Burial (Yellowjackets)

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Burial is the seventh episode of Yellowjackets’ second season. It aired on May 14, 2023 on Showtime (it was available on Paramount+ with Showtime two days earlier). The episode was written by Rich Monahan and Liz Phang and directed by Anya Adams. It continues to follow the 1996 wilderness survivors—Shauna, Taissa, Misty, and Natalie—while also tracking their lives 25 years later in 2021.

What happens in the episode
- In the present, Shauna, Taissa, Misty, and Van receive different treatments at Lottie’s compound. They also confront their pain and the possibility that they’ve repressed memories.
- In flashbacks, Shauna grieves the death of her baby, and the group searches for Crystal.
- Misty tries to find Crystal. She reaches the location where Crystal fell but finds that the body is missing. She also encounters Ben, who is on the edge of a cliff as his hallucinations worsen. Misty manipulates him by implying he was the baby’s father and by exposing his sexuality, but Ben isn’t swayed. She pleads with him to stay, fearing another death.
- Shauna returns to the cabin and violently confronts Misty after a tense confrontation about saving her baby. Lottie intervenes, telling Shauna to release her pain. Shauna lashes out at Lottie, then leaves the cabin.
- At the compound, Lottie continues with various treatments and briefly speaks with her psychiatrist about visions, though it’s revealed to the audience (through Lisa) that the psychiatrist may not exist and that some things could be hallucinations.
- Each woman tries her assigned self-care regimen: Shauna cares for a baby goat and worries the compound might kill it; Taissa works on Renewal by painting a barn; Van does Forage and shares a drink with Taissa, leading to a kiss, though Van reveals she has cancer and only months left; Misty undergoes Guidance in an isolation tank and imagines a musical number with Walter and a bird version of Caligula, which helps her feel she’s still a good person. She later calls Walter to apologize and arrange a meeting.
- The women come together with Natalie, drink, and discuss their past. A favorite song plays as they dance, suggesting they may be tapping into repressed memories.
- A follower informs Shauna that Jeff is trying to reach her; he calls to report that Adam’s body has been found.

Reception and impact
- Viewership was about 0.165 million, with a 0.03 rating among adults 18–49, a slight rise from the previous episode.
- Critics gave the episode strong praise, highlighting performances, character development, and the flashbacks.
- Melanie Lynskey received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work in this episode.
- The episode also drew positive notices from many outlets for its blend of intense drama, psychological depth, and the ongoing mystery of the characters’ past.

Notes
- The episode was marked for its strong performances, especially Misty and Shauna, and for advancing the season’s deeper exploration of trauma and memory.