Yellowjackets Review: Women’s Soccer Meets Horror

Though soccer is the most popular sport in the world, its following is still growing here in the U.S. The USWNT is definitely a team to thank for the increasing popularity, but there is still room for growth in fans, especially with women’s soccer. 

Lately, soccer has found its way to a new platform: TV dramas! While sports movies and dramas have been around for decades, they are rarely based on soccer. Beyond documentaries, soccer usually only appears on television during live matches. So even when games are on, you won’t see too many people flipping the channel over to watch unless it’s a huge match.

However, the tides are changing! Shows like Ted Lasso give soccer its rightful place on TV and gain the sport a more considerable following. 

Enter the show: Yellowjackets. The latest Showtime drama/thriller revolves around a talented high school girls’ soccer team competing for their way to nationals. On the way, their plane crashes, and the team is left fending for survival in the wilderness. 

Think everything about playing on an all-girls high school team: drama, peer pressure, coming of age, issues among teammates, etc. Then, add in a life-changing accident and crazy horror, and you’ve got yourself a show. 

Honestly, I was a bit unsure of how the show would combine soccer and horror, but they managed to do it. It is evident from the first episode that the game’s key themes are included. 

There is conflict amongst the group of girls, both on and off the field (I mean, obviously, it’s a drama). Of course, there is friendship to balance things out, with various instances of the players sticking up for each other (as teammates should). Leadership struggles also make an appearance, with a new team captain adjusting to the role over an eclectic team. 

But I have to say, my favorite thing shown from the start is how the team communicates on the field. The show gives viewers a glimpse of what a team with great chemistry looks like. They know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and work together to win. 

There is also a theme of survival that extends beyond the sport once the team is faced with life or death scenarios following the plane crash. 

The show flips back and forth, showing what happened pre-crash and how the players dealt with the aftermath of events as adults. Lots of mature content is included that extends beyond the soccer world (can’t have a drama without it). 

If you’re into having nightmares from watching disturbing horror scenes, this show is right up your alley (I only closed my eyes like twice). Nonetheless, it’s definitely neat to see girls’ soccer featured as the foundation of a modern show. Hopefully, more movies and television shows follow this recent trend and continue giving women’s soccer the attention it deserves! 

Featured image via Wikimedia Commons

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