind for this show, which looks at high society in 1880s New York City. The action centers around Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson), a penniless woman who arrives in Manhattan to live with her estranged aunts after the death of her father. In the meantime, Bertha and George Russell (Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector), have just moved into a mansion across the street on the elegant Upper East Side. The Russells are nouveau riche and aspire to be accepted by the snobs in high society, while Marian's eldest aunt, Agnes (Christine Baranski), is old money and very much disdains these interlopers. She cautions her niece to never mingle with these rich upstarts, but of course, our heroine has a mind of her own and shenanigans ensue. 

Like Downton, there's also a fair amount of downstairs action as we follow the household staff and their various adventures as well as their interactions with their wealthy employers. But unlike Downton, the show never seems to deliver much exciting plot. Everything seems telegraphed from a mile away, and I don't think anyone was seriously surprised by the twists and turns that took place by the time we got to the season finale, apart from a rather brilliant reveal regarding a chef. This is a show that probably has an eye-watering budget for costumes, and it is a joy to look at the sumptuous dresses and hats gracing the screen every minute, but I found myself fairly bored by the writing. This is a great mood piece, but it lacks sexy intrigue, instead settling to be much more about economic intrigue. There's an interesting attempt to address racism and the place of Black people in this society, but it's all a bit ham-handed and currently doesn't seem to be going anywhere particularly meaningful so we shall have to wait and see. This is a great watch if you want to look at something pretty, but if you're looking for propulsive and compelling plot, you are better off with the other shows I've recommended in this post.