Yellowjackets: Season 3 Episode 3 – Recap/ Review

As Taissa’s past finally gets investigated, a possible theory appears regarding all that was heard and seen in the past.

ByAmari Allah Hours Posted on Hours Updated on

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.

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Episode Details

Episode Title: Them’s the Brakes
Air Date: February 21, 2025
Network: Showtime
Director(s): Jonathan Lisco
Writer(s): Jonathan Lisco, Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson

Recap

Mutual Enemies Can Make Good Friends: Ben, Mari, Shauna, Van, Akilah, Jackie

Despite all the reasons he should not, Ben let Mari be free and for his good deed, she leads everyone to his cave. The only benefit of doing so is that it does bring the girls together, even Shauna and Mari. However, with there being some kind of gas leak in the cave, it leads to hallucinations. Most are person specific, Akilah speaking to animals, Shauna seeing her son, and Van burning up in the chair that used to be in the cabin.

However, then they end up back in class, with Jackie of all people, and Akilah finding herself the only one immune to whatever form of gas induced nightmare they are sharing. But, luckily for them, despite Ben trying to kill them all in the last season, he saves them from the gas leak only to find himself soon to be dragged off to stand trial.

Good News and Answers: Taissa, Van

As one gives sacrifices to the wilderness, the wilderness blesses those who give an offering. For Van, it means, despite having stage 4 cancer, her latest test results present the idea she is in remission. That’s great for her but what really matters here is Taissa may finally know the source of the eyeless man that has haunted her since her dreams: A ad that used to play while watching Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.

Naturally, Taissa finds herself wanting to go to Ozzie’s Homemade Ice Cream Parlor, despite it being permanently closed, because maybe she (and the audience) could get some answers. However, with only finding a fox that has caught a kill, the only thing derived from all this is the wilderness is still hungry and another sacrifice is due.

We’re Not Friends, Are We?: Misty, Callie, Shauna, Lottie

While we’ve seen Shauna is cordial with Taissa and Van, what helps is they may share a past but aren’t actively trying to be part of each other’s day to day. Lottie and Misty are different. Lottie didn’t go to Taissa or Van, even Misty’s home, she went to Shauna and imposed on her, as if they are friends and Lottie didn’t just try to sacrifice her.

Misty can be useful, but her need to be needed is taxing. Never mind, in her effort to show good intentions, she often stumbles and fails at the simplest part of the task. Which is why Shauna ends up blowing up at both Lottie and Misty. Lottie for overstepping once again, and presenting Callie with a gift that wasn’t Lottie’s to give and with Misty? When in doubt, when things feel off, Misty is assumed to be involved so between the stalking incident in the last episode and Shauna’s brake lines being cut in this one, she assumes Misty did it, even if it doesn’t make sense, because that is the easier answer than assuming it is Melissa or someone else.

But, with Shauna dumping on Misty, and kicking her out after a rather traumatic moment, she seems done with her and the rest of the team, but not to the point of calling Walter and admitting he was right.

Review

Highlights

  • Finally Something Interesting Happening In The Taissa and Van Storyline [83/100]

It’s great that Van is in remission, but that leads to there being no excuse for her not living her life and bringing something beyond a cute lesbian couple to the show. After all, she can’t rely on Taissa forever to justify her sticking around – she needs to be working towards or on something besides her relationship – which sometimes seems to only continue to exist out of the writers’ convenience.

But, Van aside, I love that the no eyed man is finally being addressed. Now, it being some creepy ad that haunted her as a kid, that has stuck with her, feels like a slight letdown if they keep it to just that. Never mind, if this all ends up being just a means to foreshadow the wilderness wanting someone else to die.

However, I want to have high hopes because it feels like these two have been on the back bench so long, they have to take a grand leap forward.

  • The Question Of How Much Of The Hallucinations Came From Gas Leaks, Starvation And Brain Damage [81/100]

While it is minor, the mention of there being gas in the cave that caused hallucinations does make me wonder if the show is trying present an alternate to the supernatural answer. Could there be something toxic in the woods which affects the plants, the animals, the water, and is the reason why the girls have bugged out a bit? Granted, we’ve seen them go to cannibalism, trip on local fungi, and have returned to as normal of a state as you can, considering their situation, but could there be something that helps explains things in a logical way?

To me it is a interesting thought and while it wouldn’t make the greatest twists, it would be something for the show to remove the excuses of the wilderness, and all it could hold, and just say these women aren’t good people and all being lost in the woods did is show who they truly would be without society pressuring them to be good.

  • Misty Waking Up To Not Having Friends [82/100]

I think what resonates with me the most regarding Misty is that, while she has worrisome tendencies, her heart is generally in a good place and she is unfortunately a people pleaser. With that, as shown through conversations with Walter, she will excuse and explain away what most people who have the options they want would never excuse. But for Misty, she never got that.

As a kid, we see her having to inject herself into things and make friends, while it was rare for her to experience people making the same effort with her. And because, on the rare occasion, people have, like Crystal, she knows there is a chance, it is just finding the next chance to make such a bond. And it is sad in a way to see Misty have hope to find her next Crystal, yet not appreciate it in Walter, or want it from the people who have known her the longest, and who have probably caused her the most pain with their passive or active rejection.

Trajectory

Trajectory (82/100): Plateau

With almost a quarter of the way through the third season, it seems “Yellowjackets” is trying to crawl out of its sophomore slump. However, until it is consistent in delivering quality episodes, and not ones that can feel lopsised, it is hard to say it is climbing.

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Amari is the founder and head writer of Wherever-I-Look.com and has been reviewing media since 2010. He approaches each production with hope, rooting for every story to succeed, and believes criticism should come from unmet potential, while praise is reserved for work that meets or exceeds expectations.