Pilot (Yellowjackets)

"Pilot" is the first episode of the American thriller drama television series Yellowjackets. The episode was written by series creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, and directed by executive producer Karyn Kusama. It was released on Showtime on November 14, 2021, but it was available for free on November 6, 2021. The series follows a New Jersey high school girls' soccer team that travels to Seattle for a national tournament in 1996. While flying over Canada, their plane crashes deep in the wilderness, and the surviving team members are left stranded for nineteen months. The series chronicles their attempts to stay alive as some of the team members are driven to cannibalism. It also focuses on the lives of the survivors 25 years later in 2021, as the events of their ordeal continue to affect them many years after their rescue. The episode introduces the characters, and the ramifications of the plane crash. According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.246 million household viewers and gained a 0.02 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received highly positive reviews from critics, who praised the story, characters, performances and intrigue. It received nominations for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards.