The Best Shows Like Yellowjackets and Where to Watch Them

Another series heavily inspired by horror is Shining Vale, which stars Courteney Cox as a writer who may or may not be possessed by a demon. The show tackles sexism and the way women are often deemed “crazy” instead of society listening to them. But its overarching mystery of whether it’s real or in her head is very similar to the mystic forest presence in Yellowjackets.

In Yellowjackets, a group of high schoolers crash-land in the middle of the wilderness and devolve into madness, leading to everything from cannibalism to murder. As adults, the survivors are now forced to live with the secrets and burdens they carry. Similarly, Pretty Little Liars follows a group of high school girls who begin getting mysterious letters after the disappearance of their friend. Before long, secrets from the past come back to haunt them. Sound familiar?

In The Wilds, a group of high school girls get stranded on an island after a plane crash, and the series jumps around between different timelines, and it’s revealed that nothing is as it seems. If you love Yellowjackets but want a little less of the traumatic horror and more of a teen-centric, soapy drama-fest similar to a CW series, then go check out The Wilds. There’s also a second season that repeats the crash with a group of young boys.

In Lost, a plane crashes on a mysterious island and the survivors begin to realize that the events might not be so random after all. The series was iconic for its twists and shocking reveals, all while keeping audiences guessing until the very end. The similarities to Yellowjackets are super obvious – a plane crashes in a remote environment, everyone struggles to survive, lots of mysteries, and an overarching plot that something deeper is happening. If you love Yellowjackets, you’ll absolutely want to binge Lost.

Just as Yellowjackets incorporates lots of horror and suspense themes into its juicy mystery, Wayward Pines is a horror-mystery that builds a fantastic story. In the show, a man arrives at an idyllic small town, and quickly realizes that there’s nothing idyllic about it and that something sinister is happening. Plus, Wayward Pines stars Yellowjackets’ own Juliette Lewis.

In From, a family gets lost while driving and then arrives in a small town…they can’t get out of. Even worse, nocturnal monsters come out at night, adding a layer of true horror onto the show’s building mystery. While the plot is very different, Yellowjackets fans will instantly see similarities in the show’s vibe and aesthetic. 

Just like Yellowjackets, David Lynch’s Twin Peaks involves murder and mystery (and maybe even a bit of supernatural occurrences). Plus, Twin Peaks served as an inspiration for Yellowjackets. The show’s creators told The Wrap, “Lynch has had such an incredible influence on our personal aesthetic and our storytelling because he paved the way for absolute weirdness to reign supreme.”

If you really love the adult timeline in Yellowjackets, then you’ll also enjoy Sharp Objects. The show centers around a reporter who returns to her rural hometown to investigate the murder of two girls. But once she arrives home, demons from her past begin to haunt her. The series scored numerous Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, including a Globe win for Patricia Clarkson. 

The Emmy-winning fourth season of True Detective is arguably the best, and just like Yellowjackets, the entire season is set around a question: Was a tragic event caused by a supernatural force, or is that just what everyone has started to believe? I won’t say much more because I don’t want to give away any spoilers since the mystery of the show is half the fun. But trust me, it’s fantastic.

Alright, let’s go through the similar-to-Yellowjackets checklist: A group in an isolated environment, a great ensemble cast, an overarching mystery, murder, and people’s pasts coming back to haunt them. Nine Perfect Strangers is basically like if someone took Yellowjackets and The White Lotus and blended them together…and doesn’t that sound fantastic?