Shows like Yellowjackets: 5 survival thrillers to watch after the finale
There are more than just Lost.
Yellowjackets has captured a nation with its story of sisterhood, teenage drama, and (possible) cannibalism. But after the whirlwind first season, what do you watch next? It’s got to have all the intrigue and drama of a survival situation, and a dark underlying conspiracy certainly wouldn’t hurt.
Luckily, there are five shows that manage to capture a little of Yellowjackets’ lightning in a bottle, whether your favorite parts are the mystery or just the high school melodrama. Read on to find out how to stream your next thrilling obsession.
5. Lost
The first show critics compared Yellowjackets to was Lost. And it’s easy to see why. Both shows involve a plane crash and a wilderness that may have more to it than just a harsh environment. In a way, Lost was the blueprint for every other show on this list, balancing flashbacks, flashforwards, and an unprecedented complex plot that probably created the TV speculation culture ripping through the Yellowjackets fandom currently.
If for some reason you haven’t watched the confusing, heartfelt, and deeply mystical action of Lost, it’s the perfect cure for Yellowjackets withdrawal, despite the fact it came out 16 years ago.
Lost is now streaming on Hulu.
4. The Wilds
While Yellowjackets may be called “the female Lord of the Flies,” The Wilds got there first. This Prime Original series follows a handful of teens stranded on an island after their plane crashes while they were on their way to a mysterious retreat. Over the course of the next few weeks, they must learn to survive and slowly discover the dark truth behind their fate.
While Yellowjackets has flash-forwards, The Wilds focuses on flashbacks, conquering touchy subjects like homophobia, sexual assault, and abusive relationships. If you wish we saw more of the Yellowjackets before the crash, The Wilds is for you — and the sudden twist at the end is way too surprising to spoil here.
The Wilds is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
3. Between
What if, instead of a plane crash, the teens in Yellowjackets were stranded by a virus? That’s the premise of Between, a Netflix original series starring a post-iCarly Jennette McCurdy in a world where a virus has eliminated everyone over the age of 21, leaving a bunch of teens stranded but still under governmental control.
As one of the first Netflix original series, Between suffers some budget problems, but over its two seasons, the show really finds its footing as a small-town survival story. If you wish Yellowjackets was more relatable to the present day, this series is for you.
Between is now streaming on Netflix.
2. The 100
One of the highlights of Yellowjackets is how it delivers on teen drama without feeling like a soap opera. But what may be a highlight to some could be a lowlight for others. For those who want something a bit more interpersonal, The 100 is the teen survival drama with the CW show treatment.
The show follows a group of 100 adolescents sent to a post-apocalyptic Earth with the hopes of repopulating the planet. But, like all CW shows, there’s plenty of drama to overcome before that’s a possibility. And with seven seasons, The 100 will tide you over for a while.
The 100 is now streaming on Netflix.
1. The Society
The Society was a show unlike any other. Much like Yellowjackets, it is about a group of teens trying to survive after a school trip goes awry, but this isn’t your typical survival drama. In the world of The Society, the high schoolers return to their small town to find it completely abandoned. The internet is gone, but the houses and infrastructure still exist.
Just as the title suggests, the teens accidentally reinvent socialism and create a tenuous society built on communal living. But when hormones and power struggles get in the way, there’s no real crime enforcement protocol. How do you deal with a murderer if you’re a 16-year-old mayor?
Unfortunately, The Society is a short-term solution to Yellowjackets withdrawal, as the series was canceled after only one season. Even though it ends on a cliffhanger, it’s definitely worth your time.
The Society is now streaming on Netflix.
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