The spooky season often brings with it the promise of upcoming horror TV shows and a boost in horror movies hitting theaters, and it’s the kind of year where rewatching classics is just as fun as digging into potential new obsessions. To that end, streaming audiences can already find some great horror series on Netflix, but the company just revealed one of TV’s spookiest current shows, Yellowjackets, will be available to binge in the near future.
Inarguably the best cable horror show out there alongside USA’s Chucky, Yellowjackets is Showtime’s biggest genre release outside of its ever-expanding Dexter-verse, and while it is already available for streaming with a Paramount+ subscription, those who only have Netflix subscriptions will soon be able to feast on the gory and traumatic treasures this theory-sparking show has to offer.
Here’s how Netflix revealed the news with its followers on X:
You won't be hungry much longer. Yellowjackets Season 1 is coming to Netflix in the US on October 1!
It makes all the logical sense in the world for this fan-favorite ensemble cast to crash into Netflix’s horror lineup to start off Halloween month, and the chances are high for it to gain a ton of new eyeballs. Interestingly enough, the streaming giant will only be adding the first chapter of this survivor-filled tale, without a sign of when or if Season 2 will be available ahead of Yellowjackets Season 3 arriving as part of the 2025 TV schedule. But if the first batch of eps does well, that could easily change.
Why Netflix Could Be Huge For Yellowjackets Ahead Of Season 3
Though not every single TV show that lands at the streaming company earns the lucrative and elusive “Netflix bump” — namely a massive audience influx of largely first-time viewers — those that do experience it are often afforded unforeseen levels of popularity. It’s where shows like Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead gained millions of additional viewers during their linear TV heydays, but perhaps the best example of the bump’s power is Suits L.A., a spinoff that only exists due to Suits’ streaming success.
Considering Netflix has the biggest global subscriber base of any service out there, the potential for Yellowjackets to surge in popularity is quite high, whether it’s due to word-of-mouth recommendations or the app’s algorithm suggestions and Top 10 rankings. If it does get the kind of viewership I’m hoping for, then it’s likely a deal will be made to stream Season 2 at some point ahead of Season 3’s release.
What’s more, the Netflix team seems to be just as pumped about bringing Yellowjackets to its customer base as I am about seeing it on there. Beyond the social media post announcing its future arrival, the streamer also set up a Tudum page providing some background info for those who may be unaware of what the show is even about. Speaking to that, Yellowjackets’ narrative is split across two different timelines: a ‘90s-set flashback centering on a high school soccer team helplessly stranded in the woods after a plane crash, and the current-day lives of several of the survivors, as portrayed by Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, Christina Ricci and more.
Yellowjackets Just Added A Comedy Vet To The Season 3 Cast
Speaking of the all-star cast, the big Netflix news was preceded by the announcement that another household name will be sinking his teeth into the show’s Season 3 story. Community vet and Animal Control star Joel McHale is Yellowjacket’s latest addition, as he’s set to pop up in a guest-starring capacity.
At this point, it’s hard to tell whether that means the Crime Scene Kitchen host will be showcased for a single scene, or if he will have more of a recurring presence in the way that Elijah Wood’s kooky Walter did in Season 2. One can only hope for the latter, especially if the next slice of casting news is about Ken Jeung joining the horror series. Buzz buzz.
Don’t forget Yellowjackets will hit Netflix for binge-viewing horror fun on October 1, with Season 3 arriving on Showtime at some point in 2025.
