Yellowjackets parents guide: Is the Showtime series suitable for kids? 

Yellowjackets might sound like another YA drama, but trust me when I say this: the show is way darker than you think. On paper, it’s about a girls’ soccer team stranded in the wild after a plane crash.

However, apart from that, it is a psychological rollercoaster with gore, sex, drugs, and trauma. If you’re wondering whether Yellowjackets is okay for teens, the short answer is no. It’s extremely explicit and heavy. So before you hit play, here’s everything you as a parent to your kids should know.

When survival turns savage: what really happens in Yellowjackets

The story starts with a group of high school soccer girls who survive a terrible plane crash alone in the wilderness. What starts as teamwork between the survivors soon turns into something unimaginable.

Over time, the survivors split into violent groups, doing unspeakable things just to stay alive. Showtime calls Yellowjackets “part survival epic, part psychological horror and part coming-of-age drama,” and that’s fairly accurate. But let’s be honest, because it’s mostly psychological horror and runs the most with it.

From cannibalism to gory rituals, violence is its constant. Scenes reveal blood-soaked bodies and animal killings. Characters like Misty take that horror even further, with scenes that show brutal animal cruelty and manipulative behavior.

Even as adults, the survivors cannot seem to escape their trauma. The show’s creator leans into that lingering pain, making it clear that the “wilderness” never really leaves them.

The content breakdown: Sex, drugs, and language galore

This is where Yellowjackets absolutely crosses the line for kids and teens. There’s explicit sexual content being shown throughout the show, as there are multiple scenes that depict teenage characters in sexual situations, including masturbation, nudity, and perving.

Female characters are often shown poorly dressed, and certain episodes include graphic sexual acts, and talk about said acts and hence, the show is unfiltered and adult in every sense.

Drug use is just as frequent on the show. Characters are seen with shrooms, ma*ijuana, c*caine, LSD, ecstasy, and more. Getting high on drugs and LSD trips also often leads to violent or sexual incidents, making the tone unpredictable and disturbing for kids.

Profanity is also excessive, with words like “f*ck,” and “c*nt” being thrown around constantly. Combine that with the emotional and psychological intensity of the show, and it’s far from teen-friendly territory.

Yellowjackets carries a TV-MA rating, which means people above the age of 18 can watch the show, as it sure is absurd and leans on the heavier side of growing up.

Yellowjackets is brilliant television. It sure is haunting and unforgettable. But it’s also dipped in trauma, gore, and sexuality that make it extremely inappropriate for kids or younger teens to watch.

Between the psychological horror, constant swearing, and graphic scenes with drugs and cannibalism, the show is better suited for mature audiences who can handle its darkness. Parents, trust your gut on this one, as this isn’t just a survival story; it’s a descent into madness.

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